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News Release from: Chartered Institute of Building [CIOB] | Subject: Sustainable development policy
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 March 2006
Climate change is greatest challenge
Sustainable development policy sees climate change as greatest challenge
Serious changes in policy and behaviour will have to be made across the economy and society to comply with the Government's sustainable development policies, says the action plan submitted to the Sustainable Development Commission by Baroness Andrews, Sustainable Development Minister at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Under the heading Securing the Future, the newly published document sets out how over the next twelve months ODPM will implement its contribution to the cross-Government UK sustainable development strategy
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 12 Mar 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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ODPM sees climate change as the 'greatest single challenge'.
The associated disruption, says the paper, presents great risks to prosperity and quality of life, unless concerted action is taken across government and business to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
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As instances of 'milestones' along the route to sustainable development, Baroness Andrews cites the revised Building Regulations coming into force shortly to improve the energy efficiency of buildings; the new Code for Sustainable Homes which will improve environmental sustainability for new homes; the review of sustainability for existing homes which will report later this year; development of new planning guidance (PPS25), to ensure that flood risk is taken into account at all stages of the planning process; and a new policy on waste planning (PPS10).
ODPM is also forecasting a new planning statement for housing policy (PPS3), aimed at creating sustainable, inclusive and mixed communities in all areas as part of its response to the Barker Review of Housing Supply.
During the year there will also be reviews of whether local and regional development plans are fully promoting the use of renewable energy in line with PPS22, and of permitted development rights enjoyed by householders to make it easier to install micro-generation equipment such as micro-wind and heat pumps in their homes.
The department is also speaking of developing the role of the planning system in tackling climate change as embodied in PPS1.
Possible options include a more detailed statement on climate change considerations or updated practice guidance.
Local area agreements and safer, stronger communities funding are promised to promote creation of cleaner and safer town centres and better quality public spaces.
These are some of the issues to be followed through over the next twelve months, but overall ODPM declares its aim to be the creation of sustainable communities that promote opportunity and a better quality of life for all.
"Although the ideas of sustainable development and sustainable communities are not interchangeable, they have the same roots: concern that too narrow a focus, whether in broad policy, in local decision making or in development on the ground, will deliver outcomes that are not sustainable, and which therefore store up trouble for the future".
""Sustainable development is a broad concept which may apply equally at any level, from global to local.
Delivering sustainable communities is a more specific goal relating to practical decision-making at the level of individual communities, with regard to the wider and long-term impacts.
"Through this focus on sustainable communities ODPM will contribute to the delivery of sustainable development; the notions of sustainable communities and sustainable development are interwoven through this plan." ODPM's responsibilities in this regard are spread across a wide range of cross-cutting policies, including housing, planning, neighbourhoods, local government and fire, as set out in the Government's £38 billion sustainable communities plan.
This work is expressed in terms of five key drivers, central to ODPM's overarching goal.
They are: High quality services, focused on continuous improvement A good physical environment, clean, safe and sustainable A strong economic base, good infrastructure, employment and a good climate for enterprise and investment Strong leadership, reinvigorated local democracy, strong partnerships Shared values, building cohesion and respect across communities Step-change in housing supply On the question of Homes for All, the paper acknowledges that the supply of housing has not kept pace with rising demand, and that housing costs have spiralled out of reach for those on moderate incomes.
This, it admits, has led to increasing asset inequality and, in extreme circumstances, has contributed to homelessness.
"Delivering sufficient new homes to meet our needs in a sustainable manner is an important part of the Government's objectives to deliver social justice and help support the economy whilst protecting the environment." The document confirms that the Government has now accepted the case for a step-change in housing supply in its response to Kate Barker's review of housing supply.
This describes measures to reform planning and enable timely infrastructure provision to provide more homes to meet demand.
"This step-change in housing supply".
it says, "represents an opportunity to look again at protecting and enhancing the environment".
"New development does bring environmental pressures".
"However, planned strategic growth rather than incremental development should bring fewer environmental impacts because it allows for environmental pressures to be planned for, accommodated at strategic level." The sustainable development paper claims that significant progress has been made in reducing carbon emissions from housing, for example the improvement in energy efficiency of new houses by 40 per cent in four years and 70 per cent since 1990, approximately a saving of 2.5 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2010.
ODPM is reviewing its position on climate change, recognising the urgency and scale of the problems posed by climate change.
It foreshadows new initiatives and long-term programmes that will contribute to the achievement of a 60 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 and to intermediate targets from 2010 onwards.
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