Policy information sourced from Three Rivers Core Strategy
CP1 Overarching Policy on Sustainable Development
All development in Three Rivers will contribute to the sustainability of the District. This means taking into account the need to:
- Tackle climate change by reducing carbon emissions, increasing energy and water efficiency of buildings, promoting the use of renewable energy systems, and using other natural resources wisely, including through the use of sustainable building materials
- Avoid development in areas at risk from flooding
- Minimising flood risk through the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems
- Make efficient use of land by guiding development onto previously developed, brownfield land and incorporate mixed-use development wherever possible, recognising that some previously developed land can have significant biodiversity value
- Reduce waste going to landfill by reducing materials used, reusing and recycling building materials and providing opportunities for recycling wherever possible
- Protect and enhance our natural, built and historic environments from inappropriate development and improve the diversity of wildlife and habitats
- Build mixed and sustainable communities by providing housing across a range of tenures and types including affordable housing
- Maintain high levels of employment by attracting jobs and training opportunities for local people
- Improve access to jobs, skills, services and facilities particularly within areas of deprivation in the District
- Sustain the viability and vitality of the Principal Town, Key and Secondary Centres and Villages as identified in the Three Rivers Settlement Hierarchy
- Protect and enhance existing community, leisure and cultural facilities and provide new facilities
- Reduce the need to travel by locating development in accessible locations and promoting a range of sustainable travel modes
- Provide necessary infrastructure to enable and/ or support development, including (but not limited to) transport, education, health, green infrastructure, utilities, waste facilities, waste water, leisure, cultural and community facilities
- Promote buildings and public spaces of a high enduring design quality that respects local distinctiveness, is accessible to all and reduces opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour
- Manage and reduce risk of and from pollution in relation to quality of land, air and water and dealing with land contamination.
Requirements for Applicants
Applications for all new residential development of one unit and above and for all new commercial development will be required to submit a ‘CPLAN Energy and Sustainability Statement’ demonstrating the extent to which sustainability principles have been incorporated into the location, design, construction and future use of proposals, and the expected carbon emissions.
Applicants should demonstrate that their development will produce at least 25% less carbon dioxide emissions than Building Regulations Part L (2006) requirements with a minimum of 10% being provided by on-site renewable and/or low carbon (i.e. Combined Heat and Power) energy supply systems.
In line with Government policy, where it can be proven that on-site renewable technology is not feasible, the Council will consider connection to a local, decentralised, renewable or low carbon energy supply as a substitute for on-site renewable energy technology.
The Council will set higher targets for carbon reduction and energy contributions from renewable sources in future in line with the Government’s target for all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 and non-domestic developments to be zero carbon by 2019. These targets will be set out in the forthcoming Development Management Policies Development Plan Document and will be informed by changes to national policy, the Council’s Sustainability Action Plan and the Low and Zero Carbon Study.
Development will not be permitted unless it is demonstrated that sustainable development principles are satisfied through compliance with the policies of this Core Strategy and other relevant regional and national policy requirements.
For more information please see the Three Rivers Core Strategy