Climate Change Archives - Page 2 of 2

Recent Flooding

13th November 2019 by Gary Stringer

Recent heavy rainfall resulted in numerous flood alerts being issued across Derbyshire, and South Yorkshire and the weekend saw the River Derwent burst its banks, with the resultant flooding causing travel chaos, widespread disruption and a tragic loss of life.

Derbyshire was hit with more rainfall in 24 hours than it normally receives in a month. The Environment Agency’s gauge in Glossop, a market town on the edge of the Peak District, recorded 114mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 4am. On average Derbyshire receives 90.7mm of rain during the month of November.

This is just months after the evacuation of the Derbyshire town of Whaley Bridge, when thousands of residents were evacuated amid fears a dam could collapse after being damaged by floodwaters.

Heavy rainfall saw concrete panels on one side of the dam on the Toddbrook Resevoir, which holds 300 million gallons of water, partially collapse, creating a crisis that has cost Derbyshire County Council in the region of £700,000.

At the height of the situation, a Chinook helicopter from RAF Odiham, was engaged for a combined 72 hours over several days to drop more than 600 tonnes of aggregate on the damaged dam to prevent it breaching.

In a report published in May 2018, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) state that the government needs to do to help create homes and communities that are resilient to flood damage. In the report, titled “The Value of Flood Resilient Architecture and Design” RIBA stresses that the UK can no longer base its approach to managing flood risk on simply keeping the water out, and highlights the following statistics:

Currently 1 in 6 homes in the UK are at risk of flooding – a number that is expected to double by 2050
Flooding causes an average of £1.4 billion of damage each year to businesses and households

Meanwhile a new report from the Royal Town Planners Institute (RTPI) has said that sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are not being delivered at either the pace or scale that is required to cope with the challenges posed by climate change.

The systems are considered an important way of managing surface water runoff in built developments. National planning policy has encouraged their use in all major developments since their introduction into the English planning system in 2010.

However, 96% of local authorities report that the quality of planning submissions for SuDS are either ‘inadequate’ or ‘mixed’. Furthermore, 25% of local authorities have no formal SuDS policies in place, nor any immediate plans to implement any.

According to officials at Derby Council, closing the flood gates at Haslam’s Lane and Darley Fields for the first time saved around 1,140 homes from flooding in the Chester Green and Darley areas during the recent deluge. The gates are part of the city’s £95 million flood defences – part of which are still under construction.

Whilst the successful implementation of the flood defences offers reassurance, with more heavy rainfall forecast, the Council, together with home, business and landowners will be anxiously watching the weather forecasts as we head into the winter months.

“As the effects of climate change become even more apparent new development must become more robust. Land use has a big part to play. The flood allowance for climate change has increased over the past 10 years and the Environment Agency is looking to raise the figure further said Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director of Planning & Design.

“As one in one hundred year flood events become common place, locations which we thought would not flood are now flooding. This means that we must have effective surface water run-off measures in place to hold surface water in new developments to prevent run-off adding to flooding elsewhere.

As planners we should avoid building vulnerable developments on floodplains such as housing but in some locations whole towns are liable to flooding. In locations such as this house building needs to take into account flood risk and be built to allow for and accept flooding.

For the government, the wider strategy for climate change resilience must include changes to land use including reforestation of the uplands, retrofit and new build development to zero carbon, a major shift from car use to public transport and a national policy for flood protection, with a national debate over the costs and the benefits of maintaining settlements and communities liable to regular flooding by rivers and near to the sea.”

Queen’s Speech plans on climate change welcomed

15th October 2019 by Gary Stringer

The government has unveiled plans on building safety, the National Infrastructure Strategy and a goal for the UK to lead global action against climate change in the Queen’s Speech of Monday 14 October.

Given the very real issues around climate change and the environment Planning & Design are very pleased to see the following in the Queen’s Speech yesterday.

“My Ministers remain committed to protecting and improving the environment for future generations. For the first time, environmental principles will be enshrined in law. Measures will be introduced to improve air and water quality, tackle plastic pollution and restore habitats so plants and wildlife can thrive. Legislation will also create new legally-binding environmental improvement targets. A new, world-leading independent regulator will be established in statute to scrutinise environmental policy and law, investigate complaints and take enforcement action [Environment Bill].”

This means, that for the first time, environmental principles will be enshrined in law. Measures will be introduced that improve air and water quality, tackle plastic pollution and restore habitats so plants and wildlife can thrive, increasing biodiversity. Legislation will also create new legally-binding environmental improvement targets. A new, independent regulator will be established in statute to scrutinise environmental policy and law, investigate complaints and take enforcement action.

This commitment to the environment is endorsed by the RTPI but they make the point that without well-resourced planning teams it will be difficult to deliver on this pledge.

RTPI Chief Executive Victoria Hills said “The Royal Town Planning Institute welcomes the government’s intentions announced in today’s Queen’s Speech for a white paper on more decision-making powers to be devolved in England, to deliver a national infrastructure strategy, to create a new scrutiny body for environmental ambitions and to lead global climate change action.

“We remind Government that the planning system and planning professionals are essential to make all these intentions a reality, and that local authority planning needs to be resourced appropriately.

“The RTPI, which represents 25,000 planning professionals, looks forward to working with the Government to find the spatial solutions to deliver its ambitions.”

At Planning & Design we have seen a real reduction in the planning service available to us and our clients, but we hope that this will improve as we move forward and embrace the formidable challenges and additional responsibilities ahead of us.

“As architects and planners we are in a good position to use our professional skills and experience to design buildings which can better cope with climate change, which is going to affect everyone, says Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director of Planning & Design.

“This means being aware of the latest research, developments and materials in order to design buildings which are highly insulated to be warm in winter whilst cool in summer, generate energy through solar power, have heating systems which use very little energy and do not use gas, oil or burn coal or wood.”

Sustainability at the heart of Planning & Design

12th December 202210th October 2019 by Gary Stringer

With a recent poll showing that climate change has overtaken Brexit as the public’s top concern, and the news that over half of the UK’s principal local authorities have now declared a climate emergency, there is no doubt that there is ever increasing public concern about living with greater sustainability.

From the earliest discussions with our clients we recognise the importance of outlining the advantages and benefits of building with sustainable aspects incorporated into their projects and ways in which they can reduce the carbon footprint of their project. This is obviously in consideration of their construction budget.

As a practice Planning & Design have been researching and promoting a number of sustainability initiatives, including Passivhaus, Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

Sustainability and Passivhaus Design

The Passivhaus concept represents state of the art technical solutions for energy efficient buildings. The energy consumption in a building built to Passivhaus standards is reduced with passive measures to such a low level that the building hardly requires any heating, cooling, humidification or dehumidification to meet the predetermined climate and comfort conditions.

The components and principles of a Passivhaus dwelling are as follow:
The dwelling needs just 15kWh of heating energy per square metre net floor surface per year (equivalent of around £50 worth of gas per year)
Super continuous insulation (wall U values 0.15Wm²k)
No thermal bridges (airtight- less than 0.6 air changes/hour at 50pa)
Heat recovery ventilation system
Triple glazed windows argon filled or Krypton gas and insulated frames (0.8Wm²k U-value)

It is worth noting that the criteria is set lower than that for Passivhaus for refurbishment and retrofit in existing buildings.

The Passivhaus Institute have developed a Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) as a design and verification tool for Passivhaus buildings.

Passivhaus certification provides a rigorous quality assurance process verified via independent testing. Certification is available for buildings, specific components, designers, consultants and trades people. Below is a list of the different types of Passivhaus certification options.

Among the many advantages of living in a dwelling designed to Passivhaus are lower energy bills and maintenance costs, cleaner, healthier air quality inside the home, warm snug rooms without any draughts or cold spots in winter and cooler rooms in summer plus zero carbon.

Code for Sustainable Homes

The Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) was launched by the government in 2007, replacing EcoHomes as the national standard to be used in the design and construction of new homes in England.

However, after March 2015 CSH was no longer a legal requirement, but now many local authority officers still work to CSH standards.

There are 6 different CSH rating levels from 1-6, with level 6 being the highest. Each represent a decrease in carbon emissions and an increase in sustainability standards across 9 categories, which are:

Energy and CO2 emissions
Water
Materials
Surface water runoff
Waste
Pollution
Health and wellbeing
Management
Ecology

Credits need to be achieved within the 9 different code categories and the number of credits will depend on the level required. Below is a table showing the amount of points required for each level.

Level 4 is a equal to a 19% reduction in carbon footprint, Level 5 a 100% reduction and Level 6 resulting in a zero carbon dwelling.

Assessments are normally carried out in two stages:
1) Design stage, leading to an interim certificate
2) Post construction stage. Leading to a final certificate

Renewable Heat Incentive

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat. Switching to heating systems that use eligible energy sources can help the UK reduce its carbon emissions and meet its renewable energy targets. The scheme pays each quarter for every kwh of heat generated and used over the past 3 months, commercial schemes lasting 20 years and domestic 7 years. The scheme applies to solar panels/ground source heat pump/ air source heat pump and biomass boilers. The RHI provides households with financial support between £2,000 and £3,500 a year, which can give a total rebate from £14,000 to £24,000.

The scheme is open to anyone who can meet the joining requirements. It is for households both off and on the gas grid.

To apply you will need:

Your microgeneration certification scheme certificate number (a certificate which shows both products and the installation by companies are installed to a high standard)
Your energy performance certificate EPC number
Bank details
Metering questions, if you need to be metered

Below is a table showing roughly how much payback a Biomass Boiler could get you.

What is SAP 10?

SAP calculations are used to demonstrate the energy performance of dwellings. The new SAP10 is not for use until Part L of the building regulations has been revised. There are some significant changes, but some will have the potential to affect the way we design new buildings.

Here is a summary of the major changes;

Electric heating will be seeing as more favourable compared to other traditional methods.
On site electricity generation will have less impact, currently scores high on the SAP test, however this does not mean that it’s not desired.
Buildings will need to have a lower heat demand, as we spend less hours at home that previously estimated, changing heating patterns and perhaps promoting smart homes, Wi-Fi connectivity to M&E appliances etc.
Improving thermal bridging details, promoting bespoke solutions instead of Accredited Construction Details to encourage developers finding better solutions. This does not mean that ACD will be forgotten.
Water consumption/ flow rates and the number of showers, baths will be now taken into account and also if these are electrics or mains fed will be important.
Overheating risks/ proportion of glazing will become more important to prevent overheating, thermal modelling might be required.
PV storage/ the use of onsite generated electricity used to cover water heating demand instead of feeding the grid now will be an option.
LED/ Compact fluorescent lighting will be necessary.
U values req. being more stringent, making the Passivhaus approach a more attractive guideline perhaps.

Sap 10 will be used:

On new planning strategies.
To asses EPC (Fuel cost)
Dwelling emission rates.
Vital for Part L compliance and section 6 (Openings).
As part of planning submissions for energy and sustainability statements.

Below are some examples of wall construction types and thicknesses which meet the Passivhaus standards or better.

Whilst recognising that ultimately it is up to the client what they want to do and what their budget allows for, we can advise them on the different levels of sustainability, which are:

An upgrade of the energy performance of an existing building with more sustainable systems/ introduction of insulation/ solar panels etc.
The Code for Sustainable Homes, either level 1-6
Passivhaus

We can then provide clients with the latest research and full knowledge that we have on each of these options, the various elements of renewable technologies and how much these cost.

Please feel free to contact us if you require any additional information or to discuss any specific projects.

Over half of the UK’s principal local authorities have declared a climate emergency

4th September 2019 by Gary Stringer

More than half of the UK’s principal local authorities have now declared a climate emergency, making it one of the fastest growing environmental movements in recent history, according to data compiled by Climate Emergency UK. In the past eight months, 205 of the UK’s 408 Principal Authorities (County, Unitary, Metropolitan, London Boroughs, District), with widespread support across political groups, have declared a climate emergency, committing them to take urgent action to reduce their carbon emissions at a local level. Many have set 2030 as a target date for going carbon zero, 20 years ahead of central government’s 2050 target.

The declarations are spread geographically across the UK. England leads the declarations with 54% percentage declaring. Wales comes next with 41%, then Scotland with 31% and Northern Ireland with 18%.

Cllr. Kevin Frea, co-chair of the Climate Emergency Network and deputy leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “This movement is being led by every political group and is involving local people in planning the actions needed to cut carbon through working groups and citizens assemblies. It has re-engaged people in their local councils: public galleries have been packed when motions to declare are discussed, with many residents – including experts and young people – speaking in the debates.

“Councils have already started delivering on their declarations, switching to renewable energy suppliers on their estate, insulating existing homes and building more energy efficient new ones, planting trees and decarbonising transport.

“Combined with a recent poll showing that climate change has overtaken Brexit as the public’s top concern, it gives me hope that the Government will have to take notice soon and provide the legislation and resources that we need to put our climate emergency declarations fully into practice. We have written to the new BEIS Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsom, and the new Local Government SoS, Robert Jenrick, asking for an urgent meeting to address our concerns.”

It will be very interesting to see what impact this has at a local level where a number of local authorities including Amber Valley Borough Council, Cheshire East Council, Derby City Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, North East Derbyshire District Council and Sheffield City Council are all amongst those to join the movement. According to the Town and Country Planning Association, the revised National Planning Policy Framework published in 2018 contains four headline implications for planning for climate change, which are as follows:

The revised NPPF retains the key link between planning policy and the provisions of the Climate Change Act 2008. This means all local plans must set a carbon dioxide emissions reduction target and lay out clear ways of measuring progress on carbon dioxide emissions reduction
Guidance for viability testing has been rebalanced, creating more opportunity for policy that might address climate change
There is still real confusion about the scope of planning authorities to set ambitious targets beyond the Building Regulations on energy efficiency
There is nothing to stop local plans adopting requirements for on-site renewable energy generation

Will there be a return to widespread support for onshore wind? Will it be commonplace that the conversion of traditional or listed buildings includes an element of renewable energy? Or will more modern and more energy efficient materials be allowed in ‘sensitive’ locations? These are just some of the questions which spring to mind at a local level. Watch this space.

Richard Pigott, Director, Planning & Design

Matlock looks at Climate Change

28th August 2019 by Gary Stringer

At the Town Council meeting in June Matlock Town Council declared a climate and ecological emergency. There was unanimous support for the motion proposed by Councillor Matt Buckler. The motion is seeking to put in place local actions that can make a difference.

Cllr Buckler said,

“We’ve heard some fantastic examples of things that people have done, but we need everyone to be doing it. To help this we need all of our tiers of government to take action where they can and help those within our communities to do the same. We will work with the District and County Councils, and learn from other good examples from around the country to ensure Matlock is an environmental beacon, as we work towards being a zero carbon town by 2030.”

Are you concerned about Climate Change? Do you want to find out more about what is being done locally? Have you got ideas to share or questions to ask?

On Saturday 14th September the Council are holding a special event, an opportunity to understand the environmental challenges ahead, what you can do to help resolve them day to day and share ideas on the most pressing and important issue of our time.

10am – 2pm
Imperial Rooms, Imperial Road, Matlock, DE4 3NL
FREE ENTRY

Get tickets on the door or book via Eventbrite or Facebook

Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director at Planning & Design who are exhibiting at the event

“Climate change is going to affect everyone and as architects and planners we are in a good position to use our professional skills and experience to design buildings in locations which will be more robust in facing the challenges of climate change. This means building in locations where there is good public transport where workers or residents can walk to services and facilities without using a car, in buildings which can better cope with climate change because they are highly insulated and are warm in winter and cool in summer, generate energy through solar power, having heating systems which do not use gas, oil or burn coal or wood and use very little energy. It is also important that the building of the future looks good and stay looking good with the minimum of maintenance. Future buildings also will have high levels of natural daylight and can enhance biodiversity by accommodating protected species within the building fabric and providing opportunities for a wide variety of plants and animals to thrive”.

For more information on the event please contact Matlock Town Council on 01629 583042 or via email at enquiries@matlock.gov.uk Facebook: @AllThingsMatlock

Normanton Road Shopping – Food for Thought

19th August 20197th August 2019 by Gary Stringer

Normanton Road is part of the district shopping centre of Normanton and Peartree. It represents the second largest concentration of shops in Derby.

Normanton is an active and vibrant centre that caters for residents from very varied backgrounds; creating demand for specialist foods.

Mr. Rasoul runs an Eastern European foods delicatessen adjacent to the site. It is successful.

The Site is a former petrol station which is used as a temporary hand car wash. Mr. Rasoul’s aim is to build a larger shop on the site, clear away the petrol station and construct a single storey building. The site is surrounded by retail premises and there is a public car park across the road.

This is an ideal place for a retail unit but with no on-site parking or servicing, the highway team at Derby City Council were concerned that a single 1,000sq.m unit could generate significant traffic and lead to congestion from delivery vehicles, as well as customers. Normanton serves a local population and for most customers the delicatessen is one of a number of linked trips.

We commissioned a highway report which identified that most trips were indeed linked and that most customers came by foot or by bus/ taxi. The car park nearby is empty for most of the time, and few customers arrive by car. Servicing was similar to many other shops (some much larger) and did not present a problem in highway terms.

Permission was granted under delegated powers. The application raised a number of issues around sustainable transport development. Town and District centre shops should not have their own car parks; higher tier shopping centres in towns and in areas like Normanton need shared facilities and good access to public transport to promote walking and cycling but also to build community understanding and cohesiveness. The private car takes up a large amount of space; it fractures communities because people do not have to meet or speak to each other, and it creates pollution. The future city is one without cars but for many transport officers they are wedded to the car and will take time to change. Climate change concerns are creating more pressure for change and as retailing habits alter out of town retailing divorced from communities may become an anachronism of late twentieth century living.

Image: Thanks to Woore Watkins Ltd

Planning & Design secure appeal win for low carbon energy system

19th August 20192nd July 2019 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design have secured approval on appeal on behalf of Midlands Biomass Solutions Ltd, resulting in planning permission being granted for the construction of an innovative timber drying facility and associated storage facilities at a farm in Derbyshire. This will allow virgin FSC wood to be chipped, dried and stored at the site ahead of transportation to a factory in Derby, where it will be converted by the process of torrefaction into a low carbon, eco-friendly biofuel.

The appeal was made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against an earlier refusal to grant planning permission by North East Derbyshire District Council.

The development at Averill farm in Morton, Derbyshire will see the development of a bespoke timber drying facility and a change of use of an existing agricultural building for associated storage purposes, together with improvements to access at the site. The scheme has the potential to create 12 new jobs at the farm, helping to boost the local economy.

Torrefaction is a thermal process that converts biomass into a coal like material, which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass. It is in alignment with local and national policies to encourage renewable energy developments.

The main issues that led to North East Derbyshire District Council originally rejecting the scheme were concerns about a detrimental effect on the character and appearance of the area; as well as on the living conditions of nearby residents with particular regard to noise and disturbance.

However as detailed by Planning & Design at the appeal a comprehensive Noise Impact Assessment recommended a number of measures to mitigate noise including restricting delivery hours and wood chipping activities. In addition lorry routes to and from the site were agreed as part of a Delivery Management Plan. With no objections from the Environmental Health Officer or the Highway Authority, a refusal on either grounds of noise or highway safety were shown to be unjustified.

With regard to the character and appearance of the area, Planning & Design were able to demonstrate that the site is located within an existing working landscape, and within an existing group of agricultural buildings. The proposals include materials and form that reflect and reinforce the identity of the local surroundings and materials, ensuring that the local character and history is maintained. New hedgerow planting as part of the scheme will enhance the local green infrastructure as well as providing screening from any perceived noise or visual impacts.

Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director at Planning & Design said

“We are pleased to have won this appeal. Climate change is a real and immediate concern. The development of low carbon fuel sources is important to the future of the economy and the nation. We are pleased to have received the support of the Secretary of State.

The company has high demand for its product and this approval will allow them to significantly increase production linked to their manufacturing facility in Derby.”

Recent Flooding

Queen’s Speech plans on climate change welcomed

Sustainability at the heart of Planning & Design

Sustainability and Passivhaus Design

Code for Sustainable Homes

Renewable Heat Incentive

What is SAP 10?

Over half of the UK’s principal local authorities have declared a climate emergency

Matlock looks at Climate Change

Normanton Road Shopping – Food for Thought

Planning & Design secure appeal win for low carbon energy system

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