Climate change environmental planning challenges Mark Southgate Head

Climate change environmental planning challenges Mark Southgate Head of Planning and Local Government

Climate change - environmental challenges The Environment Agency and spatial planning Climate change some planning issues Planning challenges Conclusions

Environment Agency and planning Better environment for England Wales for present and future generations Environmental advisor - related to operational functions, expertise and information Consultee, not regulator Legislation, policy, development plans, applications, appraisal and schemes 160 planning staff, 60, 000 consultations pa Risk-based approach, focus on plans

Climate change - planning issues Avoiding and reducing flood risk Water resources Water quality Biodiversity Coastal planning Positive planning enhancement

Mitigation vs adaptation Mitigation: Resource (esp energy) efficiency Sustainable transport Water efficiency measures Adaptation Avoidance of high flood-risk areas Flood resilient building and infrastructure SUDS

Flooding - past events Easter 1998: 5 deaths; £ 400 m damage Autumn 2000: £ 1 billion damage August 2004 - Boscastle January 2005 - Carlisle: 2 deaths

Flooding Natural process Cannot be totally prevented or defended against 5 million people live in floodplains 1. 8 million homes & 185, 000 businesses

Foresight - Future flooding Economic scenarios Global temp rise More frequent flooding - urban Sea level rise Increased storms Coastal erosion www. foresight. gov. uk

Role of planning “Decisions taken now will have a profound impact on the size of flooding risks that future generations will need to manage” Foresight report, 2004

Planning - reducing flood risk ‘Where possible to reduce, and certainly not add to, the overall level of flood risk’ Flood defence to flood management Focus on probability and consequence Avoid development that increases flood risk, or that creates it elsewhere Plan-led - look for suitable alternatives Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

Water resources supply-demand balance Zones with a deficit between now and 2015 (without climate change)

Scenarios: 2010, 2015 and 2025 32, 000 houses pa, 8% efficiency + new resources

Water resources Wealden District Council (Policy EN 5): “New development will only be permitted where adequate water resources are available and where it would not present an unacceptable risk to such resources. ” (Wealden Local Plan, Adopted December 1998)

Sustainable construction Energy, water, waste 25% savings in water & energy - Building Regulations Better align planning and Building Regulations Code for Sustainable Building (Co. SB)

Merton – renewable energy policy Policy E 13: Employment developments - new industry, warehousing, office and live/work units above 1, 000 sq m ‘Expected to incorporate renewable energy production equipment to provide at least 10% of predicted energy requirements’ PPS 22 - Renewable Energy (para 8)

Water Framework Directive River Basins Good ecological status Statutory plans - 2009 Cover all water bodies Summarise protection and restoration ‘measures’ required Provide the mechanism to manage future water use and activities

Water Quality - Scenario testing EA and water companies identifying STWs where concerns about treatment/ environmental capacity STW ‘Hotspot’ Map

Planning and WFD Wide area focus - beyond LPAs Guidance & awareness raising with LAs Evidence base - for SA/SEA Policies in plans now! - 2007 vs 2009 Share policy best practice Political support - national policy WFD and planning initial advice

Climate change planning response Act now - impacts are with us now Make the links - actions required for more than just climate change Spread the word - raise awareness Make the best of existing tools - eg SA Make effective use of existing instruments

Conclusions Sustainable development duty Long time horizons - plan-led, vision Spatial plans SA/SEA, evidence base Environmental capacity and limits Public participation Planning vs Building Regulations Awareness raising, political leadership