NPPF makes bold commitment to net zero by 2050 and boosts mandatory SUDS

Net zero by 2050 has been locked into the planning system as the final version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published today, which includes an amendment to the draft that puts the planning system in strong alignment with the target, stating the “planning system should support transition to net zero by 2050.”

 

The inclusion of the 2050 target was called for in response to the NPPF consultation by industry groups including the UK Green Building Council and the Town and Country Planning Association. In the draft edition, the words “low carbon future” were used, with net zero only mentioned once in the context of planning applications for renewable or low carbon energy generation, and then without the 2050 target.

 

In language that suggests greater leadership on climate, the NPPF states that the planning system “should help to shape places in ways that contribute to radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; minimise vulnerability and improve resilience; encourage reuse of existing resources, including conversion of existing buildings; and support renewable and low carbon energy and associated infrastructure.”

 

 

The inclusion of a target date of 2050 for net zero will come as welcome news to those working on the built environment UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard – a pan-industry collaboration to define net zero for each building type and develop a verification procedure undertaken by BBP, BRE, CIBSE, Carbon Trust, IStructE, LETI, RIBA, RICS and UKGBC, who joined forces to champion the initiative.

 

Beyond net zero, the published NPPF specifies that the planning system must take full account of all climate impacts and has added new specific threats to its list, including overheating, water scarcity and storms. In the draft edition, only flooding and coastal change were named as climate risks the planning system must account for. Instead the published NPPF calls on planning “to mitigate and adapt” to the full range of impacts.

 

As for surface flooding, there’s also been a change to mandatory sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in the final NPPF. Previously limited to “major developments”, SUDS now apply to “all applications which could affect drainage on or around the site”. SUDS projects are also expected to provide “multifunctional benefits wherever possible, through facilitating improvements in water quality and biodiversity, as well as benefits for amenity.”

 

The NPPF has also given “significant weight” to the benefits associated with renewable and low-carbon energy generation. The NPPF asserts that wider environmental benefits and net zero targets qualify as “very special circumstances” that would support the building of renewable energy projects that would otherwise be objected to.

 

 

Much has been written about the removal of “beauty” as a consideration from the final NPPF, and while a significant number of mentions have been deleted, 5 mentions of beauty, 4 mentions of beautiful and 5 uses of the word “attractive” remain. The term well-designed is mentioned 12 times.

 

The use of "beauty" was criticised for its lack of definition. In the NPPF, the planning system is expected to create  “well-designed, beautiful and safe places,” area-based character assessments must promote “beautiful and sustainable places” and in the chapter on achieving well-designed places, “the creation of high quality, beautiful and sustainable buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve.”

 

In contrast, “healthy” is mentioned 9 times in the NPPF and “sustainable” clocks in at 68 mentions. “Net zero” appears twice.

 

Find out more National Planning Policy Framework