Sustainability

All Change

Following the review of the former POS Topic Groups which was finalised by the POS AGM in June, the new Sustainability Committee (SC) has grown!  Now incorporating the former Rural Topic Group, SC will now address natural resource environment issues, together with Climate Change, Flood Mitigation and Control, Energy Policy and the spatial implications of energy use.

Who Are We?

SC involves representatives from the whole range of English local authorities, together with specialist interests from further a field.  We meet every 6 weeks, mostly in London.

Our Aims

 In 2004 the Committee reviewed its Aims:

• advising and influencing relevant Government and non-Governmental organisations on sustainability and Local Agenda 21 issues;
• raising awareness of sustainability and LA21 issues within POS and liaising with other POS Committees to develop a sustainable approach to planning policies and practice;
• identifying, disseminating and promoting good practice on sustainability and LA21 issues within the planning process;
• promoting and advising on the application of the principles of sustainability within the corporate policies of local authorities and regional development agencies;
• anticipating, influencing and monitoring trends on sustainability and LA21 and their relationship with the planning process;
• promoting and advising on sustainability issues within the field of urban design.

Action Areas

• providing guidance to POS and other organisations on practical ways to embed sustainability in community strategies within local authorities / LSP’s and to re-emphasise the role of the planner in this process;
• contributing to the sustainable design and construction debate and disseminating good practice;
• strengthening links with the LGA / IDeA to contribute to and influence policy on sustainability issues;
• complementing the work by the RTPI on raising the profile of sustainability and developing delivery channels for this within POS;
• mapping the research needs / capabilities / activities on implementing sustainable development;
• developing website links on sustainable design and construction and in renewable energy;
• reviewing and providing advice on sustainability in the LDD process, in particular the sustainability appraisal / SEA elements;
• providing advice on the sustainability issues associated with the linkage between transport planning and spatial planning.
• monitor the Rural Strategy 2004, (including the establishment of Rural  England) and the changing policy roles of DEFRA;
• disseminate decentralised Rural Service delivery best practice from the first
  phase of DEFRA pathfinders;
• advise on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive;
• promote further agri-environment emphasis after 2007 in future CAP reforms.

‘Champions’ have been appointed to address priority work areas and from 2003 the Committee has prepared and given evidence to 3 Inquiries by House of Lords Select Committees covering energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable urban drainage techniques and their practical application.  However, as demands have grown for advice, comment and support from a number of national policy making and advisory bodies, the Committee has found its work programme severely disrupted by a desire to always provide responses to requests, welcome though these have been.  Thus for 2005/6, the Committee has agreed to concentrate on delivering one priority task to cover Best Practice in Sustainable Building, whilst retaining sufficient capacity to react to pressures and demands from outside.

Best Practice in Sustainable Building

Recognising our limited capacity to individually undertake this task the Committee instead decided to prepare a brief for consultants and to seek to identify the resources from a range of bodies to fund the work.  The task is to help local authorities to learn more effectively from each other about best practice and then to take that best practice forward to the next stage of evolution.  The two-stage study will:

1. examine established policy across the U.K. which address sustainable construction, (including design, layout, materials used and construction methods) which seek to minimise use of finite resources and the emission of CO2. 
   
   This part of the study will distinguish between Building and Planning legislation and identify best practice policies that have withstood Inquiry and Appeal.
   
2. recommend a model approach for use across the U.K.
   
   This part of the study will capitalise on the ability of Local Development Documents to utilise spatial policies and will draw on work underway by both POS and ODPM.

The Future

In the light of the recent expansion of the Group, we will now be looking to revise our work areas and priorities and ideas are always welcome as are new Members!  Our network of contacts is enormous, but as so often happens, the really active Members are rather more limited.  We are always on the look out for new Members to help with our growing agenda.

What are its key priorities for 2005/6?

a) obtain partnership funding, commission and publish research for POS into local authority best practice in policy preparation around sustainable design and construction;

b) provide guidance to POS and other organisations on practical ways to embed sustainability in community strategies with local authorities / local strategic partnerships, emphasising the role of the planner in this process;

c) complement work by the RTPI on raising the profile / understanding / implementation of good sustainability practice and with POS, develop delivery channels for its wide dissemination and adoption;

d) strengthen links with the LGA / IDeA to contribute to and influence their policy on sustainability issues;

e) develop a new web page for the committee;                                                                                                  

f) in liaison with the Spatial Planning Committee, review and provide advice to POS on sustainability issues associated with spatial planning processes, in particular for Sustainability Appraisal and SEA;                                                                                                                                                        

g) monitor the Rural Strategy 2004, (including the establishment of Natural England) and the changing policy roles of DEFRA;                                                                                                                                                   

h) disseminate best practice from the first phase of the DEFRA rural pathfinders;                                            

i) advise on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive;                                                                    

j) monitor the development of further agri-environment schemes as part of future CAP reforms.

Latest News

See:    www.euwfd.com

Business Plan

Contacts

Stephen Tapper- Chairman

stephen.tapper@enfield.gov.uk