Staffordshire planning policy commitments made to tackle climate change

Borough and district councils across the county have joined forces for the planning policy commitments, which will address the climate emergency declared by the authorities in recent years, and assist towards the aim of cutting carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

The shared statement, which was backed by Stafford Borough Council’s cabinet at its meeting on Thursday, includes measures requiring new developments to encourage sustainable transport and reduce reliance on private vehicles, as well as boosting biodiversity and carbon sequestration through tree planting and extending hedgerow lengths.

There will also be policies covering energy and water efficiency, cutting CO2 emissions and use of renewable energy.

Climate change action will be considered as part of Stafford Borough Council’s new Local Plan, covering the period between 2020 and 2040, a cabinet report said. It added: “This will enable any resident or business to see the requirements related to future development.

“The emerging Stafford Borough Local Plan 2020-2040 includes a suite of policies, including a requirement for residential new builds to achieve net zero.

“Whilst acknowledging that planning policies will not achieve net zero in isolation, the planning system does play a crucial role in promoting a reduction in emissions in multiple sectors through support for energy efficient construction and buildings, support for renewables and sustainable transport and promoting carbon sequestration.

"It is calculated that 68 per cent of current domestic emissions come from sectors heavily linked to planning including buildings, surface transport, manufacturing/construction and grid supply.

“The request for Stafford Borough Council to be a formal signatory of the commitment, alongside all other Staffordshire authorities, has been endorsed by the Staffordshire Sustainability Board.

"Through the Sustainability Board, all local authorities agreed to take this Staffordshire climate change planning policy commitment through their individual authority agreement process.”

Councillor Ant Reid, cabinet member for economic development and planning, said: “This is a consistent wording for a climate change emergency policy that a lot of district councils are doing – it’s a county-wide thing. This is the minimum we will be doing in our borough and it is the same as other districts around us."

Councillor Tony Pearce, cabinet member for climate action and nature recovery, said: “As one of those that attends the meetings of the Sustainability Board where this was discussed and agreed, I would add my support to this.

"It’s unfortunate that the previous government required councillors and their planners to have to justify why they would want to have the highest standards of sustainability in new housing development.

“I think that’s a totally backwards step. At the very least councils should be free to do so rather than having to spend, as we are likely to do, a considerable amount in order to do that.

“I do hope the new government will change that. I certainly would support the plan to work with other local authorities to make the case why we all need to have housing development which is carbon neutral, which doesn’t add to the climate disaster which is unfolding and we can all work together on this.”