Sustainable Development

Planning:

Some ideas around building practice were very specific, such as:

“Dig up some tarmac in the new developments and plant some vegetation.”
“All new builds should have water butts fitted.”
“All new houses built with bigger gardens, less tarmac, more drainable driveways and more planting.”

Where comments focussed on legislation and planning, there was sometimes a sense of frustration that the current system may not be robust enough:

“ALL new housing built to the highest environmental standards- Renewable energy, insulation, rainwater capture. MAKE the developers change and Regulate, Regulate, Regulate.”
“Restrict housing estates that take no account of all the issues talked about here. Legislate for more sustainable building designs.”
“Make flood alleviation schemes a condition for granting planning to developments.”

Since 2014, flood alleviation schemes called Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) have been a legal requirement in new developments of 10+ houses. This is an important piece of the puzzle in managing water in urban settings, and SuDS are a very effective solution with multiple benefits including greening our towns and cities. However, SuDS require maintenance and designs can be misunderstood, meaning some examples do not function as intended because they have not been built correctly or have fallen into disrepair. As well as the initial investment in SuDS and proper construction, it is critical that maintenance is also funded.

When exploring blocks to action, the councillor workshops highlighted frustration at current planning legislation:

"National planning rules need changing - too many houses in inappropriate places."
"If local Councillors don’t build enough homes, they are forced to by central Government."
"Parishes have little faith in the District’s local plans: Developer lobbying not environmental awareness."