Policy information sourced from the Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan

Policy 3 Tackling the Climate Emergency (Strategic Policy)

A. Climate change is now the greatest challenge facing our society. The Council will promote zero carbon development, with the aim that all buildings and infrastructure projects in the borough will be net-zero carbon by 2043, at the latest.This will require substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and will also reduce fuel poverty and improve long term energy security for Richmond’s residents and businesses. Development must not exacerbate climate change or its effects. Development should increase local resilience to current and future impacts of climate changes, especially for the most vulnerable people and property.

B. This will be achieved by requiring all development to:

  1. reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the London Plan’s Energy Hierarchy and support the transition to a low carbon society by maximising energy efficiency, zero and low carbon heat and local renewable energy generation;
  2. follow the principles of the circular economy and support effective resources use to ensure that they are kept in use for as long as possible and thereby minimise waste;
  3. reuse and refurbishment in preference to demolition and new construction;
  4. demonstrate that they are well designed, fully adaptable and resilient to the impacts of a changing climate;
  5. adapt to the changing climate by minimising the effects of overheating, mitigating the urban heat island effect, managing flooding, and minimising energy consumption in accordance with the London Plan’s Cooling Hierarchy;
  6. enhance and improve the borough’s green and blue infrastructure to ensure it delivers multi-functional benefits, such as enhancing micro-climates and natural carbon sinks as well as improving air quality;
  7. adopt an integrated approach to water management which considers flood risk and flood storage, sustainable drainage, water efficiency, water quality and biodiversity;
  8. reduce water demand and meet best practice water efficiency targets;
  9. adopt a circular economy approach and minimise embodied carbon;
  10. ensure that the principles of active and sustainable modes of travel are adopted;
  11. promote retrofitting of existing buildings, through low-carbon measures;
  12. promote healthy, sustainable and low carbon lifestyles in line with the Council’s Climate Emergency Strategy.

C. To ensure that Richmond is on the right trajectory to achieve its net-zero carbon target, responding to climate change, including sustainable design and construction, must be considered holistically from the start of the design process. Therefore, all development proposals are required to demonstrate how they will comply with all relevant policies on climate change and sustainable design during design, construction and operation of the development.

D. The Council will work with partners and local communities to improve the energy and water efficiency of the existing building stock and wider public realm, with a particular focus on increasing energy efficiency of homes and businesses, especially improved insulation in lofts, walls and floors. The Council’s Carbon Offset Fund will be used to implement projects to reduce carbon emissions across the borough.

For more information please see the Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan