Sustainable Construction: Greater local planning control
James Anwyl
CIOB Sustainability Conference
Keyworth Centre, LSBU
27. 01. 2010
Unsustainable buildings &
communities
Sustainable buildings &
communities
WHY? TARGET:
HOW?
Slide 2Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Unsustainable buildings &
communities
Sustainable buildings &
communities
WHY? TARGET:
HOW?
Slide 2Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Unsustainable buildings &
communities
The UK’s housing stock is some of the least efficient in Europe.
Space heating accounts for, on average, ~60% of household energy demands.
In 2003, of 25 million UK homes, approx. 2 million were classed as fuel poor.
Parliamentary Office of Science & TechnologyOctober 2005
Slide 3Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Slide 4Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
Sustainable buildings &
communities
PassivHaus, a German standard of building, achieves a 75% reduction in space heating requirements when compared to existing UK building regs.
In Austria, as of 2008, 20% of all new homes are built to Passiv Haus standard.
There are 2 certified PH buildings in the UK.
Mark Siddell, Devereux Architects
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Unsustainable buildings &
communities
Sustainable buildings &
communities
WHY? TARGET:
HOW?HOW?
PLANNING POLICIES & ENFORCEMENT
Slide 5Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Unsustainable buildings &
communities
Sustainable buildings &
communities
WHY? TARGET:
HOW?HOW?
PLANNING POLICIES & ENFORCEMENT
Slide 5Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Slide 6Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
Happold Scholarship for ‘Sustainability & Construction’ 2008:
Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
The Worshipful Company of Constructors
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Achieves Code Level 6 by: • thermal mass • large solar gain • GSHP/ MVHR • triple glazed • super insulated • solar DHW • solar PV (>2kW array) • FSC crosslam panels
Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
The Lowhouse: a low carbon, low visual impact twin dwelling
Slide 7Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
a) Test the claims of a new development that aims to go above and beyond guidelines set by the government’s zero carbon policy for new homes.
b) Challenge preconceptions of ‘green belt’ planning issues, low density development, longevity with respect to embodied energy and adaptable design, modular construction and low carbon living.
Research aims:
Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
Slide 8Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
“11. Very occasionally the exceptional quality and innovative nature of the design of a proposed, isolated new house may provide this special justification for granting planning permission.
Such a design should be truly outstanding and ground-breaking, for example, in its use of materials, methods of construction or its contribution to protecting and enhancing the environment, so helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas.”
Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
PPS7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas
Slide 9Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
For
All immediate neighbours
Head of Planning (TDC) [at draft stage]
Parish Council
Local MP (Labour)
Local MP (Conservative)
Senior Planning Consultant to TDC (former Head of Planning)
Regional Development Agency
Essex Development Agency
Essex County Council
Natural England
Environment Agency
Slide 10Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
For Against
All immediate neighbours Planning Officer
Head of Planning (TDC) [at draft stage] Head of Planning (TDC) [on application]
Parish Council
Local MP (Labour)
Local MP (Conservative)
Senior Planning Consultant to TDC (former Head of Planning)
Regional Development Agency
Essex Development Agency
Essex County Council
Natural England
Environment Agency
Slide 11Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
“The application was taken to Chairman's referral this week with a recommendation of refusal on grounds of sustainability...
The Chairman agreed this application could be refused under delegated powers, rather than going to a full development committee.”
Richard Collins, Planning OfficerTendring District Council
The Lowhouse planning decision:
Slide 12Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
A recurring message to the Review was that national policies, such as PPS7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas, are not implemented consistently or as intended at regional or local levels and that priorities in other Planning Policy Guidance/ Statements are given more weight.
Matthew Taylor, July 2008
The Taylor Review:
Slide 13Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
“While setting a national overview and avoiding prescription – deliberately so, in order to facilitate local decision-making responsive to local issues – their consistency leaves much to be desired.
For example the supportive content of PPS7 is often undermined by other statements such as those on housing, nature conservation and transport.”
DEFRA: Barriers to Farm Diversification
Slide 14Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
“Among the structural issues underlying these [planning] concerns is the absence of a clear financial incentive for local authorities to promote growth.
This is particularly important since the costs of development are often local, visible and short-term, while the benefits may be diffuse, invisible and long-term.”
Kate Barker, March 2004
The Barker Review of Land Use Planning:
Slide 15Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
“...to consider how fiscal incentives can be better aligned so that local authorities are in a position to share the benefits of local economic growth”
Sir Michael Lyons, March 2007
The Lyons Inquiry into Local Government:
Slide 16Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
“The McKinsey Global Institute in 1998 pointed to the planning system as one of the factors negatively affecting the growth and competitiveness of the British economy.
In particular, they pointed to the way in which, because the planning system assumes location to be relatively unimportant, the free location of firms is hindered and the growth of industrial complexes where firms in new industries can closely interact with each other is slowed, if not prevented.
The OECD recently gave a similar warning about the negative growth effects of the British planning system.”
Dr. Oliver Hartwich, The Policy Exchange
Slide 17Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
With special thanks to:
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
In a country where no more than 8% of land has been developed compared to:
• France 12% • Netherlands 28% • Germany 28%
... effective use of land!
Slide 18Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
1935 - the largest number of houses built in the UK for any year before or since.
3-bed family semi built for just under £500 in 1937 - about £23,000 in today’s prices.
Conall Boyle, Action for Land Taxation & Economic Reform
More for less...
Slide 19Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
• low interest rates • plentiful supply of land• very limited Planning Control • rudimentary Building Regulations • novel design – not by architects, but by craftsmen-builders • not achieved through cheap labour
1930s good-quality low-cost housing:
Slide 20Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
• Established planning permission required for land development
• Reduced 1,400 existing planning authorities to 145
• House prices rise with land prices.
• ‘Green Belts’ - manipulated by rural communities to prevent the growth of towns and cities (original purpose to give recreational areas to urban dwellers) .
The Town and Country Planning Act, 1947:
Slide 21Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
For a sustainable future, house prices must remain stable. In order to keep house prices stable, land prices must remain relatively stable.
How to do this? Ensure good supply of houses through planning control.
Where in the developed world is there a planning system that works?
Slide 22Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
1) stable house prices for nearly 40 years (!)2) high standard of living3) greener towns & cities4) sustainable buildings5) sustainable communities
Switzerland & Germany - exemplar systems:
Slide 23Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
a) Planning completely decentralised into small municipalities e.g. Switzerland 1:2600 pop. vs. UK, 1:109,000 pop. in Tendring
b) Central government provide guidelines and aid coordination but cannot control actual development.
c) Municipalities take charge of their own development, retaining all business rate revenues and in some cases a share of income tax.
What incentivises development?
Slide 24Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
The Local Government Finance and Planning Acts allowed central government to decide spending limits for individual authorities and could remove general grants - approx. 60% of the councils’ income.
Slide 25Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
Ongoing Thatcher legacy...
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
“85% of revenue is allocated by central government and other sources.
Before Thatcher, nearly 50% of revenue was derived from local taxation”
Dr. Oliver Hartwich, The Policy Exchange
Local authority’s income:
Slide 26Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
UK planning policy is failing to sustain the utility of land for future generations by the planning constraints made on rural development.
Without urgent and definitive change to the existing planning system, the older generation faces a rebellion from the younger.
Slide 27Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
A ‘Stern’ Warning:
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
1. Increase the number of authorities to at least pre-1947 levels giving local communities power to make planning decisions at the parish level.
2. Recycle at least 50% of tax revenues at the local level, creating competition between parishes to develop better amenities, better homes and local business.
3. Rather than giving a single ‘sustainability option’ (PPS7) as a planning policy, require all new buildings to be engineered to an energy consumption threshold per m2 at planning stage, and make unsustainable buildings the exception.
Slide 28Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
How to stimulate sustainable construction in the UK?
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Existing planning policy enforcement
Existing centralised control & distribution
of tax revenues
Unsustainable buildings &
communities+ =
Slide 29Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Existing planning policy enforcement
Existing centralised control & distribution
of tax revenues
Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
Unsustainable buildings &
communities
Sustainable buildings &
communities
Localised control & distribution of tax
revenues
Relaxing of planning policy & enforcement
+
+
=
=
Slide 30Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Reduced land
availability
Supply lags
behind demand
Anything built
gets bought
No competition
in relative
construction
quality
Unsustainable
buildings
Poor quality
housing
Unsustainable
buildings &
communities
No sense of
place/ identity
social
sustainability
Unsustainable
communities
Perceived utility
of space
reduced
Planning
controls tighten
Density increase
encouraged
Central
government
Local
government
Local
communities
Landowners/ 'older' generation/ homeowners (!)£££
THEIR amenity increased/ preserved
INFLUENCE INFLUENCE
HOUSING BUBBLE
Increased
competition in
buyers market
Inhabitant
incentivised to
move on
'Ladder effect'
enhanced in
strength &
urgency
UK
Slide 31Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulationChi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Slide 32Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
Planning control
more
responsible &
democratic
Central
government
Local
government
Local
communities
Landowners/ 'older' generation/ homeowners (!)
INFLUENCE
Sustainable
buildings &
communities
Tax revenues
recycled i.e. not
siphoned off by
central gov
Increased
competition for
inhabitants
between
municipalities
Commercial
development
incentivised in
rural areas
Less
NIMBYism
Increase in
completion
rates
Increased utility
of available land
Supply NO
LONGER lags
behind demand
Marketplace
more stable
Market driven
sustainable
buildings
Competition
increases in
construction
quality
Inhabitant
incentivised to
remain
Better sense of
place/ social
sustainability
Sustainable
communities
'Ladder effect'
diminished but
rentals strong
Perceived utility
of space
increasd
Central
government
Local
government
Local
communities
Landowners/ 'older' generation/ homeowners (!)"£££" & Future generations provided for...
INFLUENCE
Sustainable
buildings &
communities
Planning
policies relaxed
RELATIVE INDEPENDENCE
SWITZERLAND / GERMANY
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010
Chi (Lowhouse) Ltd. © 2010 Slide 33Sustainable Construction: Driven by market forces, not by regulation
Thanks for listening.
Thanks again to the Happold Trust for their support.
PassivHaus Design & Construction
6 Smithys ClosePlumpton GreenLewesEast SussexBN7 3DLmailto: [email protected]
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