Building for tomorrow today - sustainable design and construction - SPD (LDF)

This Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on sustainable design and construction has the following aims and objectives:

Aim 

To provide practical guidance for design and construction projects within Leeds aiming to achieve the highest possible levels of sustainability to support the city in achieving it’s social, economic and environmental goals.

 Objectives 

To support developers in realising projects that:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
• Successfully adapt to climate change;
• Have a minimal impact on overall environmental quality;
• Provide inclusive development to all users.

Status 

The information contained in this document provides guidance for applicants for major development proposals. The adoption of this guidance means that sustainable design and construction are material considerations to be given weight in considering development proposals and can be the subject of planning conditions and/or obligations in respect of appropriate development.

Applicants for planning permission will be expected to have demonstrated that they have considered this SPD and in so doing to have focused on its aims and objectives. Completion of the Checklist for Developers can be used to show how this has been achieved.

Policy 

This SPD summarises the current policy context and establishes the following voluntary standards which are consistent with the policies in the emerging Core Strategy:

Leeds City Council Voluntary Standards on Sustainable Design and Construction

The Council encourages developments of 1,000 or more square metres or 10 or more dwellings (either new build or conversion if feasible) to meet at least the standard set by the Code for Sustainable Homes (for residential development) or BREEAM (for non-residential development) as shown in the table below. A post construction review certificate will also be required.

Leeds City Council Voluntary Standard on Climate Change – CO2 Reduction

The Council encourages developments of 10 dwellings or more or over 1,000 square metres of floorspace, whether new-build or conversion, to:-

• reduce total predicted carbon dioxide emissions to 20 per cent less than the Building Regulation Target Emission Rate until 2016 when all development will be expected to be zero carbon; and
• provide a minimum of 10 per cent of the predicted energy needs of the development from decentralised, renewable or low carbon energy.

Carbon dioxide reductions achieved in meeting voluntary standard (b) will contribute to meeting voluntary standard (a).

The required percentage reduction may increase as advances in technology enable higher levels of carbon reduction. Details of this will be provided in future versions of this SPD.

If it can be demonstrated that decentralised, renewable or low carbon energy generation is not practical on or near the proposed development, it may be acceptable to provide a contribution equivalent to the cost of providing the 10 per cent which the Council will use towards an off-site renewable energy scheme.

The renewable or low carbon energy technologies must be operational before any new or converted buildings are occupied.

Guidance 

The document gives guidance to developers on the following topics, based on the categories and environmental issues covered by the Code for Sustainable Homes and BREEAM.

• Site appraisal (see section 7)
• Design considerations (see section 8)
• Energy and CO2 emissions (see section 9)
• Water (see section 10)
• Materials (see section 11)
• Surface water run-off (see section 12)
• Waste (see section 13)
• Pollution (see section 14)
• Health and well-being (see section 15)
• Management (see section 16)
• Ecology (see section 17)

The guidance in each of these sections is based on local evidence, existing good practice and includes top tips, a number of local case studies and sources of further information. Where appropriate, each section also highlights the opportunity to adapt development to future climate change, thereby increasing the resilience of Leeds to unavoidable climate change.

The SPD is available as a download on this page. Alternatively paper copies can be purchased for £20 (plus postage), or can be collected, from the Development Enquiry Centre, The Leonardo Building, 2 Rossington Street, Leeds LS2 8HD. Tel: 0113 247 8000 for further details.

Documents available on this page 

• Complete Document
• Representations Statement
• Adoption Statement

Individual sections:

• Contact Details & Contents
• Foreword & Summary
• Checklist for Developers (as a pdf and as an interactive document)
• 1. Background & 2. How to use this document
• 3. Policy Context
• 4. Code for Sustainable Homes
• 5. BREEAM
• 6. Guidance
• 7. Site appraisal
• 8. Design considerations
• 9. Energy and CO2 emissions
• 10. Water
• 11. Materials
• 12. Surface water run-off
• 13. Waste
• 14. Pollution
• 15. Health and wellbeing
• 16. Management
• 17. Ecology
• 18. Glossary and Abbreviations
• 19. References
• 20. Appendix 1: Ten Urban Design Principles