Histon & Impington Neighbourhood PlanEvidence base for sustainable development

1. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY..............12. ENERGY EFFICIENCY, GENERATION, STORAGE AND SHARING AND LOW CARBON HEATING............................................................................................................2

2.1 Conditions set for EPC standards:...............................................................................22.2 Conditions set for low carbon heating and energy generation:....................................32.3 Conditions set for smart energy technologies:.............................................................32.4 Conditions set for sustainable transport and parking...................................................3

3. FLOOD RISK................................................................................................................43.1 Conditions set for reduction of flood risk....................................................................5

4. BIODIVERSITY................................................................................................................54.1 Conditions set for biodiversity....................................................................................5Annex 1. Core planning principles of National Planning Policy Framework...................7

1. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

The UK government National Planning Policy Framework (2012) defines sustainable development in the following way:

¨International and national bodies have set out broad principles of sustainable development. Resolution 42/187 of the United Nations General Assembly defined sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The UK Sustainable Development Strategy Securing the Future set out five ‘guiding principles’ of sustainable development: living within the planet’s environmental limits; ensuring a strong, healthy and just society; achieving a sustainable economy; promoting good governance; and using sound science responsibly¨

Art 9. Pursuing sustainable development involves seeking positive improvements in the quality of the built, natural and historic environment, as well as in people’s quality of life, including (but not limited to): ● making it easier for jobs to be created in cities, towns and villages; ● moving from a net loss of bio-diversity to achieving net gains for nature; ● replacing poor design with better design; ● improving the conditions in which people live, work, travel and take leisure; and ● widening the choice of high quality homes.

Art 14. At the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-takingThe National Planning Policy Framework constitutes guidance for local planning authorities and decision-takers both in drawing up plans and as a material consideration in determining applications.

2. ENERGY EFFICIENCY, GENERATION, STORAGE AND SHARING AND LOW CARBON HEATING

The conditions specified in the plan are consistent with, and contribute to, the National Planning Framework national policy and the UK government clean growth strategy targets

¨Our energy system is changing. There is more low carbon generation, much of it located close to people’s homes and businesses, and it produces different amounts of electricity depending on factors like the time of day or the weather. New technologies such as storage are emerging and the costs of many of these technologies are falling rapidly. If we take advantage of the opportunities this provides, we can create new businesses and jobs, empower consumers and help people save up to £40bn1 off their energy bills in the coming decades. This Plan is an important part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, the Clean Growth Strategy, and a core component of Ofgem’s future-facing work to enable the energy system transition. It is supported by the Government’s significant increase in public research and innovation spending, including on new storage technologies. 2017, Ofgem. Upgrading Our Energy System Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan July 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/633442/upgrading-our-energy-system-july-2017.pdf

2.1 Conditions for EPC standards:Applications should

complement the designs of individual dwellings (HINP1) in:o providing energy performance standard of minimum EPC band B

Evidence base:The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Clean Growth Strategy published October 2017 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy/clean-growth-strategy-executive-summary) states the following:

¨Through preparing this strategy, we have identified areas where we will need to see the greatest progress, both through technological breakthroughs and large-scale deployment, if we are to meet the fifth carbon budget through domestic action:

Section 3.2 Improving our homes – 13% of UK emissionsImproving the energy efficiency of our homes

12) We want all fuel poor homes to be upgraded to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2030 and our aspiration is for as many homes as possible to be EPC B and C by 2035 where practical, cost-effective and affordable

13) Develop a long-term trajectory to improve the energy performance standards of privately rented homes, with the aim of upgrading as many as possible to EPC Band C by 2030 where practical, cost-effective and affordable

14) Consult on how social housing can meet similar standards over this period

2.2 Conditions set for low carbon heating and energy generation:Applications should

complement the designs of individual dwellings (HINP1) in:

o incorporating, where practical to do so, appropriate low carbon heating and energy generation technology (solar PV, solar thermal, heat pumps, wind power, battery storage etc.) to be energy efficient;

Evidence base:Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Clean Growth Strategy published October 2017 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy/clean-growth-strategy-executive-summary) states the following:Section 3.2 Rolling out low carbon heating19) Improve standards on the 1.2 million new boilers installed every year in England and require installations of control devices to help people save energy

20) Invest in low carbon heating by reforming the Renewable Heat Incentive, spending £4.5 billion to support innovative low carbon heat technologies in homes and businesses between 2016 and 2021

21) Innovation: Invest around £184 million of public funds, including two new £10 million innovation programmes to develop new energy efficiency and heating technologies to enable lower cost low carbon homes

2.3 Conditions set for smart energy technologies:Applications should

complement the designs of individual dwellings (HINP1) in:o enabling the implementation of smart energy technologies to improve

energy efficiencies within the home;

Evidence base:Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Clean Growth Strategy published October 2017 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy/clean-growth-strategy-executive-summary) states the following:

Section 3.2 Delivering Clean, Smart, Flexible Power – 21% of UK Emissions

32) Reduce power costs for households and businesses by:

implementing the smart systems plan, which will help consumers to use energy more flexibly and could unlock savings of up to £40 billion to 2050

2.4 Conditions set in HINP16 for sustainable transport and parkingApplications should:

complement the designs of individual dwellings (HINP1) in:

o responding to the ‘needs of residents to manage their waste, access their cycles, park their cars and report their utility usage’ and, in particular, providing parking provision for both cars and cycles to the standards set out in Appendix 1, including facilities for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles;

Evidence base:National Planning Policy Framework, Section 4. Promoting Sustainable Transport

32). Plans should protect and exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable transport modes for the movement of goods or people. Therefore, developments should be located and designed where practical to● create safe and secure layouts which minimise conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians, avoiding street clutter and where appropriate establishing home zones; ● incorporate facilities for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles; and ● consider the needs of people with disabilities by all modes of transport.

3. FLOOD RISK

Histon and Impington is considered an area at considerable risk to surface water flooding, especially given climate change projections. See map on final page of this document from the Environment Agency showing areas of Flood Zone 3 within the HI Neighbourhood.

For the purposes of applying the National Planning Policy Framework, “flood risk” is a combination of the probability and the potential consequences of flooding from all sources – including from rivers and the sea, directly from rainfall on the ground surface and rising groundwater, overwhelmed sewers and drainage systems, and from reservoirs, canals and lakes and other artificial sources. (Paragraph: 002 Reference ID: 7-002-20140306Revision date: 06 03 2014)

Residential development should be considered for a minimum of 100 years, unless there is specific justification for considering a shorter period. For example; the time in which climate change, flood risk or coastal change is anticipated to impact on it, where a development is controlled by a time-limited planning condition.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets strict tests to protect people and property from flooding which all local planning authorities are expected to follow. Where these tests are not met, national policy is clear that new development should not be allowed.

Although it is the responsibility of the local planning authority and the environment agency to undertake the strategic flood risk assessments, the National Planning Policy Framework also specifies the need for Site-Specific Risk Assessment to be undertaken by developers in areas vulnerable to flood risk. Such as Histon and Impington (see flood risk map at end of this document) ¨The site-specific flood risk assessment should accompany a planning application submitted to the local planning authority. The assessment should demonstrate to the decision-maker how flood risk will be managed now and over the development’s lifetime, taking climate change into account, and with regard to the vulnerability of its users (see Table 2 – Flood Risk Vulnerability)¨. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-and-coastal-change#flood-risk-in-neighbourhood-plans)

3.1 Conditions set for reduction of flood risk

Applications should: be based on designs which manage surface water run off effectively and reduce the

overall level when compared to current use; be based in area denominated Flood Zone 1; if in Flood Zone 2, plans will be

based on results of site-specific flood risk assessment. Applications for development in Flood Zone 3 will not be supported.

Evidence base:2014, Department for Communities and Local Government. Guidance on Neighbourhood Planning for flood risk from National Planning Policy Framework (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-and-coastal-change ) states:

¨This guidance on flood risk and coastal change will help local planning authorities in the preparation of Local Plans, and neighbourhoods in preparing neighbourhood plans. It will also be relevant to applications for planning permission and applications for prior approval for certain types of permitted development.¨

¨In areas at risk of flooding or for sites of 1 hectare or more, developers undertake a site-specific flood risk assessment to accompany applications for planning permission (or prior approval for certain types of permitted development)¨.

¨Site-specific flood risk assessments should always be proportionate to the degree of flood risk and make optimum use of information already available, including information in a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for the area, and the interactive flood risk maps available on the Environment Agency’s web site. A flood risk assessment should also be appropriate to the scale, nature and location of the development.¨

4. BIODIVERSITY

4.1 Conditions for biodiversity

Applications should: maintain or enhance biodiversity ecosystem services through appropriate

management of habitat and ecological connectivity

We propose that a local map of priority areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services (such as pollination) with associated management needs, will be produced. (NB. We are contacting knowledgeable people in the community to produce this map).

Evidence base:¨The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that pursuing sustainable development includes moving from a net loss of biodiversity to achieving net gains for nature, and that a core principle for planning is that it should contribute to conserving and enhancing the natural environment and reducing pollution¨. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/natural-environment)

Flood Risk Map for Histon and Impington, Flood Zone 3

https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/summary/543676/262976

Annex 1. Core planning principles of National Planning Policy Framework

17. Within the overarching roles that the planning system ought to play, a set of core land-use planning principles should underpin both plan-making and decision-taking. These 12 principles are that planning should:

be genuinely plan-led, empowering local people to shape their surroundings, with succinct local and neighbourhood plans setting out a positive vision for the future of the area. Plans should be kept up-to-date, and be based on joint working and co-operation to address larger than local issues. They should provide a practical framework within which decisions on planning applications can be made with a high degree of predictability and efficiency

not simply be about scrutiny, but instead be a creative exercise in finding ways to enhance and improve the places in which people live their lives

proactively drive and support sustainable economic development to deliver the homes, business and industrial units, infrastructure and thriving local places that the country needs. Every effort should be made objectively to identify and then meet the housing, business and other development needs of an area, and respond positively to wider opportunities for growth. Plans should take account of market signals, such as land prices and housing affordability, and set out a clear strategy for allocating sufficient land which is suitable for development in their area, taking account of the needs of the residential and business communities

always seek to secure high quality design and a good standard of amenity for all existing and future occupants of land and buildings

take account of the different roles and character of different areas, promoting the vitality of our main urban areas, protecting the Green Belts around them, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and supporting thriving rural communities within it

support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing climate, taking full account of flood risk and coastal change, and encourage the reuse of existing resources, including conversion of existing buildings, and encourage the use of renewable resources (for example, by the development of renewable energy);

contribute to conserving and enhancing the natural environment and reducing pollution. Allocations of land for development should prefer land of lesser environmental value, where consistent with other policies in this Framework

encourage the effective use of land by reusing land that has been previously developed (brownfield land), provided that it is not of high environmental value

promote mixed use developments, and encourage multiple benefits from the use of land in urban and rural areas, recognising that some open land can perform many functions (such as for wildlife, recreation, flood risk mitigation, carbon storage, or food production)

conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations

actively manage patterns of growth to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling, and focus significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable

take account of and support local strategies to improve health, social and cultural wellbeing for all, and deliver sufficient community and cultural facilities and services to meet local needs