Climate Change is Top Priority of London Plan Review

London – March 5, 2007 -- Mayor of London Ken Livingstone announced that his London Plan Review will set radical new objectives for planners and developers that will require new developments to connect to “decentralized” local energy supplies and achieve the highest standards of sustainable building design. The Review also doubles the carbon emission reductions that developments must achieve through onsite renewable energy from 10% to 20%.

The London Plan Review also proposes to set carbon dioxide reduction targets – a 20 per cent reduction by 2015 and a long-term target of a 60 per cent reduction by 2050. This is the first time that statutory carbon reduction targets have been set for London.

The Mayor is proposing a series of new development, transport and energy policies all with the aim of making London an exemplary and sustainable world city, adapting to inevitable climate change and reducing future carbon emissions.

These new policies are published in a document entitled Draft Further Alterations to the London Plan which the Mayor is publishing today for consultation with the London Assembly and the Greater London Authority functional bodies, before a formal public consultation stage this autumn.

The Mayor said:'London should lead the way in showing the world how one of its greatest cities is planning to meet the challenges of climate change. We have already succeeded through the London Plan in introducing a target of 10% carbon reductions through on-site renewable energy generation and I would like to congratulate those developers and planners who have responded positively to this challenge. In more and more cases we are meeting – and sometimes exceeding - the existing policy requirements but we still need to do much more.'

'The new policies I am publishing today set tough but deliverable targets for reducing our carbon emissions. We must move our cities away from relying on inefficient centralized heat and power generation, and stop constructing buildings that waste heat and electricity. In London we want to see the widespread use of decentralized energy, the highest standards of green building design and renewable energy incorporated wherever we can.'

'In London I am proposing a challenging new target for our developers and planners.’

The Draft Further Alterations to the London Plan also sets out a series of complementary policies to achieve carbon dioxide reductions and the Mayor will be working with boroughs and other agencies to:
- ensure that development is located, designed and built for the climate that it will experience over its intended lifetime and is capable of adapting to new uses.
- increase the cost effectiveness, and provide incentives to use the technologies which will help address climate change.
- procure and use building materials more responsibly.
- manage flood risk through policies on the location, design and construction of development, and management of surface run-off including rainwater harvesting.
- minimize overheating and the ‘heat island’ effect, for example by encouraging green roofs and walls and designs which reduce solar gain.
- minimize the movement of waste including the introduction of new targets for composting and recycling the different waste streams and giving preference to technologies which produce renewable hydrogen over incineration.

Last week the Mayor published Supplementary Planning Guidance on Sustainable Design and Construction to guide developers and planners on how to use the existing policies to best effect in addressing the consequences of climate change.

Other key proposed alterations to the London Plan, also published today, include:
- Support for the already published proposals to increase housing provision across London.
- Measures to make more effective use of existing and already planned transport capacity.
- Provision for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and associated regeneration of large parts of East London.

A clearer geographic framework for coordinating the strategic policies of a range of pan London agencies and integrating these with local action at the sub regional level.

Action to make London a more livable and socially inclusive city such as the East London Green Grid, improvements to safety and security, and increased play provision.

Refinement of some of the economic policies to support London’s global business area, the Central Activities Zone, and help rejuvenate the economies elsewhere in the city.

A more focused approach to town centers and retailing including the particular need to develop the capacity of the West End as a global shopping and leisure destination.

“Decentralized energy” involves using combined heat, power and cooling systems and renewable energy, as the most efficient way to supply heat and power to domestic and commercial buildings. Typical decentralized energy systems are over 85% efficient, compared with average centralized power generation which wastes two thirds of energy input and is the single biggest source of carbon emissions.

In working towards a long term reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of 60 per cent by 2050 he has set the following minimum targets for London (against a 1990 base):
- 15 per cent by 2010
- 20 per cent by 2015
- 25 per cent by 2020
- 30 per cent by 2025

These targets are practicable providing all stakeholders, including government, work together.

Existing commercial and domestic buildings contribute approximately 73 per cent of carbon emissions in London. The Mayor recognizes the cost implications of these new technologies and will support measures to drive down costs such as stimulating their supply chains.

Most changes to the London Plan are minor amendments to clarify points or to take account of new information. Most of the proposed significant policy changes reflect issues raised in the Mayor’s Statement of Intent published in December 2005. In substantive terms it is the group of new policies associated with climate change in Chapter 4A which represent the most significant Further Alterations.

The Further Alterations to the London Plan are the result of a focused review based on the Mayor’s Statement of Intent to review the plan. Factors which this took into account included:
- a duty to keep the London Plan under review
- responding to new evidence
- taking into account the results of the Sub Regional Development Framework Process
- extending the plan period from 2016 to 2025 and
- taking account of national legislation and policy in the recent planning system reforms.

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London Government

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