A response to Swindon Borough Council Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on Sustainable Design and Construction with regard to Climate Change

Deadline for submissions is March 2nd, so do it now!

Either use the five points below, or download SCAN's full response and adapt it. 

  1. I welcome the spirit and the direction of the SPD which are essential as knowledge about climate change is changing rapidly and a rapid and flexible response is required. I thank the committee and council officers for their hard work on this issue. I am particularly encouraged to see the demand that new buildings meet the highest standards of energy-saving and emissions reductions (page 3, paragraph 3).
  2. However the hard realities of climate change require considerably tougher targets than are outlined in the SPD. Page 5, paragraph 10. The overall absolute reduction of CO2 towards zero carbon should be the guiding principle of the document. This is essential in the light of the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
  3. Page 9, paragraph 6. In the light of the need to be ambitious and to show leadership in greenhouse gas reductions, I would like to see starting targets for renewable (carbon-minimal or carbon-free) energy at 20-25% in the first year, with annual increases at a rate which will lead to 100% by 2030.
  4. Page 3, paragraph 4. Another major concern is enforceability. Whatever measures can be taken to insist and/or strongly encourage developers to accept the standards should be taken.
  5. Page 3, paragraph 2. I would also welcome the maximum extension of the policy to include renovations and refurbishments on existing buildings and the threshold for developments which have to abide by the document to be lowered to include as many new buildings as possible.

Send your responses on the official comment forms to The Forward Planning Group, Freepost SCE5251, Swindon Borough Council, Premier House, Station Road, Swindon, SN1 1TZ, by fax to 01793 466442, by e-mail to forwardplanning@swindon.gov.uk or using the on-line comments form at http://www.swindon.gov.uk/suppplanningdocs