Category: Planning

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What have Building Regulations got to do with climate change?

The average household in the UK emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 every year from heating their home. The Government’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has identified the need to reduce emissions from the UK’s buildings – which made up 19% of the UK’s overall total emissions (2017 data). The government has already declared that we will have to move away gas central heating in new homes constructed after 2025. However that’s not the whole story. The way a house is constructed is very important when it comes to reducing greenhouse gases. The UK was very close to achieving the design of new homes to a ‘net zero carbon’ output in 2016 but the Government backed away withdrawing the regulations. However, since then new evidence has persuaded Parliament to legally commit to the UK achieving ‘carbon net zero’ by 2050. To achieve net zero action will be needed on many fronts including how houses are built.

In the latter part of 2019 the Government consulted on new standards for building regulations (to come into operation from 2025). Our Society took a look at these proposed regulations and found they were only aimed at making a 31% improvement! We decided to make a robust submission to the government asking them to go over ‘carbon net zero by 2025, in just under 5 years. A bold request you might ask?  Our Policy Officer Vic Ient studied reports from a number of organisations including the Passivhaus Trust  and found that the technology and design capabilities are already available to achieve ‘net zero’ carbon emissions. Click below to see our report and submission:

SDS Comments on The Future Homes Standard 2019 Consultation dated 07-02-20

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Taller Mobile Phone Masts?

Is the relaxation of Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) the right way forward to support the deployment of 5G and extend mobile networks?

Report by Friends of the South Downs Policy Officer, Victor Ient

After some considerable research using my own telecommunications experience, updated by consulting engineers currently working in the mobile sector, I have submitted, on behalf of the Society, our opposition to the relaxation of permitted development rights to allow the unregulated installation of many more and taller* mobile phone masts in Areas of Special Landscape Importance including national parks. We believe there is a viable alternative to just simply relaxing the rules. We have put forward a 6 point plan for a less obtrusive deployment to the Government in our submission to the public consultation. Click here to see a copy of what we said: Response to PDRs

*The current restriction on the height of the masts is set at 82ft (25m) but it could be doubled to 165ft (50m) — almost exactly the same height as Nelson’s column.

Telecommunications Clutter in the Countryside

Unfettered development of masts in protected areas will be a disaster for our beautiful countryside. What is the point of providing the highest planning protection for National Parks when the area could be littered with telecommunications clutter?  Keeping the planning rules as they are would ensure mobile operators would effectively have to comply with the purposes of the National Parks and protected landscapes.

Lack of Mobile Strategy in the Countryside

Sadly, the government has not previously put forward a strategy for the provision of mobile telecommunications in the countryside.  Many of the problems of the 1980s, when mobile base stations were first deployed, still exist today.  Figures differ, but it is quite clear that there are many areas where 4G is currently not available.

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Threat to the Landscape Setting of Historic Buildings

Society DOs from R to L: Brian Davies, Derek Read, Chris Baines-Holmes, Liz Thomas and Rosalyn St Pierre. Policy Officer Vic Ient is on the left.

In November last year our East Sussex district officer team visited Swanborough Manor in East Sussex. We all agreed it was very interesting to look around and inside this unique historical building which started life in the 11thC as the grange to the nearby Cluniac  (St Pancras) Priory in Lewes. But that wasn’t our main purpose. We were reviewing the threat to the landscape setting of such historic building caused by nearby developments.

 

The team take stock of the adjacent building works

Our Society believe the area around a listed building should be treated with special regard especially when it comes to constructing anything nearby. Anybody applying for planning permission to alter or construct a new building in the vicinity of a listed building should demonstrate how they are protecting the ‘setting’ of a listed building. This applies to Grade II listed buildings and moreover to Grade I buildings.

 

Please read on….

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Planning Appeal at Greatham in the National Park turned down!

The Granary
The Manor

Development have been underway for some time in the conservation area at Greatham near Pulborough in West Sussex. Last year the developer made a planning appeal against a refusal relating to the Granary in Greatham (West Sussex), adjacent to the Grade II Greatham Manor  listed building. The Friends of the South Downs District Officer David Coldwell & Policy Officer Vic Ient made a  visit to the neighbouring property, Greatham Manor to investigate planning issues raised with our Society by the residents. We were concerned at what we saw,  and subsequently we submitted the Society’s objection to the planning inspector.  Much of the case hinged on the impact that the proposed development would have on the listed buildings adjacent to the Manor (Grade II) and the Grade 1 listed church nearby. We were very pleased to learn recently that the inspector agreed with all the objections he had received, and roundly rejected the appeal. A small success in the protection of the setting of listed buildings!

Click here to see our objections: SDNP_19_00024_REF-3P_SOUTHDOWNS_SOCIETY-1198956

 

 

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A27 Arundel by-pass what happens next?

The river Arun looking north to Arundel (photo from our Policy Officer)

The current consultation is now finished. Click below to  read our comments sent last week to Highways England:

SDS Response to HE A27 Arundel By-pass proposals 22-10-2019 RevB.

Also HERE is a link to see: a) what we said to the National Park at their meeting on the 1st October and b) a link to the scheme we prefer.

What happens next?   Here is what Highways England say about future consultations:

  • All responses and comments received during the public consultation will be considered and summarised in our Public Consultation Report, which will be published on our scheme website. We will carefully consider the responses alongside several factors to determine our preferred route for the scheme.
  • Following a Preferred Route Announcement, we will develop detailed proposals. This will include further surveys and investigations to allow us to design the scheme in more detail.
  • There will be a further opportunity to have your say on the design of this preferred route during further public consultation prior to any application for consent.
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A27 Arundel Bypass – still time to have your say!  

Back in August we alerted Society members and the public of the Highways England announcement of a further consultation on yet more alternative routes for the Arundel bypass. This consultation is still open until 24 October 2019. Click HERE to see the updated consultation document and a link to give your views.

A number of campaigning groups have got together to support an ‘alternative’ route proposal to Highways England’s options. This has been published by the South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment (SCATE). Click HERE to see their proposal. Here you can also follow a link to support the Alternative Route.

At it’s meeting on 1st October the South Downs National Park Authority accepted the officers recommendation and turned down all 6 route options put forward by Highways England. As the recommendation to SDNPA members said about the rejection of the 6 routes This is a ‘holding objection’ pending the likely formal statutory planning consultation which is due to follow.

The Friends of the South Downs Policy Officer, Vic Ient, attended the National Park Authority meeting on the 1st October and  said to the members:

“Please consider the Alternative Route the South Coast Alliance for Transport and Environment (SCATE) have proposed. Please put forward proposals [to the Secretary of State] to dramatically improving air quality along the whole route of the A27 near the National Park, the provision of sustainable transport and an action plan to reducing carbon emissions from vehicles”.

Click HERE for the National Park short video of the address to the members.

 

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A27 Arundel Bypass further consultation: Have your say!

In preparation for a busy autumn season in planning and highways the Friends of the South Downs and the Campaign for National Parks

R to L: Emma Tristram of MAVES, Ruth Bradshaw of the Campaign for National Parks, David Johnson of CPRE Sussex and Vic Ient, Policy Officer of the Friends of the South Downs during their visit to Binstead Wood.

undertook a review of critical planning & highways issues in the South Downs National Park. This included a visit to the possible routes for the proposed Highways England A27 by-pass. Click here for our report on this visit. The promised further consultation has now been announced:

Highways England are holding a further public consultation about the A27 Arundel Bypass scheme between Friday 30 August and Thursday 24 October 2019.  The consultation will open with a special exhibition preview on Friday 30 August at the Cathedral Centre in Arundel showing the proposals and asking for views on the new information. If you are unable to come, you may wish to visit one of the public consultation events listed below.

Here is a copy of the notification our Society has received: Arundel A27 Highways England Fri 16 Aug 2019

Friends of the South Downs will:

We think it is important to study the documents and attend the consultation before commenting. See: https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/a27-arundel-improvement/

We are interested in your views. Please email us at: enquiries@southdownssociety.org.uk

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Consultation & Climate Change are key issues at National Park’s planning meeting on housing development in Petersfield

At the South Downs National Park’s planning committee meeting on 8th August, the Friends of the South Downs (South Downs Society) challenged the National Park in five key areas over a planning application for a large commercial and housing development North of Buckmore Farm, Beckham Lane, Petersfield consisting of a just under a 5,000sqm  business site and a residential site for up to 85 residential houses*.

This is what the Society’s Policy Officer, Vic Ient, said to the committee on Thurs 8th August: Click here to see the SDNPA Video recording   Also using this link you will be able to see the full debate and presentation.

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Review of Critical Planning & Highways Issues in the South Downs National Park

Ruth Bradshaw of the Campaign for National Parks and Vic Ient of the Friends of the South Downs reviewing planning issues in the SDNP

The Campaign for National Parks and the Friends of the South Downs (South Downs Society) joined forces this month in a review of some of the critical planning and highways issues in and near the South Downs National Park.  Ruth Bradshaw, the Policy and Research Manager of Campaign for National Parks  met up with Vic Ient, the Policy & Planning Officer of the Friends of the South Downs, last week and undertook a tour of the ‘hot spots’ of the eastern and central area of the South Downs National Park.

The review encompassed:

Lewes area – Arundel A27 by-pass plans, – Shoreham Cement Works – Super-store & 600 home development near Shoreham Airport – 800 homes development at Toad’s Hole Valley near the National Park on the edge of Brighton & Hove City Council area  – A 10,000 home new town development proposal north of the downland villages Poyning and Fulking. The field trip finished of by visiting the site of the commercial and 3200 homes development going ahead at Burgess Hill. Our report of the field trip are:

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Friends of the South Downs raise concerns about the lack of measures to tackle climate change on major development in Lewes

On Thursday 11th April, at the South Downs National Park Planning meeting, detailed plans for the latest phase of the North Street Quarter development in Lewes were approved. This is despite concerns that the scheme did not go far enough to reduce carbon emissions.

Vic Ient, Policy Officer of the Friends of the South Downs, who attended the meeting and addressed the National Park members said the Society had great concerns about the lack of importance given to tackling climate change in the application.

See Sussex Express article.