In the latest edition of Sustainability Now, from Sustainability South West, SSW Director Leslie Watson writes:
Should our planning system enshrine ‘a presumption in favour of sustainable development’? Of course it should – presuming it is clear about the definition and principles we use to define ‘sustainable development.’ It is simply bad leadership to deal with planning for economic development in a separate way to delivering well-being, tackling disadvantage and the sound management of our finite natural environment.
The planning system must support the delivery of sustainable development i.e. ‘The integration of economic productiveness; environmental enhancement and social justice’. This is the only way in which we will hand on a sustainable future to the next generation. The current plans risk allowing unsustainable development that may bring some quick economic profit but will cost us dear in the future.
The new Framework must clearly define the term Sustainable Development and the principles on which new development plans for the future must be based. We offer ten ‘SustNav’ operating principles. Proposals that do not support all of these principles are unsustainable and need to be redesigned. The new planning framework must facilitate a long term, more resilient future that is based on the greater good.
There is much to agree with here, but what are these SustNav operating principles – and how do they stack up in the great planning for sustainable development game that the government is urging upon us? Well, here they are:
Develop sustainability skills: Learn and share the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of sustainability. Lead the way and inspire others to follow.
Improve health and well-being: Support healthy homes and workplaces; safe and green environments; and active, caring communities.
Reduce inequalities: Reduce inequalities at home and abroad, in access to: basic goods and services; work, learning and leisure opportunities; and a decent home.
Cut resource use: Use less and cut carbon (and other greenhouse gas) emissions, water use, waste, and pollution; use materials wisely including increasing the use of renewable energy.
Support low carbon economies: Support a low carbon approach to economic development – including jobs, innovation and enterprise, built development and renewable energy generation.
Reduce high carbon travel: Support low carbon access including walking, cycling, efficient public transport, information communication technology (ICT) access and mobile/local service delivery. Fly as a last resort.
Live local: Use local goods and services and nurture and celebrate the distinctiveness, diversity and heritage that make a place special.
Revive our life support systems: Protect and support our natural ‘life support systems’ – air, water, land and overall biodiversity.
Be inclusive: Support wider, more informed participation in local and global challenges. Involve all affected groups in decisions and developments.
Think long term: Take account of changes on the horizon – including climate change – and think in a joined up way to arrive at more resilient solutions
SSW describes these as:
a set of practical sustainability 'operating principles' [that] translate the UK's sustainable development strategy Securing the Future which provides a set of national guiding principles. All 10 Sustainability Principles should be applied across all areas of activity for a sustainable future
Now, whilst I like these, I cannot see how they are going to be much use, in their current form, either to a developer or a local authority planner – or to local people trying to encourage appropriate development (and discourage the crass kind). I hope that SSW might look at these again, and work on them to make a better fit with the exigencies and practicalities of local planning needs.
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