Sustainable Construction: Greater local planning control. James Anwyl CIOB Sustainability Conference Keyworth Centre, LSBU

Sustainable Construction: Greater local planning control James Anwyl CIOB Sustainability Conference Keyworth Centre, LSBU 27. 01. 2010

WHY? TARGET: Unsustainable buildings & HOW? Sustainable buildings & Slide 2

The UK s housing stock is some of the least efficient in Europe. Unsustainable buildings & Space heating accounts for, on average, ~60% of household energy demands. In 2003, of 25 million UK homes, approx. 2 million were classed as fuel poor. Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology October 2005 Slide 3

PassivHaus, a German standard of building, achieves a 75% reduction in space heating requirements when compared to existing UK building regs. Sustainable buildings & In Austria, as of 2008, 20% of all new homes are built to Passiv Haus standard. There are 2 certified PH buildings in the UK. Mark Siddell, Devereux Architects Slide 4

WHY? TARGET: Unsustainable buildings & HOW? HOW? Sustainable buildings & PLANNING POLICIES & ENFORCEMENT Slide 5

Happold Scholarship for Sustainability & Construction 2008: The Worshipful Company of Constructors Slide 6

The Lowhouse: a low carbon, low visual impact twin dwelling Achieves Code Level 6 by: thermal mass large solar gain GSHP/ MVHR triple glazed super insulated solar DHW solar PV (>2kW array) FSC crosslam panels Slide 7

Research aims: a) Test the claims of a new development that aims to go above and beyond guidelines set by the government s zero carbon policy for new homes. b) Challenge preconceptions of green belt planning issues, low density development, longevity with respect to embodied energy and adaptable design, modular construction and low carbon living. Slide 8

PPS7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas 11. Very occasionally the exceptional quality and innovative nature of the design of a proposed, isolated new house may provide this special justification for granting planning permission. Such a design should be truly outstanding and ground-breaking, for example, in its use of materials, methods of construction or its contribution to protecting and enhancing the environment, so helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas. Slide 9

For All immediate neighbours Head of Planning (TDC) [at draft stage] Parish Council Local MP (Labour) Local MP (Conservative) Senior Planning Consultant to TDC (former Head of Planning) Regional Development Agency Essex Development Agency Essex County Council Natural England Environment Agency Slide 10

For All immediate neighbours Head of Planning (TDC) [at draft stage] Against Planning Officer Head of Planning (TDC) [on application] Parish Council Local MP (Labour) Local MP (Conservative) Senior Planning Consultant to TDC (former Head of Planning) Regional Development Agency Essex Development Agency Essex County Council Natural England Environment Agency Slide 11

The Lowhouse planning decision: The application was taken to Chairman's referral this week with a recommendation of refusal on grounds of sustainability... The Chairman agreed this application could be refused under delegated powers, rather than going to a full development committee. Richard Collins, Planning Officer Tendring District Council Slide 12

The Taylor Review: A recurring message to the Review was that national policies, such as PPS7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas, are not implemented consistently or as intended at regional or local levels and that priorities in other Planning Policy Guidance/ Statements are given more weight. Matthew Taylor, July 2008 Slide 13

DEFRA: Barriers to Farm Diversification While setting a national overview and avoiding prescription deliberately so, in order to facilitate local decision-making responsive to local issues their consistency leaves much to be desired. For example the supportive content of PPS7 is often undermined by other statements such as those on housing, nature conservation and transport. Slide 14

The Barker Review of Land Use Planning: Among the structural issues underlying these [planning] concerns is the absence of a clear financial incentive for local authorities to promote growth. This is particularly important since the costs of development are often local, visible and short-term, while the benefits may be diffuse, invisible and long-term. Kate Barker, March 2004 Slide 15

The Lyons Inquiry into Local Government:...to consider how fiscal incentives can be better aligned so that local authorities are in a position to share the benefits of local economic growth Sir Michael Lyons, March 2007 Slide 16

With special thanks to: The McKinsey Global Institute in 1998 pointed to the planning system as one of the factors negatively affecting the growth and competitiveness of the British economy. In particular, they pointed to the way in which, because the planning system assumes location to be relatively unimportant, the free location of firms is hindered and the growth of industrial complexes where firms in new industries can closely interact with each other is slowed, if not prevented. The OECD recently gave a similar warning about the negative growth effects of the British planning system. Dr. Oliver Hartwich, The Policy Exchange Slide 17

In a country where no more than 8% of land has been developed compared to: France 12% Netherlands 28% Germany 28%... effective use of land! Slide 18

More for less... 1935 - the largest number of houses built in the UK for any year before or since. 3-bed family semi built for just under 500 in 1937 - about 23,000 in today s prices. Conall Boyle, Action for Land Taxation & Economic Reform Slide 19

1930s good-quality low-cost housing: low interest rates plentiful supply of land very limited Planning Control rudimentary Building Regulations novel design not by architects, but by craftsmen-builders not achieved through cheap labour Slide 20

The Town and Country Planning Act, 1947: Established planning permission required for land development Reduced 1,400 existing planning authorities to 145 House prices rise with land prices. Green Belts - manipulated by rural to prevent the growth of towns and cities (original purpose to give recreational areas to urban dwellers). Slide 21

For a sustainable future, house prices must remain stable. In order to keep house prices stable, land prices must remain relatively stable. How to do this? Ensure good supply of houses through planning control. Where in the developed world is there a planning system that works? Slide 22

Switzerland & Germany - exemplar systems: 1) stable house prices for nearly 40 years (!) 2) high standard of living 3) greener towns & cities 4) sustainable buildings 5) sustainable Slide 23

What incentivises development? a) Planning completely decentralised into small municipalities e.g. Switzerland 1:2600 pop. vs. UK, 1:109,000 pop. in Tendring b) Central government provide guidelines and aid coordination but cannot control actual development. c) Municipalities take charge of their own development, retaining all business rate revenues and in some cases a share of income tax. Slide 24

Ongoing Thatcher legacy... The Local Government Finance and Planning Acts allowed central government to decide spending limits for individual authorities and could remove general grants - approx. 60% of the councils income. Slide 25

Local authority s income: 85% of revenue is allocated by central government and other sources. Before Thatcher, nearly 50% of revenue was derived from local taxation Dr. Oliver Hartwich, The Policy Exchange Slide 26

A Stern Warning: UK planning policy is failing to sustain the utility of land for future generations by the planning constraints made on rural development. Without urgent and definitive change to the existing planning system, the older generation faces a rebellion from the younger. Slide 27

How to stimulate sustainable construction in the UK? 1. Increase the number of authorities to at least pre-1947 levels giving local power to make planning decisions at the parish level. 2. Recycle at least 50% of tax revenues at the local level, creating competition between parishes to develop better amenities, better homes and local business. 3. Rather than giving a single sustainability option (PPS7) as a planning policy, require all new buildings to be engineered to an energy consumption threshold per m2 at planning stage, and make unsustainable buildings the exception. Slide 28

Existing planning policy enforcement Existing centralised control & distribution of tax revenues + = Unsustainable buildings & Slide 29

Existing planning policy enforcement + Existing centralised control & distribution of tax revenues = Unsustainable buildings & Relaxing of planning policy & enforcement + Localised control & distribution of tax revenues = Sustainable buildings & Slide 30

UK HOUSING BUBBLE Reduced land availability Supply lags behind demand Anything built gets bought No competition in relative construction quality Poor quality housing Unsustainable buildings Unsustainable buildings & 'Ladder effect' enhanced in strength & urgency Increased competition in buyers market Perceived utility of space reduced No sense of place/ identity social sustainability Unsustainable Inhabitant incentivised to move on Local Density increase encouraged Planning controls tighten Central government Local government INFLUENCE INFLUENCE THEIR amenity increased/ preserved Landowners/ 'older' generation/ homeowners (!) Slide 31

SWITZERLAND / GERMANY Increase in completion rates Increased utility of available land Supply NO LONGER lags behind demand Increased competition for inhabitants between municipalities Competition increases in construction quality Market driven sustainable buildings Sustainable buildings & Less NIMBYism 'Ladder effect' diminished but rentals strong Marketplace more stable Perceived utility of space increasd Better sense of place/ social sustainability Sustainable Inhabitant incentivised to remain Tax revenues recycled i.e. not siphoned off by central gov Local Commercial development incentivised in rural areas RELATIVE INDEPENDENCE Planning policies relaxed Planning control more responsible & democratic Central government Local government INFLUENCE " " & Future generations provided for... Landowners/ 'older' generation/ homeowners (!) Slide 32

Thanks for listening. Thanks again to the Happold Trust for their support. PassivHaus Design & Construction 6 Smithys Close Plumpton Green Lewes East Sussex BN7 3DL mailto: j.anwyl@eurobuild.at Slide 33