Skip to content

Draft Local Plan proposed zero-carbon housing

  • by JW

“Proposed policy will require that all new residential and commercial development will deliver net-zero carbon emissions.”

“An approach could be taken to require a higher standard of development, conforming for example to the passivhaus.”

“The question, then, is if Exeter can do passivhaus on a large and affordable scale – then why not East Devon?”

.

The draft new Local Plan focusses on housing:

But beyond the numbers, there is the type of housing to consider:

Meanwhile, EDDC’s bold plans to be the ‘leading light in addressing climate change and environmental issues through planning’ have also been revealed, with a number of highly ambitious measures to tackle the climate change emergency. The plan features plans for all new homes to be zero-carbon, with measures such as better insulation, triple glazing, solar panels and special pumps that extract heat from the air to warm people’s homes as well as district heating systems like the one at Cranbrook, which can be run on renewable energy. 

East Devon’s new draft Local Plan revealed, with potential locations for hundreds of new homes | eastdevon.gov.uk

The Passivhaus uses a combination of low-energy building techniques and technologies. Wikipedia

Indeed, this is a central ‘strategic’ consideration in the Plan:

  1. Strategic Policy – Net-Zero Carbon Development
    Proposed policy will require that all new residential and commercial development will deliver net-zero carbon emissions. Developers would be required to submit a “carbon statement” to demonstrate how this will be achieved, in accordance with the energy hierarchy.
    In addition, homes will be required to be future-proofed to avoid temperature discomfort as a result of rising temperatures.
    There will also be requirements to maximise opportunities for renewable energy, and ensure that in-use energy performance is as close as possible to design intent.
    Finally, there will be a requirement for major development to calculate the whole lifecycle carbon emissions, through a nationally recognised Whole Life Cycle Carbon Assessment.

And interestingly, the council has rejected the Passivhaus approach:

Currently rejected alternative approaches to requiring net-zero carbon development
Option b – Require a higher standard
An approach could be taken to require a higher standard of development, conforming for example to the more strictly defined and less flexible passivhaus. However, we have little evidence to suggest that all development could viably meet this standard. This will be explored in viability work going forward.

East Devon Local Plan 2020 to 2040 – Working Draft – December 2021

The question is whether East Devon should be going for the Passivhaus – as has happened in Exeter:

The council’s housing company Exeter City Living says “We are highly regarded by clients and industry for delivering certified Passivhaus homes that are healthy and climate resilient until at least 2080.” And it claims the new development at Clifton Hill “will enhance the local environment, provide much needed affordable housing and generate profit to be re-invested into Council Services.”

 

With an interview from last month from a satisfied resident of one such passivhaus:

The question, then, is if Exeter can do passivhaus on a large and affordable scale – then why not East Devon?