A Motion has been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.1. and 14.2 from the Conservative Group, the detail of which is set out below:
This Council supports the principle of developing supplementary planning guidance to improve the level of sustainability of new residential developments in comparison to the current position.
Officers are asked to prepare a report for the consideration of the Planning Policy Sub Committee on how this might be achieved including reference to the following, and the likely costs of doing so.
1) Guidance on renewable energy (both passive & active) for individual homes.
2) Improved standards for insulation and water usage.
3) Guidance for community renewable energy schemes
4) Guidance on designs for waste/recycling storage facilities
Minutes:
The Chairman announced that a Motion had been received from Councillor Dendle in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 14.1 and 14.2.
Councillor Dendle then proposed the following Motion:
“This Council supports the principle of developing supplementary planning guidance to improve the level of sustainability of new residential developments in comparison to the current position.
Officers are asked to prepare a report for the consideration of the Planning Policy Sub-Committee on how this might be achieved including reference to the following, and likely costs of doing so.
(1) Guidance on renewable energy (both passive & active) for individual homes
(2) Improved standards for insulation and water usage.
(3) Guidance for community renewable energy schemes.
(4) Guidance on designs for waste/recycling storage facilities.”
Councillor Dendle in formally proposing his Motion stated that the Council needed to provide better guidance on renewable energy sources that should be considered and used when residential developments were being built. He specifically touched on the following points:
· Giving supplementary planning advice to developers
· A focus on Senior Citizen housing, referencing a renewable energy scheme used by the Dutch which provides their Senior Citizens with free electricity throughout the day.
· Horticultural hubs
· Greenhouses linked to housing
· Waste and recycling storage facilities
He explained that it was imperative for the Council to be taking practical steps to ensure its residential developments were providing sustainable housing for the District’s younger generation.
Councillor Gunner then seconded the Motion.
The Chairman then invited Members to debate the Motion. The first to speak was Councillor Lury who stated
that he welcomed the motion from Councillor Dendle but confirmed
that he felt it was imperative that the scope be widened on the
planning supplementary guidance and therefore wanted to propose an
amendment, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.7, to add
the following words to the Motion [as set out below – the
added words are shown in bold and to remove words
– as shown using strikethrough]:
“That this Council supports the principle of developing
supplementary planning guidance to improve the level of
sustainability of all new residential
developments in comparison to the current
position.
Officers are asked to prepare a report for the consideration of
the Planning Policy Sub Committee on how this might be achieved
including reference to the following, and the likely costs of
doing so thereof.
1) Guidance on renewable energy (both passive & active) for individual homes.
2) Improved standards for insulation, heat recovery and water usage.
3)Guidance for community renewable energy schemes
4) Guidance on designs for waste/recycling storage facilities
5) Guidance on the planting of woodland which can be both a mitigating and resilience action in terms of carbon sequestration and reducing the rate of surface water run - off and thereby reducing the flooding impact of severe rainfall.
6)Improved and more rigorous standards for the prevention of flooding
The Sub Committee is also asked to make recommendations as to whether Arun DC should declare a Climate Change Emergency and the implications of creating a framework for moving towards a Carbon Neutral District and whether the Council should consider engaging the services of an energy agency to provide community retrofit advice and support and explore the potential retro-fitting of solar panels on all appropriate Council assets.”
Councillor Coster then seconded this amendment.
Before opening the debate, the Chief Executive asked Councillor Dendle and Councillor Gunner, as the original proposer and seconder, to confirm if they were in support of the amendment. On reflection, Councillor Dendle accepted the amendment. Councillor Gunner confirmed that he welcomed the amendment that had been put forward and therefore would support it
Councillor Lury then queried the amendment and added further words as the end of the second paragraph so this read: “…. Including reference to the following and the likely costs and benefits thereof.”
Councillor Coster seconded this additional minor amendment
Councillors then spoke in further support of this motion and the amendments that had been agreed and the Council
RESOLVED
This Council supports the principle of developing supplementary planning guidance to improve the level of sustainability of all developments in comparison to the current position.
Officers are asked to prepare a report for the consideration of the Planning Policy Sub Committee on how this might be achieved including reference to the following, and the likely costs and benefits thereof.
1) Guidance on renewable energy (both passive & active) for individual homes.
2) Improved standards for insulation, heat recovery and water usage.
3) Guidance for community renewable energy schemes.
4) Guidance on designs for waste/recycling storage facilities.
5) Guidance on the planting of woodland which can be both a mitigating and resilience action in terms of carbon sequestration and reducing the rate of surface water run - off and thereby reducing the flooding impact of severe rainfall.
6) Improved and more rigorous standards for the prevention of flooding.
The Sub Committee is also asked to make recommendations as to whether Arun DC should look at declaring a Climate Change Emergency and the implications of creating a framework for moving towards a Carbon Neutral District and whether the Council should consider engaging the services of an energy agency to provide community retrofit advice and support and explore the potential retro-fitting of solar panels on all appropriate Council assets.