Green Overhaul for Planning System to Cut Emissions & Bills

The Housing and Planning Minister, Mr. John Healey MP has today announced a triple boost for councils tackling climate change by updating planning rules, granting nearly 10million to improve green skills and backing further progress by the second wave of eco-towns.
Three planning policies have been overhauled so that councils have the very latest targets and guidance to address climate change, putting them in the driving seat of change.

Combined, the new policy statements (Climate Change, Natural Environment and Coastal Change) will give councils a green planning rulebook so new sustainable developments are planned and built with the aim of reducing carbon emissions and with the future climate in mind.

Proposals for the new climate change planning policy will ensure new developments are built in the right places, utilising sustainable sources of energy and encouraging the installation of electric car charging points.

To help councils, Mr. Healey has today granted nearly 10million to boost their expertise as green champions, updating the tools and know-how they need to develop sustainable housing and energy sources for their areas.

Mr. Healey also confirmed that a further two new areas have been added to proposed eco-town second wave originally announced in December. Two more councils East Devon District Council and Fareham Borough Council have expressed an interest in using eco-town standards for new settlements in their area. The bids need to meet the pioneering green standards set out in the eco-towns planning policy statement published last July, and will be subject to widespread public consultation and local planning approval before going ahead.

The Minister has announced a share of £10,000,000 for these areas, originally announced in December, to help generate plans and early win projects. The funding will help get proposals and masterplans off the ground, introducing greener living not only for people who go on to live in the new eco-towns, but for the thousands of people already living nearby

Mr. Healey, said:

"Today I am announcing a triple boost for councils to tackle climate change. Overhauled planning policies will act as a new green planning rulebook and the 10m for councils will provide training to help deliver action on the ground. I am also pleased to announce two new areas in the eco-town second wave. Councils are making great progress and already highlighting where they can apply tough green standards in new developments. This signals real and radical momentum to change and to re-think how we design our towns and homes for the future.

"We know we need greener, renewable energy if we are to meet our ambitious low carbon targets. We also know that the ways and means for people to access this energy needs to be quicker and easier.

"The tougher, better guidelines for planning give councils a new blueprint, reflecting the latest targets and ensuring councils put combating climate change at the heart of future development ultimately saving people money on their bills and reducing emissions.

"A consultation has been launched today for the new climate change planning policy, to ensure new developments are built in the right places, so that where people live and work helps secure radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and developments are resilient to the effects of our changing climate. This includes requirements to reduce the need for people to travel between where they live and work, encouraging the installation of electric car charging points, better public transport and improved walking and cycling links.

"The proposals aim to ensure that more of our energy will be from renewable energy sources, and applications for such sources are approved more quickly. Local councils have a hugely important role to play. Therefore empowering local authorities and giving them the skills to approve these projects means we could release more green energy from developments."

Mr. Healey also confirmed a final planning policy for managing coastal change, giving new planning powers to coastal communities to help their local economy and tourist industry. After extensive consultation, all inappropriate development such as housing will continue to be banned in areas vulnerable to coastal erosion. But there will no longer be a blanket ban on temporary development that has wider economic benefits, an acceptable coastal use and could be relocated when required.

The third boost comes in the form of a consultation on the Natural Environment planning policy, which provides councils with updated guidance to plan for and provide for green infrastructure networks of parks, cycleways, rivers, allotments and trees on streets.

The guidelines aim to boost the nations health and fitness even further by allowing more sports clubs to stay open after dark with hi-tech floodlights that cut light pollution. With floodlighting for local sports pitches, people will have more opportunities to make use of facilities in the evenings.

The City of Lincoln, North Kesteven District, West Lindsey District, and Lincolnshire County Councils wish to achieve zero carbon development that is highly adaptive to climate change and to commit to the Eco-towns Planning Policy Statement standards. A key focus on the future will be on urban extension development options around Lincoln and at Gainsborough. These potential urban extensions are mainly in single ownerships which would help to secure eco-town concepts and a high standard of sustainability. This funding award of up to £1,500,000 will support the Joint Committee in driving forward their core strategy for publication in 2011, by enabling them to undertake a detailed assessment of meeting higher environmental standards, particularly for green infrastructure and energy usage. In Gainsborough it will support a highly innovative project to retrofit existing terraced and new build housing, including the remodeling of a traditional terrace and street, by introducing greenspace and linked to a combined heat and power plant.

Lincoln Eastern Bypass Planning Application Goes Public

Progress towards a Lincoln Eastern Bypass has reached the next stage, as Lincolnshire County Council’s planning application goes out for public consultation.


Copies of the application, plans, environmental statement and supporting documents are now available to view and comment on throughout February.

Mr. Alan Freeman, Head of Spatial Planning at Lincolnshire County Council said:

"The planning application for the Lincoln Eastern Bypass is now available for public viewing. Following this consultation, a report will be compiled by the county council's planning department and submitted for consideration to the Planning and Regulation Committee in late Spring."

The authority has applied for permission to build a road from the A158 Wragby Road in the north, crossing over the River Witham on a new bridge and continuing south to end at the A15 Sleaford Road, east of Bracebridge Heath. The new road would also have junctions with Greetwell Road, B11990 Washingborough and B118 to Branston.

The application can be viewed by clicking here and searching for 'Eastern Bypass' or at the offices of Lincolnshire County Council, Spatial Planning, Witham Park House, Waterside South, Lincoln, LN5 7JN or at the offices of City of Lincoln Council, North Kesteven District Council and West Lindsey District Council.

The proposed Lincoln Eastern Bypass is intended to reduce traffic congestion in Lincoln city centre and help Lincoln to grow as a regional centre. It is also aimed at opening up land for development to the east of the city and encouraging the use of public transport, cycling and walking.

Bernard Theobald Stands Down From Inter-Council Planning Body

Former Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Bernard Theobald, Independent (Wold View Ward) has resigned as Chairman of an influential inter-authority planning committee before councillors could vote on whether to keep him.

The Lincolnshire Echo is reporting that Cllr. Theobald announced yesterday he would be stepping down as Chairman of the Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee - which brings together four councils with the aim of getting better planning decisions outcomes within the region - following calls for his resignation. Cllr. Theobald was expected to lose the position after a motion was tabled that he should resign by the Leader of City of Lincoln Council, Cllr. Darren Grice, Conservative (Bracebridge Ward) and Leader of North Kesteven District Council. Cllr. Mrs. Marion Brighton OBE, Conservative (Heighington and Washingborough Ward).

Cllr. Theobald announced his decision to leave the post voluntarily as the committee met in Sleaford. He was asked to resign as Leader of the Council by his deputy Cllr. Adam Duguid, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward), and has been suspended by the Gainsborough Constituency Conservative Association for six months as a neutral act. Cllr. Theobald blames the Lincolnshire Echo investigation in to matters related to planning at the council for being forced to resign and is understood to be seeking redress.

Cllr. Grice, who chaired the committee meeting in Cllr Theobald's place, told members:

"We are innocent until proven guilty. I will be having a discussion with Councillor Theobald after the meeting and the invitation will always be there once Cllr Theobald has ridden through the difficulties facing him.

"This is not a judgement on Cllr Theobald. It's about driving forward the very important work of this committee as it is bigger than one individual."

Cllr. Grice said this included all committee members and not just Cllr Theobald.

"I fully support him in his campaign against the Echo."

Big Brother Is Not Watching You!

Almost a quarter of all CCTV cameras operated by West Lindsey District Council.

The Lincolnshire Echo is reporting that seven surveillance cameras controlled by West Lindsey District Council are broken and currently not in use.

The authority operates twenty-nine cameras across the district which includes Gainsborough, Market Rasen, Saxilby and Nettleham.

Council officials say repair work on a number of 'CCTV issues' is required but they refused to disclose where the broken cameras are located for safety reasons.

All one hundred and twenty-six cameras used by the City of Lincoln Council and twelve controlled by North Kesteven District Council are currently working.

West Lindsey District Council spokesman Mr. Geoff O'Neill said:

"We can confirm that seven cameras are not working and we are urgently looking at the best way to deal with a number of CCTV issues throughout West Lindsey."

Taxpayers Footing £1,000,000 Bonus Bill

Bonus payments to top policemen and tradesmen in Lincolnshire have cost more than £1million in taxpayers' cash.

The Lincolnshire Echo has reported that the City of Lincoln Council and Lincolnshire Police have been paying the cash to staff over the last five years, on top of their basic salaries.

The bonus bill at City Hall totalled £940,876 between 2005 and 2006, when the council had a Labour administration, with the biggest single payout amounting to £15,001, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Officials from the authority say the practice was stopped in June 2006 and the bonuses were given to tradesmen as part of a national pay agreement.

Lincolnshire Police has paid out £224,693 in the same period within the 'executive', which includes the six chief officers such as the Chief Constable and the Deputy Chief Constable, receiving the majority of cash.

In 2005, the force only paid out £8,297 in bonuses but this has since soared to £43,999 in 2006, £51,560 in 2007 and £60,997 in 2008.

The figures disclosed to the paper for 2009 was £59,840, as of Monday, 7th December 2009. Within the last 12-months the Lincolnshire Police executive has received £52,140 of the total bonuses issued with staff lower down the hierarchy securing the remaining £7,700.

North Kesteven, West Lindsey and East Lindsey district councils and Lincolnshire County Council say they have not paid a single penny in staff bonuses in the same period.

City of Lincoln Council director of housing and community services, John Bibby, said there was no intention to bring them back.