Comment

Representation ID: 22065

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Norfolk Wildlife Trust

Policy 2 – Sustainable Communities
Q18 – Whilst we support the drive to increase energy efficiency and on site renewable energy provision in order to help mitigation the impacts of climate change, in line with best practice advice, the recent adoption of an even more ambitious zero carbon target for major housing development by Reading Borough Council (RBC Local Plan policy H5) shows that even greater gains can be delivered through the GNLP. We strongly recommend, in order to reduce future impacts of climate change on wildlife as far as possible, that the GNLP adopts a zero carbon target for all new housing.

We support the measures in point 5 to protect and enhance the landscape, as this will provide vital space for wildlife to move through the landscape in adaptation to climate change. Given the vital role of nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation, we see the need to safeguard and restore our natural environment as a vital part of progress to a carbon neutral future. In addition, in order to maintain this connectivity through the natural landscape, which overlaps with the incoming need in the Environment Bill to develop Nature Recovery Networks, we also strongly recommend that policy measures are added to the GNLP to ensure that new development includes green natural features wherever possible to ensure living space and movement corridors for wildlife in the built environment. We recommend that a policy requiring minimum standards for provision of green infrastructure such as green roofs, walls and sustainable drainage are required for new development. In addition to benefits for wildlife, this can contribute to improved climate resilience and adaptation through improving energy efficiency in buildings, reducing the urban heat island effect, and reducing rain run-off rates, as well as improving quality of life through providing more wildlife rich public space. Such policies have been successfully adopted in many cities across the world, including in the UK Southampton (Southampton City Centre Action Plan policy AP12, Green Space Factor) and the Urban Greening Factor in policy G5 of the draft London Plan.