Planning system lacking in ability to promote net-zero goals

Chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), Lord Deben, has said that the current planning system is 'extremely ill-prepared for net zero'.

His comments came at the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) annual conference, where Lord Deben argued that 'planning has got to make it easier all the time for people to do the right thing', admitting that if changes are not made to the current system then net-zero won't be met.

Lord Deben discussed the government's Net Zero Strategy, commenting that whilst it was a good first step, there were two key things missing, a proper plan for land use and acknowledgement of the need for behaviour change.

He detailed the changes that he believes need to be made to the government's strategy in order to meet net zero, arguing that planning decisions, no matter how small, should not be made without first considering their impact on climate - "We will only achieve our ends if every single decision we make is thought of in that way and seen through that lens. That has got to be at the heart of the planning changes."

His other ideas were:

• planning authorities should be able to "make decisions absolutely directly and immediately about proposals which are going to make it more difficult to meet net zero";
• avoiding building homes that have to be retrofitted because the change in government policy in 2017 meant that they could go on building in the old way - future homes plans should be effective immediately and not allow housebuilders who already have planning permission or have developments already under construction to be exempt automatically from new building regulations leaving homeowners with the cost of retrofitting their properties at a later date.;
• no more extensions to towns with large estates that have no hear - "We need to live in communities and we need to recognise the importance of locality. And the planning system has got to reflect that lead".

Lord Deben concluded: "I think if we fix our eyes on building a greener, cleaner, kinder, better world then the battle against climate change will become much more exciting and much easier. Our job is to make sure it is also a battle which is fought fairly so that all are able to benefit and none are asked to pay more than they can. That part of it will also be helped if we get the planning system right".