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Sustainability
Number | Activity | Action | Latest Update |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Investigate the Introduction of differential changes to parking permits and in car parks e.g. Higher carbon emission vehicles pay more. | Investigate the method and systems needed to introduce (with a view to trialling) the system in selected car parks and/or streets. | Scoping report after the completion of the Citizen Assembly actions in Spring 2022 |
2 | Ensure new housing developments are much more walking and cycling friendly. | Major development sites to consider the inclusion off-road cycle routes to link between other cycle routes where connections exist | Collate outcomes by monitoring permissions yearly. |
3 | Better bus provision and strategic park and ride facilities to reduce traffic in towns. | Investigate the potential for park and ride facilities in the main towns. | Beginning to work on as part of the wider Placemaking strategy around public transport and Active Travel |
4 | Increase uptake of cycling in West Devon and take a lead in encouraging people to maintain the positives from lockdown; i.e. less travel more exercise | Investigate electric bike hire in towns and key tourist areas in summer. Increase cycle parking at key locations in towns and villages. Develop bespoke business support offer grants to reduce carbon footprints. | Completed a borough wide survey with CoCars to survey the interest for shared e-bike and EVs across the borough |
5 | Promote the use of Recycled and Sustainable construction materials through input at planning stage for new developments. | Continue to apply recently adopted Joint Local Plan Policies and Supplementary Planning Guidance and review to investigate options to incentivise or force the use of recycled or sustainable construction materials. | Subject to JLP review timescales |
6 | Monitor and review policies to reduce the carbon footprint of new developments | Continue to apply recently adopted policies and Supplementary Planning Guidance. | Scoping work started for a ‘DEV32 plus’ initiative. The climate emergency and need for urgent action towards net zero is an important material consideration in the planning process. This is recognised by the Secretary of State and explicitly supported in a recent appeal at Dartmouth where the Inspector said “It seems to me folly to build new houses now that will commit the owners to potentially expensive and disruptive alterations as the UK moves to decarbonise the heating of its housing stock.” He refused the development concluding that there was a “failure to address positively the challenge of climate change and the failure to demonstrate that there would be a net gain for biodiversity”. |
7 | Investigate adaption and resilience methods for new developments. | Joint Local Plan Review - this will either form a new policy or a new revision to policy DEV32 | Discussion on this topic at Joint Local Plan (JLP) Board in April 2021 |
8 | Review the potential for Borough Energy Networks and invest in housing energy saving measures | Review internal processes to create a flow of investment from developer contributions and government grants related to carbon reduction. Commission an appraisal of the Boroughs' capacity for local District Energy networks. | Subject to JLP review timescales. |
9 | As part of the JLP review, consider an Article 4 Direction that removes permitted development rights on class Q barn conversions. | Review the Annual Monitoring Report evidence whether or not there is too much housing delivery in tier 4 settlements (those areas not included in JLP policy TTV1.1-3)
If the evidence continues to show more housing delivery in Tier 4 settlements then an Article 4 direction can be proposed and submitted. | Monitor yearly and report update in 2022 |
10 | Allocate sites for renewable energy, in particular strategic scale solar and wind for both commercial and community energy development. | Conduct a call for sites during the Joint Local Plan review process. Commission an appraisal of the capacity for more large scale renewable energy. | Subject to JLP timescales |
11 | Lobby for changes to the National Planning Policy Framework or any such replacement to prioritise carbon reduction target over housing targets. | Respond and input into the proposed changes to the Planning System | Responses to recent Planning White Paper completed as well as input into the Future Homes Standard Consultation |
12 | Maximise local and closed-loop recycling to minimise transport impacts and valorise waste materials. | Continue to monitor the recycling uptake | Ongoing |
13 | Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans to ensure provision of EV charging points where parking spaces are provided in new developments. | Continue to condition EV charging on major developments | Ongoing |
14 | Explore installing electric car charging points in the Borough. | EV points currently being installed in WD car parks. | DELETTI project progressing. Instructed APSE Energy to conduct a feasibility study for further EV charging points, solar above car parks and battery storage which has been completed |
15 | Make use of funding opportunities to provide employment and community assets across the Borough, particularly where the market is unlikely to provide this, to minimise the need to travel for access to services. | Access UK Shared Prosperity Fund if and when it's established and reinforce COVID recovery support grants and initiatives. | Review Action once Fund established |
16 | Support and encourage use of shared EV's, cycles and E-couriers | introduce car share and e-bike share scheme into South Hams | Discussions have taken place with CoCars who are currently looking to widen the number of locations. A Borough wide survey with CoCars to gauge interest and identify opportunity has been completed. Meeting to discuss next steps arranged for the end of November |
16 | Investigate the creation of a new EP policy to ensure the correct use of litter bins potentially reducing collection need. | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
17 | The Council will support the principles proposed through the English Waste Strategy regarding the Extended Producer Responsibility. | Raise awareness as part of a Climate Change communication strategy involving newsletters, web and social media. | Climate Change Communication Strategy developed |
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