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Revised Draft Local Plan, Chapter 6: Climate change

Creating a fairer Salford by:

  • Reducing the burden that falls on future generations of responding to climate change
  • Tackling the negative impacts of climate change, particularly on human health, which are more likely to be felt by the most vulnerable

6.1 The Climate Change Act 2008 introduced a legally binding target for the UK to reduce its carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. This is a very challenging target, and the planning system will need to play a full role in its achievement. The widespread and potentially devastating impacts of climate change place a responsibility on us all to minimise our carbon emissions, and this must be seen as an essential component of all development. As well as taking actions to reduce emissions, it will also be important to maximise natural processes that can take carbon out of the atmosphere and lock it into features such as peat and trees, known as ‘carbon sequestration’.

6.2 Even with concerted action now, current levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will lead to changes in the climate, such as increased average global temperatures, more extreme weather events and heightened flood risk. It will be vital to the long-term sustainability of Salford, and the health, safety and quality of life of its residents, that the city is designed to adapt to changes in the climate. Green infrastructure will have a major role to play in this, helping to mitigate the impacts of high temperatures, reduce flood risk, and maintain biodiversity.

6.3 Some of the necessary actions for tackling climate change, such as improving energy efficiency and increasing the provision of green infrastructure, could have direct benefits for residents by reducing energy bills and providing a higher quality environment. They may also open up business opportunities that will help Salford to develop a low carbon economy.

Policy CC1 - Climate change

A comprehensive and integrated approach to addressing the challenges of climate change will be taken, consisting of the following key elements:

  1. Minimising carbon emissions, including by:
    1. Directing development towards locations that minimise the need to travel and maximise the ability to make trips by sustainable modes of transport
    2. Delivering higher densities of development on the most accessible sites
    3. Providing more walkable and cyclable neighbourhoods that reduce demand for car use
    4. Incorporating electric vehicle charging points in new developments
    5. Supporting the sustainable movement of freight, such as through Port Salford and urban consolidation centres that facilitate zero carbon last mile delivery
    6. Requiring new residential schemes to exceed the fabric energy  efficiency required under Part L of the Building Regulations 2013 by at least 19%, and achieve a higher standard than is required by any subsequent revisions to Building Regulations
    7. Requiring major non-residential development to meet the BREEAM very good standard or higher
    8. Promoting the retrofitting of existing buildings, including incorporating measures to reduce energy consumption
    9. Identifying and supporting a range of opportunities for the delivery of renewable and low carbon energy schemes
  2. Maximising carbon sequestration, including by:
    1. Securing the restoration of lowland raised bog, particularly within the Biodiversity Heartland in Chat Moss
    2. Significantly increasing the number of trees and extent of woodland in Salford, such as through City Forest Park and the planting of street trees
  3. Mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change, including by:
    1. Managing flood risk associated with higher peak river flows and more extreme weather events, and relocating vulnerable uses where appropriate
    2. Providing shade and green infrastructure to reduce overheating of urban areas during warmer summers
    3. Creating places that promote social interaction, since people who are isolated are typically at greater health risk from overheating urban areas
    4. Increasing the extent, interconnectedness and diversity of wildlife habitats to enable animals and plants to adjust
    5. Promoting greater water efficiency to minimise the potential for drought
    6. Reducing air pollution so as to minimise the potential for higher temperatures to worsen air quality
  4. Responding to the economic and policy changes that are likely to accompany climate change, including by:
    1. Reducing the reliance on the private car, which will ease the impact of increasing oil prices on residents and businesses
    2. Encouraging businesses to take advantage of new economic opportunities associated with reducing carbon emissions
    3. Protecting high grade agricultural land, which is likely to be a diminishing national and global resource as some areas become adversely impacted by rising temperatures, reduced rainfall and/or seawater inundation

Monitoring

6.4 The main indicators that will be used to monitor this chapter are:

Indicator Target
Per capita carbon dioxide emissions Significant reduction
(2018-37)

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Revised Draft Local Plan chapters

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