The UKGBC have made strong commitments to reduce the levels of carbon emitted during the construction process of all new housing, and vow to ensure that new housing does not contribute to the carbon problem that we already face.
However, the government are calling to “restrict local planning authorities from setting higher energy efficiency stands for dwellings” so that only the national building regulations must be considered when constructing new property - these low standards will mean that new building developments will not have to be net zero.
On 7th February 2020 Manchester City Council launched a consultation on the development of the city's main planning document, the Local Plan. The first stage of the consultation is focused on the 'Local Plan Issues'. So, rather than presenting specific policies at this stage, the purpose of the consultation is to identify the key issues that the Local Plan needs to address.
Based on the Council's own website, it would appear that climate change is already on the radar:
Manchester Climate Change Agency and Partnership have responded to the Government's consultation on the Future Homes Standard. A copy of the response is available to download below.
On Wednesday 5th February 2020, Manchester's Climate Change Agency and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research will present to Manchester City Council's Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee.
In November 2019 Manchester Climate Change Agency commissioned the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester to undertake a review of Manchester's climate change commitments. The brief for the work is available here.
On 12th December 2019 Manchester's 'Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance' group met to discuss the city's zero carbon commitments.
The workshop brought together schools careers advisors to explore the employment opportunities from Manchester's transition to zero carbon and to begin to scope out the advice and guidance they can offer to the city's next generation of workers.
On 16th January, the Our Manchester Forum kicked off the new year with a workshop on the city's zero carbon commitments. Having selected their priority topics for this year's meetings, climate change came out top as the most urgent item for discussion.
Starting with a presentation from Jonny Sadler, Programme Director at Manchester Climate Change Agency, the session focused on Forum members' current activities on climate change and the support needed to enable them to take more action to reduce carbon and adapt to climate change.
