Policy information sourced from Lewisham Core Strategy

8 Sustainable design and construction and energy efficiency

The Council is committed to prioritising the reduction of the environmental impact of all new developments, with a focus on minimising the overall carbon dioxide emissions of the development while improving sustainability aspects through sustainable design and construction, to meet the highest feasible environmental standards during design, construction and occupation.

Applications for all new major developments (with a floorspace of 1,000 sq.m or 10 or more residential dwellings) will be required to:

  • submit a Sustainability Statement and Energy Statement that show how the requirements of London Plan policy and the London Plan SPG Sustainable Design and Construction, or any subsequent document, are met and demonstrate what steps have been taken to minimise the environmental impacts of the proposed development
  • maximise the energy and water efficiency measures of the building
  • connect to an existing or approved decentralised energy network, safeguard potential network routes, and make provision to allow future connection to a network or contribute to its development, where possible within the Regeneration and Growth Areas
  • integrate on-site renewable energy generation into the design of a building to ensure CO2 emission reductions are maximised
  • fully contribute to CO2 emission reductions in line with the regional and national requirements, and make a financial contribution to an offset fund if this cannot be adequately achieved on site.

All new residential development (including mixed use) will be required to achieve a minimum of Level 4 standards in the Code for Sustainable Homes from 1 April 2011 and Level 6 from 1 April 2016, or any future national equivalent.

All minor and major non-residential development will be required to achieve a minimum of Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method ‘Excellent’ standard, or any future national equivalent.

The Council supports and encourages the retrofitting of energy saving and other sustainable design measures in existing housing and other development particularly estate renewal, having considered any harm to the significance of historic assets.

For more information please see the Core Strategy