Energy efficiency and renewable energy in development - policy background
This page explains the planning policy behind energy requirements.
Development of renewable and low carbon energy is one of the mainstays of the Climate Change Act. Tackling climate change remains a key priority of National Planning Policy.
National Planning Policy
Planning and Climate Change, supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 (Communities websites)sets out a Key Planning Objective "To deliver sustainable development, and in doing so a full and appropriate response on climate change". It states:
“20. In particular, planning authorities should:....- expect a proportion of the energy supply of new development to be secured from decentralised and renewable or low-carbon energy sources.”
"39. In the interim period before the development plan is updated … planning authorities should ensure proposed development is consistent with the policies in this PPS ... Where proposals are inconsistent … consideration should be given to how proposals could be amended to make them acceptable or, where this is not practicable, to whether planning permission should be refused".
Reigate & Banstead’s Local Plan
Policies Ho9/EM3/SH2/RE2/CF2 all set out: “all (residential/business, industrial, and storage and distribution use/retail/recreation/community facilities) development will be required to satisfy the following criteria… (xii) take into account the requirements of energy conservation”.
The Council therefore continues to require energy statements for all such development to demonstrate these requirements have been considered and met in the design of the development.
The Council has a substantial evidence base to demonstrate that a 10% policy is practical and viable. For over three years policySE2 of the Surrey Structure Plan (Surrey County Council website)applied to all new residential and commercial development, requiring a minimum of 10% of energy provided by renewable resources. The South East Plan policies CC4 and NRM11 continued a similar approach, until they were revoked .
Current local position
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s Sustainable Energy Strategycommits it to setting the highest standards for new development to minimise carbon emissions.
The above policy framework supports the Council's continuing approach of expecting all new development to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 10% through use of renewable sources and providing high levels of energy efficiency.
The Future
Emerging local policy in the council’s Local Development Framework will provide further detail in due course.
Last updated : 28/10/2010
