Council to adopt climate and sustainability planning guidance 

The council's cabinet will consider the Climate Change and Sustainable Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) at its meeting on 6 February and will recommend that councillors adopt it at Council in February.

The SPD was the subject of a public consultation in autumn 2022, with feedback incorporated into the final document. Topics it covers include energy efficiency and renewable energy, flood risk and flood resilience, sustainable drainage, green infrastructure and landscaping, and broadband.

If adopted, the guidance will become a "material consideration" that is taken into account when deciding future planning applications.

Cllr Ian Picker, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for growth and investment, said: "Adopting a supplementary planning document is a recognised way of introducing additional planning guidance, which should be taken into account when determining relevant planning applications, or an appeal against a planning decision.

The document will help us all be clear on how these really important policies should be applied in practice.

“By providing clear guidance up front about policy expectations, we want to support the planning application process, as well as assist the council in determining these applications.”

Adoption of an SPD addressing the climate emergency is a key action in the Rugby borough Climate Change Strategy, which was adopted last year.

Cllr Emma Crane, Rugby Borough Council climate change champion, said: "This Climate Change and Sustainable Design guidance document sets out how developers can meet our climate and sustainability objectives as they meet the borough's identified housing need.

"With guidance on topics such as reducing energy demand and energy efficiency, passive solar design and renewables, future housing development should have a far lower impact on climate change and cost residents of new properties much less to run.

And, with guidance on drainage, biodiversity and landscaping, developers will need to show how their landscaping proposals have taken into consideration the impacts of climate change and the related impacts on nature."

A supplementary planning document sets out more detailed information on local plan policies and how they can be achieved.