Introduction

It is really important to address the Climate Emergency by both reducing its effects and adapting to the changes it brings. This is highlighted in the Somerset Climate Emergency Strategy and Somerset West and Taunton’s Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience (CNCR) Action Plan.

There are already some planning policies in the Somerset West and Taunton area that relate to Climate Emergency and how planning can help in mitigating and adapting to climate change. In the future, new and updated policies will be looked at as the Somerset Local Plan develops.

Climate Positive Planning interim guidance

In the meantime, the Climate Positive Planning: Interim Guidance Statement on Planning for the Climate and Ecological Emergency applies in the Somerset West and Taunton area.

Climate Positive Planning

• Provides guidance and signposting to support adopted planning policies, national guidance and legislation in the interim period pending the adoption of future Local Plans
• Underlines that the Climate Emergency is a material consideration in determining planning applications
• Identifies how requirements of development plan policy may be viewed in assessing proposals, to inform effective decision-making and improve standards of new development with immediate effect
• Sets out that a completed Climate Emergency Checklist should be submitted alongside all planning applications at validation stage

Climate Positive Planning is relevant across both the former Taunton Deane and West Somerset areas (excluding Exmoor National Park). It offers useful guidance for applicants on how to show that their proposals address the Climate Emergency and follow existing policies.

Climate Positive Planning is a “live” document that gets updated regularly to reflect changes in national legislation and policy, ensuring that the explanations and guidance stay relevant. The current version is Version 2, which was published in March 2022 to include important changes that happened in the 12 months after the original document was published. Here are the updates made for Version 2.

• Links between the Climate and Ecological Emergencies have been improved
• The commentary on national legislative and policy contexts has been updated to include the Environment Act, Building Regulations, Net Zero Strategy, Heat and Buildings Strategy, and Levelling Up White Paper.
• There are two documents – the Districtwide Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document and Public Realm Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document. These have strengthened and explained our plans by showing how we work with existing policy, building regulations and desire to go further, particularly around building standards. Links have been added in relation to the Somerset West and Taunton Net Zero Carbon Toolkit in a similar vein
• Changes clarify that once in force, compliance with Part L 2021 of the Building Regulations will replace the specific carbon reduction requirements of policy DM5. Other parts of DM5 will continue to be relevant. Developers are strongly encouraged to aspire towards zero carbon and the higher aspirational standards set out in the Districtwide Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document and the Somerset West and Taunton Net Zero Carbon Toolkit
• Changes note that in advance of national mandatory requirements coming into force, our existing planning policies do not explicitly require biodiversity net gain in all circumstances. The Council will seek to secure a 10% net gain in biodiversity from development proposals. This will be through a combination of existing policies, the National Planning Policy Framework, the declaration of an Ecological Emergency and clear intent from the Environment Act. And it will include the incoming upgraded Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act duty for local authorities to conserve and enhance biodiversity.
• Various other minor changes are included

Public consultation

A draft of Climate Positive Planning was subject to public consultation between 23 November 2020 and 4 January 2021.

The Consultation Report details this consultation, the responses received and responses to issues raised.