More than 100 companies in the built environment sector have urged the prime minister to put tackling climate change at the heart of the planning process.
Signatories including Landsec, Grosvenor, Related Argent and JLL, wrote to Rishi Sunak (pictured) and three secretaries of state, arguing the existing planning system in England undermines the sector’s ability to deliver high-quality sustainable homes at speed and scale.
The letter states: “Our experience is that the current planning system is not fit for purpose, in terms of providing a consistent approach to handling climate change and environmental considerations.”
It calls on the PM to “amend the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill to directly align the planning system with the UK’s climate commitments and adaptation goals under the Climate Change Act, and nature restoration targets under the Environment Act”.
The UK Green Building Council, which organised the letter, said the Bill, which is currently moving through parliament, offered an opportunity to address the lack of focus on climate change in planning decisions. But in its current form it does not link the system with the UK’s environmental ambitions.
The companies want the Bill to include a new, clear legal duty for planning decisions to explicitly align with the UK’s carbon budget – the cumulative amount of carbon Britain can emit before risking higher temperature rises – and adaptation goals to prepare the country for the effects of global warming.
They also call for the system to incorporate nature restoration targets that have been set out under the Environment Act.
Louise Hutchins, head of policy at the UKGBC, said: “England’s inconsistent planning system is not delivering the change we need to tackle the climate and nature breakdown. Our business and local authority members are faced with endless barriers, delays and legal challenges to the kind of low-carbon nature-friendly development we all want to see.”
She added: “We’re urging the government to back simple changes to planning law through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill that can help fix this. By introducing a clear legal imperative for planning decisions at all levels to align with our Climate Change and Environment Acts, we can unlock huge investment and momentum towards the beautiful neighbourhoods and low carbon infrastructure the country urgently needs.”
The full letter can be viewed here.
To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews
