This section focuses primarily on how councils are using their planning powers, primarily through their Local Plans, to ensure low emission new buildings and homes, as well as ensuring new developments are built to minimise their environmental impact. This section also covers the renewable energy generation and fossil fuel generation planning applications in the area.
You’ll find more options, like the ability to compare your council’s Scorecard with other councils, and see a more granular breakdown of how they did on each question of the Scorecards.
Questions
Councils with full marks per question
Questions:
3.1
Is the council's area-wide net zero target a strategic objective of the Local Plan?
Is the council's area-wide net zero target a strategic objective of the Local Plan?
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.
37%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.2
Has the council committed to building all future council-owned or managed housing to a high energy efficiency or operationally net zero standard?
Has the council committed to building all future council-owned or managed housing to a high energy efficiency or operationally net zero standard?
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.
47%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.3a
Does the council require new homes to make an improvement on the Part L building regulations?
Does the council require new homes to make an improvement on the Part L building regulations?
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.
40%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.3b
Does the council require a fabric first approach for new development?
Does the council require a fabric first approach for new development?
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.
35%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.3c
Does the council set a requirement that all new homes to be built must be operationally (regulated) net zero?
Does the council set a requirement that all new homes to be built must be operationally (regulated) net zero?
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.
25%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.4
Does the council require developers to carry out a whole life-cycle carbon assessment of new build developments?
Does the council include a policy in the Local Plan to create 15/20 minute neighbourhoods?
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.
30%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.8
Has the council committed to avoiding new building developments on the functional flood plain?
Does the council have a minimum requirement for on-site renewable energy generation for new building 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.
11%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.10a
Has the council identified suitable areas for new solar energy, wind developments and district heat networks?
Has the council identified suitable areas for new solar energy, wind developments and district heat networks?
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.
10%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.10b
Has the council approved any planning applications for new or expanded solar or wind developments, battery storage, or renewable district heat networks since 2020?
Has the council approved any planning applications for new or expanded solar or wind developments, battery storage, or renewable district heat networks since 2020?
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.
44%
councils got full marks for this question.
3.11
Has the council approved a planning application for a carbon intensive energy system to be built or expanded from 2020?
Has the council approved a planning application for a carbon intensive energy system to be built or expanded from 2020?
Negatively Scored Question Points deducted if the council has approved or expanded a carbon intensive energy system since 2019. A carbon energy intensive system includes coal mines, fracking/shale gas/gas drilling, oil drilling, and unabated fossil fuel generation.
-20% of the maximum possible section score will be deducted if the council has approved or expanded a carbon intensive energy system.
