Planning matters blog | Lichfields

Planning matters

Our award winning blog gives a fresh perspective on the latest trends in planning and development.

Winds of Change - How can we plan for extreme weather?
While the publication of the new NPPF, and Secretary of State Michael Gove’s recent announcement about the brownfield land presumption consultation, has been kicking up a bit of a storm in the planning world a different kind of storm(s) battered much of the UK throughout the start of 2024. Already, Storm Henk, Storm Isha and Storm Jocelyn have brought widespread gusts and rain which resulted in travel chaos, power outages and damage to buildings and homes. According to an article published by the Independent[1], this is the quickest we have reached more than 9 storms named within a single storm season since the naming system started in 2015.
Climate predictions suggest we are set to experience more wetter and milder winters in years to come, resulting in increased intensity and frequency of storms in the UK[2]. These predictions emphasise the need for proactive measures to increase climate resilience within the built environment, which is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impact of extreme weather events. Whilst the link between climate change and extreme weather is not crystal clear, what is clear is human induced climate change is only exacerbating these impacts. So as planners, we need to question whether we are planning for buildings that can withstand the pressures and consequences of extreme weather.
This blog will explore how embedding climate resilience into the design process can be effectively delivered through the planning system with a particular focus on extreme weather.
It is clear the built environment needs to be robust in the face of climate uncertainties. I think there needs to be a step change from reactive to proactive measures to ensure we are planning for climate longevity and durability. Planning policy at the local and national level can champion the integration of design principles aimed at mitigating the impact of extreme weather and planning for climate longevity within the built environment.
‘Climate responsive design’ has an important role in the drive towards net-zero both in current and future climates; it should seek to reduce the amount of energy spent on repairs or whole redevelopment of those buildings that are not capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions. Through incorporating weather resilient design features, we could reduce the need to produce extra materials for building repairs which results in embodied carbon savings, as well as general maintenance cost savings.
Looking at the recently published NPPF, Paragraph 159 states that new development should be planned for in ways that “avoid increased vulnerability to the range of impacts arising from climate change”.  The NPPF is loosely worded on how local policy should ensure development proposals are incorporating climate responsive design measures. However, I would argue that the issue has a particular relationship to policy covering design issues; well-designed places should also be climate resilient places. There is a clear opportunity for Local Planning Authorities and planning professionals to have a greater awareness of climate resilient design and for more in-depth discussions at the planning stage to ensure we are locking in future climate resilience within our built environment as early as possible. Early discussions can seek to avoid a bolt-on approach to climate resilience measures which may be more costly or less effective.
It may be some time before some LPA’s start to take an integrated approach to design and climate resilience and we see this emerging through new local policy; however we have seen evidence of one LPA in particular that is taking a step in this direction.  
Being home to some of the capital’s tallest buildings and high-profile assets, The City of London (CoL) Authority are getting ahead of the curve having recently launched its ‘Resilient Buildings Project’[3]. The project aims to embed resilience measures and implement risk mitigation measures all whilst ensuring alignment with their local design standards. The CoL have used ‘climate risk impact modelling’ to identify existing assets which are at the greatest risk from increasing climate pressures and the impacts of prolonged periods of extreme weather.
Here at Lichfields London office, located at the edge of the CoL, we observed firsthand how urban environments are perhaps more vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather; experiencing loud rattling and shaking of windows in the area during Storm Isha. Modelling such as that being used by the CoL could help to inform suitable building fabric for office buildings which will increase its ability to withstand extreme weather in the future.

Source: City of London Authority Climate Action Dashboard

From this, the CoL identify climate resilient design measures to retrofit to existing buildings and to incorporate into new development. The CoL has established a centre of excellence’ to drive research and best practice measures and deliver training into all areas of resilience work within the Corporation. The CoL is progressing a new set of design standards for new build development which will apply consistent requirements and good practices. The CoL’s Resilient Building Project is a great example of an Local Planning Authority being proactive and it will be interesting to see how the design guidance is used to shape and influence new development and retrofit projects. Will other Local Authorities follow suit in the near future?
It’s safe to say winter hit at full force in January. Although we have had some light relief from this extreme weather in recent weeks, we should not let this issue slip off the radar. As I observed in my previous blog on the 2022 summer heatwave, I believe there needs to be a shift from a reactive to proactive approach to extreme weather. This includes implementing responsive design measures to ensure that our urban environment is better equipped to withstand continued climate pressures and thinking about how good design can assist in this process. At Lichfields, we are attuned to the key considerations and issues when it comes to climate resilience and how it relates to climate change policy within London and across the UK. Please get in touch if you need help navigating planning policy or with one of your development proposals.

[1] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/storm-met-office-dutch-ireland-b2481505.html

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/07/uk-ill-prepared-for-havoc-future-storms-could-wreak-scientists-warn#:~:text=Experts%20believe%20a%20warming%20atmosphere,and%20severe%20in%20the%20UK.

[3] https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/environmental-health/climate-action/climate-action-projects/resilient-buildings

CONTINUE READING

COP28 – what is really going on in Dubai?

COP28 – what is really going on in Dubai?

Nuala Wheatley 07 Dec 2023
Against a backdrop of economic crises, natural disasters and ongoing geopolitical conflict, the twenty-eighth iteration of the annual UN Climate Summit – COP28, this year hosted by the UAE, commenced in Dubai last week. Although what’s going on in Dubai may seem worlds away as I sit musing at my desk in London, the topics and discussions from this week are still highly relevant to what’s happening on the ground in the development industry. This blog seeks to cut through the media hype to provide an overview of the likely implications of this week’s discussions on progress, or lack thereof, and what this means for our industry.
The headline outcome from last year’s conference (COP27) was the establishment of a ‘Loss and Damage Fund’, the culmination of decades of pressure from climate-vulnerable developing countries. The fund aims to provide financial assistance to those nations most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change. Whilst discussions on the fund this past year have been anything but smooth, with disagreements about who should fund it and who the recipients should be, progress was made on day one of COP28 in Dubai, with negotiators rubber-stamping plans to get the fund up and running. Initial pledges were made by a handful of countries, who promised contributions to the start-up phase of the fund. Germany and COP28 hosts the UEA committed $100 million each, followed by the United Kingdom (£40m or $50.5m), the United States ($17.5m) and Japan ($10m).
The UK’s sizeable pledge to the fund stands in striking contrast with the media reporting in the lead-up to this year’s summit, which has seen the UK plagued with accusations of “rowing back” on its green commitments. Most notably, criticism arose following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement of a major U-turn on the government’s climate commitments, by pushing back the deadline for selling new petrol and diesel cars, as well as a delay to the phasing out of gas boilers and plans to ensure landlords gained an EPC of grade C or higher for rental properties.
The PM reiterated his commitment to net zero on the first day of COP28, and announced last Friday, the government’s intentions to allocate a further £888m for new green funding, taking the total package to £1.6bn. The PM also unveiled that a new investment partnership between RWE and Abu Dhabi’s energy company Masdar had been agreed, resulting in around £11bn invested into the Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore windfarm, located off the coast of Yorkshire. Once completed, Dogger Bank is set to provide a huge boost to UK renewables, creating more jobs, helping to power three million homes and increasing our energy security. Deployment of renewable energy has been an important topic this year and Tuesday’s (5 December) events were dedicated solely to ‘Energy and Industry’. Other key matters discussed in this session included how to improve energy efficiency, innovation and action for heavy-emitting sectors (including steel, cement, and aluminium), unlocking the potential of hydrogen and decarbonisation of oil and gas supplies.
Sustainability in the built environment is also firmly on the climate agenda, with a whole day yesterday (Wednesday 6 December) dedicated to Urbanisation and the Built Environment. This is unsurprising, given the built environment is responsible for almost 40% of energy related CO2 emissions, and its operational emissions actually grew year on year from 2015 to 2021 by an average of 1%. The day saw delegates focussing on how to address carbon emissions from buildings and demonstrating how the built environment (and the built environment industry) can form part of the climate solution. This is ever pressing given the resilience of our global building stock is insufficient to cope with the impacts of climate change, which in turn exacerbates the financial risk of inaction and assets which are no longer fit for purpose.
In the lead up to this year’s event, there have been renewed calls for a clearer definition of net zero buildings and an internationally agreed certification/verification system. Despite UN goals for all buildings completed after 2030 to be net zero in operation, a new report from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Arup sets out the challenges associated with this, particularly that there is no single national policy requiring buildings to produce net zero emissions now or in the future.
The Buildings Breakthrough target was established at COP26 in November 2021, aiming to ensure near-zero emission and resilient buildings are the new normal by 2030. In an attempt to establish an enabling policy environment, Buildings Breakthrough seeks to aid Green Building Councils in accelerating their climate action to continue delivering the goals of the breakthrough. Certain industry bodies have made their own progress with this - the WorldGBC published their NZC Buildings Commitment, which requires signatories to tackle operational and embodied carbon emissions from the building and construction sector. This is definitely a step in the right direction, but as we are all aware, the climate crisis is a problem that needs solving through action. At present, there doesn’t seem to be any clarity as to how this platform will be used for collaboration between the various national governments and to support the establishment of consistent definitions of what a net-zero building is.
So how do global discussions in Dubai relate to what’s happening in the development industry? It can be challenging to sort through the various media coverage of COP28, and the discussions of issues on a global scale, to determine how this might impact the developments we work on. What the Buildings Breakthrough initiative does tell us is that there is a pressing need for the accelerated transformation of the built environment sector, establishing our buildings as a critical lever for climate mitigation and adaptation.
On the ground in the UK, the UKGBC has developed the first Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, due to be published in 2024. It brings together net-zero carbon requirements for all major building types, based on a 1.5°C trajectory. This standard is championed by leading industry organisations and will provide a much-needed benchmark standard for decarbonising the built environment, applying a single methodology for net zero to new and existing buildings. As we’ve seen happen with the BREEAM Standard, there is the potential for the NZC Buildings Standards to be incorporated into planning policy, and require development proposals to address the drive to reduce emissions and deliver more sustainable development outcomes. This would also help achieve a clearer policy-based definition of net-zero buildings, as called-for by the WBCSD and Arup.
At present however, it’s consistent messaging on net-zero across the industry that we’re still lacking, as well as alignment of planning policy (the NPPF) with net-zero and adaptation. Here at Lichfields, we’re certainly giving a great deal of thought as to what’s going on in Dubai, and how these net-zero discussions at a global level can be related down to our clients on site by site basis.

CONTINUE READING