Allowable Solutions and Carbon off-set funds - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

Hi Sophie I'm looking at including a policy in a Development Management DPD for South Norfolk Council - be very pleased to compare notes - don't understand why we're not hearing more about this which will bite from Oct '13 as I understand it... Michael Thornton Planning Consultant - project for SNC

Hi The London Borough of Enfield have recently published their Draft Development Management DPD. I did have much to do with this section of the document, but the link below may be of assistance: http://consult.enfield.gov.uk/portal/draft_development_management_dpd/draft_development_management_dpd?pointId=1332428398112 Kind regards David

Hi Sophie, Historically, many LPAs set CO2 reduction targets beyond the Building Regs. and if developers couldn't meet these they were often required to offset via a S106 contribution. The Zero Carbon buildings framework will now formalise this with the concept of "Allowable Solutions". This starts in 2016 when new residential development will have to meet zero "regulated" emissions. The developer will have to achieve a minimum reduction onsite, but may offset the rest via Allowable Solutions. Where an LPA has a "Community Energy Fund" in place (with proposed set of projects) they will be able to use Allowable Solutions payments from local development to finance local projects. But if you don't have this in place, others will be able to bid for the funds. So I'd urge all LPAs now to start planning their funds and putting policies into DPDs. Regards Bob

Hi All, Thank you so much for all your help. I am asking as we write a lot of energy strategies for planning submissions and were wondering how often we are coming to come up against these funds so we can work out how we need to respond when undertaking calculations. Bob, I was very interested to hear about how the funds will be allocated - I assume you mean that the funds will be used to finance local projects that reduce CO2 emissions? And are the others you speak of lesser-sustainability minded sorts? I am now going to have a look at Enfield's Document in more detail. Many thanks one again, Sophie Sustainable Development Planner www.carbonplan.co.uk

Hi. Rossendale BC have recently got a small amount of money from CLASP(this is the sector-led (NW focussed) local authority sustainability support programme, funded by the Environment Agency and NWIEP, and hosted by Liverpool City Council) to commission a study on how we might incorporate Allowable Solutions into our Site Allocations/Development Management DPD. We will be particularly wanting consultants to work with us on developing a "Community Energy Fund". We are a small District with large upland areas and densely populated valley bottoms, some with deprivation issues so it will be interesting to see how it works in terms of viability. All the best Adrian Smith Forward Planning Rossendale BC 01706 252419