Hackney Local Development Framework

= Hackney Local Development Framework =
==Introduction==
This page is being used by Hackney & Tower Hamlets Friends of the Earth to co-ordinate their efforts to promote low carbon policies within Hackney Council's Local Development Framework.
We hope that in the end the info we collect on this page will be useful to other groups around the country on their own LDFs.
Main group web site: http://www.gn.apc.org/hackneyfoe/
== Developing a relationship with the council ==
Follow up personal contacts - Jen's friend, green party, councillor smith (Done)
Identifying key officers and working out their current position (sort of done)
Meeting key councillors - probably Guy Nicholson and Vincent Stops(contacted)
Letters to ward councillors - once we've identified what aspects we need pressure on.
Letter to Head of Planning from group
Meeting key officers
== Familiarising ourselves with the LDF process ==
Scope of the Core Strategy
Naomi (planning co-ordinator, FOE) explained that the focus of the core strategy is likely to be more on "setting the direction of policy" than on serious detail on individual measures. Which probably makes things a bit easier for us. 
Timescale
According to the council now it's likely that the consultation on the core strategy preferred option will open in May. It's been delayed by about 6 months.
Still need to clarify when it comes into force and how long it lasts.
Jobs we need to do, information to fill in:
Read previous draft of core strategy
Read other LA core strategise to work out the scope
Check out how mechanisms could work 
Incremental increases in targets (e.g for efficiency/renewables)?
The core strategy can be revisited/revised on a yearly basis, so the way to approach this would be to argue for a specific figure in the plan which should be met from now (e.g 20% renewables) but also a commitment to achieving a higher figure in the future (carbon neutral by 2016?) which we could then aim to move towards in coming years.
There's a fluffy visual guide to LDFs here:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/ldf/ldfguide.html
 
Hackney Council docs on LDFs seem to be here:
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/ldf
The Statement of Community Involvement: http://www.hackney.gov.uk/k-sci-submission-draft.pdf
The stuff on the "core strategy":
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/index.htm/ep-local-development-framework-856/ep-policy-ldd/ep-planning-policy-cs.htm
== Identifying solutions we want to promote==
===areas we've agreed we want to focus on:===
David researching:
===Domestics===
New buildings - Renewables requirements:
The London Plan looks likely to include a 20% on site renewables requirement. Not clear whether it's practical for us to argue for more than this right now, but we could argue that it should be coupled with a commitment to move towards zero net carbon emissions development by a date in the future. [what date? WWF + government seem to be saying 10 years, so we should probably be arguing for something more ambitious than that. FOE thinks it would be practical within 5]. Perhaps also something encouraging neighborhood scale CHP projects? We could argue for mandatory low or Zero carbon technologies (LZCs) in all newbuild - CHP, heatpumps, biomass, pv, solar water heating, wind turbines. An aspirations (sitting beyond longevity of current plan) to achieve "40% housing" by 2050.
- Efficiency standards on new buildings:
Councillors suggested to David that they were moving towards insisting on Eco-homes "very good", but seemed open to the idea that this could be raised to "excellent". (We need to get our heads round the difference and be able to explain why beneficial). In terms of council developments there'll be strong arguments in terms of future energy costs and fuel poverty. The eco-homes standards seems to be being replaced/superceded by the "code for sustainable homes", which is govt backed, currently voluntary but "will signal the future direct of Building Regulations in relation to carbon emissions". The code ratings are starred from 1 to 6, with 1 being better than current regs and 6 being zero net carbon.
-Retrofitting existing buildings with renewables/insulation: 
It does seem to be possible to include stuff in the Core Strategy about aiming to improve the thermal efficiency of existing building stock + reducing fuel poverty through retrofitting social housing + using planning system to require energy conservation retrofitting of private stock where possible (e.g. change of use/extension). We'd need to work up what form retrofitting could take, what standards could apply, etc.
===Transport===
The details of this would probably sit in "Supplementary Planning Documents" rather than the Core Strategy, but we can make the case for general principles and overarching commitments.
Parking space reduction: We should advocate car-free developments and reduction in car parking spaces. This could well coupled with something around the importance of open spaces being used as parks rather than car parks - there's a climate mitigation angle here too as parks mitigate urban heat trap effects. The Core Strategy would also be a good place to include stuff about prioritising walking, cycling, public transport, and car clubs and creating a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists, though the details of implementing this would sit in other docs.
-public transport proximity/access
-bike park provision
-car club designated parking spaces
Jenny looking at:
===Climate mitigation measures===
 
Eg. permeable paving, soakaways to avoid flooding. Trees, shade, green roofing, + design standards to avoid overheating/need for airconditioning.
===Sustainability in commercial developments===
Cos she know a bit about this from her work...
Both need to look at:
===General sustainable community stuff:===
e.g
Minimising food miles - local food and markets
Minimising travel needs - local shops, schools, employment
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===sources of information===
Other LDFs we can look at?
Standards/accreditation schemes?
"40 percent house" report
http://www.40percent.org.uk/
FOE reading list: 
==actions in progress (and who's doing them)==
David:
Create WIKI and write up notes (done!)
Pick Hugh Ellis's brain Re: prioities/opportunities (done)
Contact Councillor Smith and update her (done)
Arrange meeting with Guy Nicholson (David in Contact)
Arrange meeting with Vincent Stops (Jenny in contact)
Read:
http://www.lga.gov.uk/Documents/Publication/leadingtheway.pdf
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1505140
==project timeline==
Let's create a project timeline here...
== Related topics ==
*London Borough of Hackney
*Planning for Climate Change campaign
:*:category:Low carbon future
== Related Wikipedia content ==
*wikipedia:Local Development Frameworks
category:Hackney
category:Spatial planning