8: Sustainable Water Management

Areas of maximum wind tend to be open spaces and wind turbines will be visible. The presumption should be that they are allowed in most places provided they will work efficiently. Warwick District Council recently approved the installation of photovoltaic panels on a conspicuous gable end wall of a Victorian House in a conservation area. Representatives of all the political parties decided that fighting climate change was more important than preserving architectural niceties.

10% rule - In the context of peak oil and climate change we need to maximise the efficiency of every new building as far as is reasonably possible. The 10% rule should be regarded as an absolute minimum. Most new buildings could have solar thermal and PV panels. All buildings should be passivehauses.

Water Conservation - Water Conservation should not just be encouraged but should become the norm.

In order to encourage cycling new developments should include safe cycle storage areas (for example in overlooked courtyards) to reduce bicycle theft.

The SPD is an opportunity to provide guidance on how sustainable construction can help deliver Policy DAP3 Protecting Nature Conservation, Geology and Geomorphology. This could be acheived by including information in Section 6 on green infrastructure such as formal and informal green spaces around buildings which can fulfil many functions. These include opportunities for climate change adaptation through the provision of corridors for wildlife movement, cooling through tree shade and opportunities for recreation and leisure.

Recommends that British Standard 5837 Trees in Relation to Construction Recommendations (2005) are referred to.

Support Section 8 and suggest that the text is expanded to require that opportunities should be sought to integrate biodiversity benefits (delivery of wetland habitat) into SUDs schemes wherever possible.

Recommends that an additional section is included on opportunities to promote biodiversity through buildings such as the inclusion of swift bricks, house sparrow and starling nest boxes and features to attract bats. These recommendations are supported by PPS9.

The section on sustainable water management should be more mandatory and less advisory. For example in para 8.9 if SUDs are not used this will result in the application being refused.

Planning Committee members will need guidance on how much weight to give to the provisions of the SPD and whether an application could be refused solely on the grounds of non compliance with sustainability requirements.