The draft Designing for Energy Efficiency - Renewable Energy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) has been prepared to guide developers and applicants on the integration of on-site renewable energy generation into new developments and conversions.
The primary aim of the document is to set out the council's expectation that all non-residential developments above a threshold of 1,000 m² and all residential developments comprising 10 or more units should incorporate renewable energy production to provide at least 10% of the development's predicted energy requirements.
In addition, the SPD includes advice on energy efficient design and provides guidance on how the council will assess applications for renewable energy installation on and around existing buildings, but not for large-scale renewable energy schemes.
It is a statutory requirement of the LDF process that the SPD is subject to a Sustainability Appraisal (SA). As such, a draft Sustainability Appraisal has also been prepared.
The consultation period for making comments ran from Thursday 31 January 2008 to 5.00pm on Friday 7 March 2008.
We are currently considering representations received. The draft document can be viewed below.
PDF versions of the SPD documents can be viewed by clicking the links below:
The first stage in the SPD's preparation was a sustainability appraisal scoping report. Sustainable development is the fundamental objective of the planning system.
It is essentially about balancing social, economic and environmental needs. Under recent reforms to the UK planning system, all new planning policies and strategies should be subject to a sustainability appraisal.
A scoping report which sets out the framework for appraising the SPD was prepared and consulted on in January 2008. To view the finalised report, including a table of comments received and the borough council's response to them, please use the link below:
For further information on this document please contact David Butler on 0151 356 6664 or email David Butler.
