BRE BR498 PDF

INTRODUCTION

This BRE Report describes how BREEAM (the BRE Environmental Assessment Method) (Yates et al, 2004) and the Code for Sustainable Homes (Communities and Local Government, 2006b) are being used by local authorities to deliver their sustainable development objectives through the planning system. The principal target audience is planners in local authorities, but other interested parties include Regional Development Agencies, sustainability action groups and developers.

The report includes the results of a survey of over 200 local authorities across England who were asked whether they were using or intended to use BREEAM/ EcoHomes/the Code for Sustainable Homes to meet their sustainability obligations established under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The data were gathered up to the end of April 2007.

The workshop Sustainability through planning was held at BRE on 17 July 2007 to explore how local planning authorities could use BREEAM in development planning; see Appendix 1 for a full account including raw results. The main body of the report establishes the background to the workshop and its agenda; summarises the lessons learned; and suggests recommendations for action. It includes case studies from authorities whose ideas are in a mature state of development, and illustrates different approaches so that authorities in different situations may be guided to one approach or another depending on their circumstances.

The Sustainability through planning workshop was organised in response to demand from local authorities who were grappling with the need to set and meet sustainability targets for development and construction. Establishing and meeting local sustainability targets is not always straightforward and the workshop offered an opportunity to share and discuss the difficult issues of sustainable construction that planning authorities face today. The workshop was run for local authority planners and those involved in strategic development including national government. This was to ensure that key issues could be discussed from wider policy as well as delivery perspectives. Some 50 delegates took part in a day that offered a forum in which they could learn both from one another and from BRE.

The workshop had two main aims:

• to offer a structured networking opportunity to planning authorities, enabling them to share current experience of delivering legal sustainability obligations through the planning system

• to help BREEAM improve the quality and effectiveness of its guidance on the delivery of sustainable development.