Minister Highlights Importance Of Climate Change And Cross-Sector Guidance.

The Planning and Climate Change Coalition, which represents over 60 cross-sector organisations, has strongly welcomed Baroness Hanham’s comments in the House of Lords earlier this week, recognising the vital importance of the planning system in tackling one of the greatest challenges facing us as a nation – climate change.

Speaking in debate on Monday, Baroness Hanham, who is leading the Government’s Growth and Infrastructure Bill through the House of Lords, said:

“Planning has an important role in tackling climate change and making the transition to a low-carbon economy. We want to ensure that new development is future-proofed against climate change as decisions are made.”

We recognise that it [climate change] is one of the great challenges facing the nation and the planning system has an important role to play, both in mitigation and adaptation. The planning regime can co-ordinate and galvanise community action on renewable energy and help to deal with the growing risks of flooding from severe weather and sea level rise.”

Last April, the Planning and Climate Change Coalition, led by Friends of the Earth and the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA), published the first sector-led guidance of its kind since the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) took effect in Spring last year, Planning for climate change – guidance for local authorities. The Coalition has been campaigning for this cross-sector guidance to be given formal recognition by Government in order to raise its status in planning law.

Highlighting the work of the Planning and Climate Change Coalition, Baroness Hanham added:

“I also recognise the work of the Planning and Climate Change Coalition in producing cross-sector guidance, which has already helped local authorities to deal with the detail of how to take action.”

Hugh Ellis, TCPA Chief Planner, said

“Given the scale of the challenge in tackling climate change, it is of vital of importance that government as well as the private sector and the public, work together to adapt and mitigate our built environment. The growing impact of extreme weather and flooding across the nation are a powerful incentive to re-think how we plan for the future. The planning system has a crucial role in meeting this challenge and along with strong leadership from central government, we hope that the ‘Planning for climate change guidance’ will help local authorities, communities and their private sector partners deliver real action on the ground.”

Naomi Luhde-Thompson, Planning Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

“We’re delighted the Minister recognises the important role that planning and the Government’s cross-sector guidance has in helping local communities meet the climate change challenge.

The new planning system must help the nation seize the huge opportunities from developing clean British energy from the wind, waves and sun and wean the UK off increasingly expensive fossil fuels.

“We hope this new guide will encourage local authorities, businesses and communities to plug into clean British energy – with more Government support to help make this happen.”

1. The cross sector Planning and Climate Change Coalition, a joint initiative between the TCPA and Friends of the Earth, was formed in July 2009 and aims:

- To make recommendations for new strategic planning guidance on climate change in England, building on the policy outlined in Consultation on a Planning Policy Statement: Planning for a Low Carbon Future in a Changing Climate (March 2010), which brought together and updated PPS1 (planning and climate) and PPS22 (renewable energy).

- To build consensus amongst a wide range of stakeholders on the benefits of new guidance

- To work with Government to ensure the fastest possible implementation of the new guidance

The Coalition represents over 35 cross sector organizations, including: AECB, the Sustainable Building Association, BioRegional, Birmingham City Council, BRE, Butterfly Conservation, CAG Consultants, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT), Chris Shepley CBE, Chris Tivey Associates, Climate UK, Combined Heat and Power Association, Co-operative Group, Council for British Archaeology, David Howard, Energence Ltd, Friends of the Earth, Gerry Metcalfe, Grasslands Trust, Hugh Roberts, Landscape Institute, Leonora Rozee OBE, LDA Design, LEAP Project, London Borough of Islington, London Borough of Sutton, Lynda Addison OBE, Marks Barfield Architects, National Energy Foundation, National Trust, Oxford Brookes University, Planet Positive, PRP Architects, Renewable Energy Association, Roger Lawes, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Royal Town Planning Institute, Sustain, Sustainability East, Sustrans, Town and Country Planning Association, Urban Roots, White Architects, The Wildlife Trusts and Woodland Trust..

2. To read the full Hansard script please visit the Parliament website here and see columns 110 and 111.

3. A copy of Planning for climate change – guidance for local authorities is available here from the TCPA website.