Policy information sourced from the Bexley Local Plan

DP30 Mitigating climate change

Energy reduction in new buildings

  1. Major development proposals must meet London Plan requirements and calculate whole life-cycle carbon emissions through a nationally recognised Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Assessment and demonstrate actions taken to reduce life-cycle carbon emissions.
  2. Minor development proposals should aim to achieve net zero carbon; reducing greenhouse gas emissions in operation and minimising annual and peak energy demand in accordance with the London Plan energy hierarchy.

Sustainable design standards for all development

  1. The Council expects that, where possible:
    • new homes be designed to achieve:
      • BREEAM Home Quality Mark (HQM), or
      • BREEAM Communities standards (for major housing-led mixed-use development), or
      • Passivhaus, or
      • other appropriate sustainability measures.
    • residential conversions, refurbishment, extensions and changes of use should be designed to achieve BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment Excellent or other appropriate sustainability measure.
    • new non-residential development, refurbishment of existing buildings, and conversions, over 500m2 floor space (gross) must meet or exceed BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating; and
    • minor non-residential development achieves a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.

Water efficiency

  1. Development must be designed to be water efficient and reduce water consumption. Residential development must not exceed a maximum water use of 105 litres per head per day (excluding the allowance of up to 5 litres for external water consumption). Refurbishments and other non-domestic development will be expected to meet BREEAM water-efficiency credits.

For more information please see the Bexley Local Plan