A new report by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is warning that the majority of new local plans in England are failing to cut carbon emissions and to plan for the scale of severe weather predicted over future years.

The report Planning for the Climate Challenge? Understanding the performance of English Local Plans, which examined the most recently prepared plans in England, found that 70% had no carbon reduction targets or any way of monitoring their progress with carbon reduction.

The study underpinning the report explored how local plans published since the National Planning Policy Framework was produced in 2012 are addressing climate change. Drawing on a sample of 64 local planning authorities in total, and based on an analysis of local planning documents, a survey of local authority planners and four more-detailed, area-based case study examinations, the study established the extent to which climate change mitigation and adaptation are reflected as priorities in local plan policy in England.

Plans poor at dealing with climate impacts like increased surface water flooding

The report found that evidence-gathering, methodologies and policy-making used to address flood risk were far more sophisticated than the equivalent for climate mitigation or any other aspect of adaptation.

However, while plans did reflect current flood risk, they were generally poor at dealing with future climate impacts such as sea level rise and increased surface water flooding. The report says:

"The review of the implementation of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS), to which the Government is committed, should focus on providing a clear indication of the current level of SuDS delivery and the split between ‘normal’ SuDS and ‘green’ SuDS."

The report also says:

"The dynamic nature of flood risk, in particular surface water flooding, was not always reflected across the different stages of plan preparation. The document analysis revealed that local planning policy on flooding complied with the national framework; however, individual officers in the case study areas said that local plans did not fully reflect local understanding of flood risk, especially the risk from surface water."

In particular, interviewees highlighted that:

‘There are multiple agencies involved in flooding, and it is a challenge that flooding is divided up into fluvial, surface water and drainage, etc.’

Missed opportunity to build in long term adaptation to future climate change impacts

Dr Hugh Ellis, Interim Chief Executive at the TCPA, emphasised that there has been a missed opportunity within local plan policy to build in long term adaptation to future climate change impacts for local communities, and to integrate mitigation measures that reduce carbon emissions, saying: 

'In practice a clear political signal has been sent to local authorities to deprioritise climate change and instead to focus solely on the allocation of housing land. Housing growth is vital, but it must be in the right place and to the right standards to deal with the future impacts of climatic change. Local planning can do a great deal to cut emissions and to design places resilient to flooding and overheating, but, the fact remains that many places remain critically unprepared for climate change. Government must act to refocus the system to look at outcomes that will result in secure, resilient and low carbon places.’

The report sets out ten key recommendations:

• Re-prioritise climate change in the local plan system
• Provide clarity on the legal requirements on climate change
• Provide clarity in national policy
• Define the scope of climate evidence in local plans
• Deal clearly with risk
• Reform the governance of the delivery of action on climate change
• Review the scope of the English spatial planning system
• Provide adequate resources to plan for climate change
• Encourage spatial planning over the long term
• Promote new forms of strategic co-operation

Significant policy change and new resources required for system  to deliver on tackling climate change

The study concluded that significant policy change and new resources were required if the system was going to deliver on is potential in tackling climate change. 

Sir Graham Wynne, Member of the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change, commented :

“TCPA’s work is particularly relevant in the context of climate change and local planning has a strong impact on the resilience, well-being and sustainability of our communities. As climate change brings more frequent heatwaves and extreme rainfall, local planning decisions can do much to create safer, healthier communities with lower greenhouse gas emissions. This report worryingly finds that too often local plans fail to promote energy efficiency, low-carbon transport, and the sustainable management of water and flooding.”

Katharine Knox, JRF Policy and research manager said:

“This report provides worrying reading for vulnerable communities at the sharp end of climate change impacts. Without better spatial planning, we risk increasing disadvantage among communities at greatest risk. Efforts need to be made at national and local level to respond to these challenges urgently.”

Click here to download the full report, Planning for the Climate Challenge? Understanding the performance of English Local Plans

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