12th July 2010

Leading planning and housing charity, the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has welcomed the strengthening of climate change and green design policies in the draft London Plan in its submissions to the Examination in Public(EiP). The Association has drawn on the TCPA-led EU project, Green and Blue Space Adaptation in Urban Areas and Eco-towns (GRaBS) for its evidence.

TCPA Chief Executive Kate Henderson said:

"Adapting our towns and cities to the impacts of climate change is one of the greatest challenges society faces today. The London Plan has an important role to play in facilitating a sustainable pattern of urban development in adapting to the effects of climate change. The adaptation agenda has profound implications on the resilience and competitive future of our cities, as well as making them attractive places to live and work - innovative spatial planning will be critical in introducing the measures required to help make London less vulnerable to a changing climate. The Association welcomes the draft London Plan's commitment to ensure measures such as green open space and green roofs are integrated into plans from the outset."

"We also welcome the focus on renewable energy solutions for climate change mitigation, however more needs to be done to ensure there is a coherent record kept of what technologies are installed in what location, and robust monitoring undertaken to make certain renewable energy projects comply with the Mayor's policies and establish an evidence base about the effectiveness of the different technologies."

The TCPA has made a series of recommendations in its evidence which have been identified by the EiP Panel for discussion, including that the Association would like to see targets in Policy 5.9 for ‘Overheating and Cooling' that guarantee a minimum amount of green space per development is achieved.  Malmo in Sweden, also a partner in the GRaBS project, is identified as a city with an exemplary approach in that respect, with buildings in public control as a priority, and enforcement monitored through the Implementation Plan.

The TCPA has submitted written evidence on matters 5A and 5C  of the draft London Plan EiP, relating to climate change adaptation and mitigation as well as green design, respectively. These sessions are taking place 15^th and 16^th July 2010 and the TCPA will be making a representation at session matter 5A, 15^th July 2010.  The full London Plan EiP runs from 28^th June 2010 to 22^nd October 2010.

The TCPA is Lead Partner in a European funded "Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco Towns" (GRaBS) project - which sees 14 partners across 8 European Union member states exchanging experience, knowledge and assistance on delivering adaptation through the use of green and blue infrastructure. The project kicked off in September 2008, recognising that adaptation was an integral part of the sustainable development agenda, and its outputs have been central to the TCPA's understanding of the issues. See www.grabs-eu.org for further information about the project, which has been co-financed by the European Union Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and made possible by the INTERREG IVC Programme.