Download Addressing climate change through planning

Getting involved in planning in Scotland:
Climate change
Climate change is one of the greatest single threats to both people and wildlife. Scotland has
world leading climate targets - the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires an 80% reduction in
emissions by 2050. To achieve this, action is needed at local and national levels.
Using this document
This document is intended to help you to influence your Local Authority and make your area more
sustainable. It will help you respond to planning applications and development plans in your area to
help ensure that new developments minimise their climate impacts. It should be used with: Getting
involved with planning applications and How to get involved with development plans.
Climate change is already affecting wildlife. Species are moving northwards
and uphill, and some are becoming mismatched with their normal food sources.
The decline of UK kittiwakes by 70% has been linked to changes in food
sources driven by warming seas. For more information see RSPB’s ‘The nature
of climate change report’.
We can act to help by limiting climate change and making sure species
can cope with these changes.
How does planning affect climate change?
Good planning policies and decisions are important to meeting our climate targets. For example,
planning policies are needed to support well-sited renewable energy, promote high standards of
energy efficiency and green infrastructure in buildings, and importantly, restrict ‘high carbon’
development such as coal power stations or commercial peat extraction.
Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) is the national document that sets out guidance for planners. It
recognises the need to ensure that development is sustainable, that we mitigate climate change, and
adapt to its impacts. Planners follow this guidance when producing Local Development Plans (LDPs)
and considering planning applications.
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 also places a duty on Councils to act “in the way best
calculated to contribute to the delivery of emissions targets”. When commenting on applications or
LDPs it will strengthen your response to quote SPP or your LDP.
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Local Planning Pack: giving nature a home near you
August 2016
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Green infrastructure and new housing
SPP states that “Planning should protect, enhance and promote green infrastructure, including open
space and green networks.” This means that in considering applications, for example for new
housing, planners should be seeking to ensure that opportunities for things like outdoor access, links
to cycle paths, or provision for local woodland are considered and promoted. When responding to
planning applications, look for the following;
 Ensure the development includes greenspace with opportunities for recreation and biodiversity
 Ask if solar panels and green roofs have been considered
 Ask for ponds with native species. These help biodiversity and can provide drainage functions.
Renewable energy
Development plans are required to identify areas capable of accommodating renewable energy
projects including wind farms, hydro power and energy storage. Renewable energy is crucial to
meeting our climate targets, but this transition must take place in harmony with nature. SPP sets out
the need for ‘significant protection’ for designated wildlife sites including Natura 2000 and Ramsar
sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserves.
Developments affecting peatlands
As well as being valuable to wildlife, peatlands also act as huge carbon stores. Development should
avoid disturbing deep peat (areas over 0.5m) wherever possible. There may also be opportunities to
support peatland restoration, for example by blocking ditches to enable peat vegetation to recover.
SPP states that “Where peat and other carbon rich soils are present, applicants should assess the
likely effects of development on carbon dioxide emissions. Where peatland is drained or otherwise
disturbed, there is liable to be a release of CO2 to the atmosphere. Developments should aim to
minimise this release.” Check that the developer has assessed carbon impacts of peat disruption,
and if you are concerned about impacts, ask for a planning condition to avoid deep peat and support
peatland restoration.
Commercial peat extraction
Commercial peat extraction for horticultural use is unsustainable. Natural rates of peat accumulation
are less than 2 mm per year, whereas modern extraction methods typically remove 100 times that
depth each year. Whilst peat is convenient to use, it is not essential and there are alternatives. SPP
states that “Policies should protect areas of peatland and only permit commercial extraction in areas
suffering historic, significant damage through human activity and where the conservation value is low
and restoration is impossible.” Since in most cases restoration of a degraded peat site will be
possible, this amounts to a strong presumption against commercial peat extraction.
Open cast coal extraction
Whilst up until now coal has played a key role in our energy mix, it is rapidly being phased out
and coal extraction has no role in a sustainable, low carbon economy in the medium and long term.
Given the vulnerability of the industry, it is vital that developers provide independent financial
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guarantees that restoration will take place.
Planning and climate change adaptation
Developments should also make provisions for biodiversity. By creating more space for wildlife, we
can increase its ability to adapt to changes in the environment. Therefore we have to work to ensure
that all new development provides as much room for wildlife as possible.
You can help by encouraging your local authority to protect and expand the network of local
protected sites in the Local Development Plan. Ensure that the local authority has also identified new
areas for habitat recreation. This may be wetland, heathland or another priority habitat depending on
the area where you live.
Responding to different types of application
Applications to Scottish Ministers
You can also support or object to applications for energy consent. In Scotland, applications
to build and operate power stations and to install overhead power lines are made to the
Scottish Ministers for consent.
Applications are considered by Scottish Ministers where they are;

In excess of 50 megawatts (MW) for onshore wind farms and power stations that are not
wholly or mainly driven by water (such as coal/gas-fired or nuclear plant) or;

Overhead power lines and associated infrastructure, as well as large gas and oil pipelines.
You can search for current and past applications to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents
and Deployment Unit here http://www.energyconsents.scot/
You can write to Scottish Ministers at:
Energy Consents Unit, 5 Atlantic Quay
150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU
e-mail: [email protected]
Applications to Marine Scotland
Applications are considered by Marine Scotland where they are in excess of 1 megawatt (MW) for
offshore wind farms and wave or tidal electricity generating devices.
You can write to Marine Scotland at:
Marine Scotland, Mailpoint 11
1B South, Victoria Quay, EDINBURGH, EH6 6QQ
e-mail: [email protected]
Applications outside these thresholds are considered by the planning authority. See Getting involved
with planning applications and How to get involved with development plans.
Useful links and further information
Local Energy Scotland is a charity that provides practical help for communities on green energy
development. More information and help can be found on their website
http://www.localenergyscotland.org/.
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Energy Saving Trust provide free, impartial advice on saving energy at home and on community
energy projects http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/communities
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Local Planning Pack: giving nature a home near you
August 2016
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