Sustainable development design guide

The Council is currently consulting on a draft Supplementary Planning Document on Sustainable Design and Construction

This Supplementary Planning Document has the following aims and objectives

Aim

• To provide practical guidance to developers in Leeds wishing to build to high levels of sustainable design and construction.

Objectives

To advise on how development in Leeds can result in

• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• Better adaptation to climate change
• Reduced impact on the environment overall
• Inclusive development for all users

Status

The information contained in this document provides guidance for any applicant wanting to pursue a major development proposal and will be a material consideration in the assessment of 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 aim and objectives. Completion of the Checklist for Developers (Appendix 1) can be used to show how this has been achieved.

Policy

The document summarises the current national, regional and local policy context and establishes the following policies.

Leeds City Council policy on Sustainable Design and Construction

The Council encourages developments of 1000 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 policy 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

a) reduce total predicted carbon dioxide emissions to 20% less than the Building Regulation Target Emission Rate until 2016 when all development will be expected to be zero carbon and

b) provide a minimum of 10% of the predicted energy needs of the development from decentralised, renewable or low carbon energy

Carbon dioxide reductions achieved in meeting policy (b) will contribute to meeting policy (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% 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, and existing good practice and includes 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.

Checklist

The checklist at the end of the document should be used to show how development has followed the guidance in this SPD

You can access the public consultation by clicking on the link below

Contacts