Planning & Land Use

Points awarded if the Local Plan includes:
- reaching net zero as a strategic objective of the Local Plan
- The council's area-wide net zero target date is also found within the Plan.

Two-tier criteria
First tier criteria met if the council has a policy to build new council-owned or managed housing as highly energy efficient or operationally net zero with the policy implemented from 2030 to 2040.

Second tier criteria met if the council has a policy to build new council owned or managed housing as highly energy efficient or operationally net zero with the policy already implemented or with implementation by 2030.

Points awarded if the council has a policy that requires a reduction in carbon/energy of new homes within the councils area that is 19% higher than the Part L building regulations.

This would be the same as Scottish councils requiring "Silver standard" as a minimum.

The criteria will be met by English councils if they have a policy that exceeds the minimum government's building regulations on the Part L Target for Fabric Energy Efficiency.

Alternatively, the criteria will be met for councils that have a policy with a space heating requirement that exceeds the minimum government's building regulations.

For Scottish councils, the criteria will be met if the council requires developers to meet the Silver or Gold building standards.

Two-tier criteria
First tier criteria met if the council requires new homes to be operationally net zero with the policy implemented from 2030 to 2040.

Second tier criteria met if the council requires new homes to be operationally net zero with the policy already implemented since 2019 or with implementation by 2030.

Any date to implement the policy after 2040 would not be awarded points.

This would be equivalent for Scottish authorities to mandate the 'Platinum' building standard for carbon emissions for all new buildings.

Points awarded if the council requires developers to carry out a whole life-cycle carbon assessment for new developments.

Points awarded if the council requires the lower level of water use - stated as 110 litres per person per day - for new homes.

This would be the same as Scottish councils requiring "Silver standard" or "Gold standard" as a minimum for new homes.

Two-tier criteria
First criteria met if the council has removed minimum parking requirements for new developments in a part of the council's area.

Second tier criteria met if there are no minimum parking requirements across the whole of the council's area.

Points awarded if the Local Plan includes a policy to create 15/20 minute neighbourhoods. To meet the criteria the policy would have to include a definition of what a 15/20 minute community is, including:
- What key services would be required within 15/20 minutes of new homes.
- How it will be measured, for example 15 minutes by bike, walking, bus. As the crow flies distances will not meet the criteria.

If an authority has defined a specific zone where 15/20 minute neighbourhood policy principles would apply, like the main town in a rural area, then this would get the mark.

Points awarded if the Local Plan states that there is a ban, or avoidance to building on the functional flood plain.

The criteria will also be met if a policy states that any new development will only replace the footprint of current development.

Two-tier criteria
First tier criteria met if the council has a policy for any minimum level of onsite renewable energy generation for new building development across the council's area.

Second tier criteria met if the council has a policy that requires 20%, or above, onsite renewable energy generation for new building development across the council's area.

Points awarded if the council has a map detailing where solar energy can be built within the council's area.

Points awarded if the council has a map detailing where wind energy can be built within the council's area.

Points awarded if the council has a map detailing where a district heat network can be built within the council's area.

Points awarded for planning applications approved for new or expanded solar, renewable district heat networks, wind developments or battery storage. A point will be awarded for each planning application, which has been approved up to a maximum of 5.

Solar developments must exceed 1 megawatt in capacity.