Policy information sourced from the Sutton Local Plan 2016-2031
31: Carbon and Energy
a. Proposed developments should meet the following targets for reducing CO2 emissions expressed as a percentage improvement over Part L of the 2013 Building Regulations:
- all residential buildings forming part of major developments should achieve ‘zero carbon’ standards, by:
- achieving at least a 35% reduction in regulated CO2 emissions on site.
- offsetting the remaining regulated emissions (to 100%) through the delivery of CO2 reduction measures elsewhere through a Section 106 contribution to the council’s carbon offset fund priced at £60 per tonne over 30 years.
- all major non-residential developments should achieve at least a 35% reduction in regulated CO2 emissions on site.
- all minor residential developments should achieve at least a 35% reduction in regulated CO2 emissions on site.
b. In seeking to minimise CO2 emissions in line with the above targets, all proposed developments will apply the Mayor’s energy hierarchy by:
- achieving the highest standards of energy efficient design and layout.
- supplying energy efficiently in line with the following order of priority:
- being designed to connect to existing or planned district heating and/or cooling networks supplied by low or zero-carbon energy, unless it can be demonstrated through whole life cycle evidence that connection is not reasonably possible. All major developments located within identified Decentralised Energy Opportunity Areas (Maps 10.1 and 10.2) should apply the council’s ‘Decentralised Energy Protocol’ (Schedule 10.A).
- site wide heating and/or cooling network supplied by low or zero-carbon energy.
- communal heating and cooling.
- using renewable energy generated on-site. Major developments will be expected to achieve at least a 20% reduction in total CO2 emissions (regulated and unregulated) through renewables with minor developments achieving a reduction of at least 10%.
c. All planning applications for new dwellings or major non-residential developments should be supported by an Energy Statement incorporating ‘as-designed’ Building Regulations Part L outputs to demonstrate how the relevant targets for reducing CO2 emissions will be met. The Energy Statement should include calculations of energy demand and emissions at each stage of the Mayor’s energy hierarchy for both regulated and non-regulated elements in line with GLA ‘Guidance on Preparing Energy Assessments’ as amended.
d. The council will collaborate with potential heat suppliers, energy service companies, major developers and the community to deliver district heating networks to serve new and existing developments in Hackbridge and within other identified ‘Decentralised Energy Opportunity Areas’ over the plan period.
e. All major non-residential developments should achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’.
For Decentralised Energy Opportunity Areas see Appendix 10, Maps 10.1 and 10.2 and Policies Map.
For more information please see the Local Plan 2016-2031