Policy information sourced from the Merton Estates Local Plan.

EP H6 Environmental Protection

  • Applicants must demonstrate how their plans contribute to improving air quality and provide evidence to demonstrate that passive ventilation strategies employed to prevent overheating will not inadvertently expose residents to poor air quality or unacceptable levels of external noise during periods of warm weather.
  • All new or altered tree pits should be considered as part of sustainable urban drainage systems.
  • In accordance with the London Plan policies 5.12 Flood Risk Management and 5.13 Sustainable Drainage and the supporting Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG April 2014), the proposed development must aim to reduce post-development runoff rates as close to greenfield rates as reasonably practicable.
  • Development proposals must demonstrate how surface water runoff is being managed as high up the London Plan Policy 5.13 Sustainable Drainage hierarchy as possible.
  • The development must be made safe from flooding, without increasing flood risk elsewhere for the lifetime of the development taking the latest climate change allowances into account. Potential surface water flow paths should be determined and appropriate solutions proposed to minimise the impact of the development, for example by configuring road and building layouts to preserve existing surface water flow paths and improve flood routing, whilst ensuring that flows are not diverted towards other properties elsewhere.
  • Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) must be part of any major development proposals. Drainage and SuDS should be designed and implemented in ways that deliver other policy objectives, for each of the following multi-functional benefits:
    • Blends in and enhances amenity, recreation and the public realm
    • Enhances biodiversity
    • Improves water quality and efficiency
    • Manages flood risk
  • The feasibility of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and district heating must be investigated. As a minimum this should include:
    • An assessment of the secondary heat sources within a 400 metre radius of the site boundary (e.g. river water heat recover from the Wandle; heat extraction from the London Underground).
    • Evidence to demonstrate engagement with key stakeholders associated with the potential secondary heat sources such as Transport for London and the Environment Agency.
    • Evidence that the CHP has been designed and built in line with London Plan policy 5.6: Decentralised energy in development proposals and associated guidance. Specifically in respect to:
      • Plant size and specification
      • Plant-room design
      • Future network connectivity
      • Air quality standards
    • When preparing development proposals in accordance with policy 5.3: Sustainable design and construction of the London Plan, proposals should include suitable comparisons between existing and proposed developments at each stage of the energy hierarchy in order to fully demonstrate the expected improvements.
  • All domestic solar PV installations should be considered in conjunction with on-site battery storage.
  • Development proposals must be accompanied by a working method statement and construction logistics framework that are appropriate and proportionate to the scale and nature of the proposal, whether outline or detailed, the sensitivity of the context and the types and severity of the anticipated impacts.
  • Development proposals should demonstrate, by means of the submission of a site waste management plan, how they will apply the waste hierarchy where waste is minimised, re-used and recycled, and residual waste is disposed of sustainably in the right location using the most appropriate means.

For more information, please see the Estates Local Plan.