Policy information sourced from The Waltham Forest Local Plan Core Strategy

CS4 - Minimising and Adapting to Climate Change

The Council will tackle climate change locally and promote resource efficiency and high environmental development standards during design, construction, and occupation of new developments by

Reduction of Carbon Emission

A) requiring new developments to minimise on site carbon emissions across their lifetime in accordance with the energy hierarchy by using less energy through responsive design, supplying energy efficiently and using on-site renewable energy;

B) requiring developments to meet high environmental standards of building design and construction, including targets based on standards such as BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes;

C) encouraging and where appropriate requiring retrofitting of the existing building stock to become more energy efficient by utilising existing and future programmes to co-ordinate and drive activity;

D) ‘leading by example’ and seeking to exemplify high sustainability standards and reduced carbon footprint on the Council’s and its partner’s own development areas and buildings and leading on awareness raising campaigns;

Energy Efficient Supply

E) working with partners and developers to promote and facilitate the delivery of local decentralised energy capacity and networks that are flexible and adaptable, especially district heating systems in appropriate areas of the Borough, in particular in the key growth areas;

F) requiring developers to investigate opportunities for establishing or linking into existing or proposed decentralised energy networks through tools such as the London Heat Map;

G) promoting innovative energy technologies that reduce carbon emissions and use of fossil fuels, such as hydrogen and energy from waste sources;

Adaptation, Water Efficiency and Flood Risk

H) requiring developments to be designed in a manner that minimises the use of water, protects the water environment and minimises the potential for flooding and the urban heat island effect;

I) directing development away from areas at high risk from flooding as indicated in Figure 13 and aiming to achieve an overall reduction in flood risk; requiring sequential and exception test and flood risk assessments (FRAs) in accordance with requirements set out in National Policy; and

J) improving the sustainability of buildings against flood risk, water stress and overheating, in order to not put people or property at unacceptable risk.

For more information please see the Local Plan Core Strategy