Low Carbon Checklist - Boilerplate Text

[AliMcLeod]

For various reasons, we haven't been able to proceed with our build, so are in the process of renewing our application prior to its expiry at the end of the year  (although its not actually a renewal, but a re-application).

 

We've submitted the same plans as were previously approved, but, as expected, we're now being asked to comply with some additional requirements.  

 

One of these is a Low Carbon Checklist. This was quite an extensive document so I spoke to the Planning Officer and he asked that we just need to provide statements on:

 

Quote

 

Energy and Climate Change (Demonstrate that the application meets the CO² emissions reduction targets currently in place and that the required proportion of that reduction is met by low and zero carbon generation technologies. Provide information of the energy efficiency measures taken and energy generating technologies associated with this application)

 

A statement relating to how the development is energy efficient and details of the energy generating technologies to be used such as solar panels is required.  A manufacturers brochure should be submitted relating to the energy generating technology.

 

Waste (Support applications that reduce the creation of waste. Facilities are provided for the separate collection of dry and recyclable waste and food waste. Drive the development of a plastic recycling facilityDetails on how dry and recyclable waste and food waste will be stored)

 

A simple statement would suffice

 

Travel and Transport (Details on how the development encourages and facilitates the use of sustainable transport focusing on the order of priority: walking, cycling, public transport, cars. Reducing car dependency.Minimising the amount of travelling required, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions, especially for air and road travel)

 

A simple statement would suffice

 

 

My question is whether Planning should (can?) really ask us to provide specific solar panel manufacturer brochure at planning time? Surely a statement on what we're planning to do (eg, total solar panel capacity) should suffice at this time? We've not yet decided whether we'd go with MVHR - the original plan was not to but we may revisit this. Again, does this really need to be defined at Planning Application/Approval time?

 

Also, although these do not seem too onerous, I was wondering if anyone has some boilerplate text we could re-use?

 

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by AliMcLeod

[Gone West]

1 hour ago, AliMcLeod said:

My one question is whether Planning should (can?) really ask us to provide specific solar panel manufacturer brochure at planning time?

It might be that they are wanting all black panels or inset roof panels, both of which would affect the look of the build.

[AliMcLeod]

48 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

It might be that they are wanting all black panels or inset roof panels, both of which would affect the look of the build.

That would make sense if this new ask was to do with the overall plan, but it’s purely in relation to showing how we aim to minimise emissions. Naming the manufacturer wasn’t required in our initial application (where solar panels were indicated but not specified) and I don’t believe anything has changed in our local plan to require it this time around.

Edited November 3, 2019 by AliMcLeod

[ToughButterCup]

2 hours ago, AliMcLeod said:

[...]

My question is whether Planning should (can?) really ask us to provide specific solar panel manufacturer brochure at planning time? [...]

 

Yes, they can. Just do it. And then forget about it.

Our architect provided a statement about the issues you list above in our Design Access Statement. In relation to Solar Panels (we weren't asked for those details), just submit a brochure which includes designs which appeal to you - might be best to choose in-roof.

 

In our case, we were asked for details of our window system: submitted a brochure (any old one) and a sentence about the RAL colour we intended to use.

Locally the final issue above (Transport) appears to be very touchy indeed - at the moment.

 

I suggest you look at the online Design Access Statements of successful recent  applications.  A bit of plagiarism from resources found there wouldn't go amiss.

[AliMcLeod]

5 minutes ago, AnonymousBosch said:

I suggest you look at the online Design Access Statements of successful recent  applications.  A bit of plagiarism from resources found there wouldn't go amiss

That’s exactly what I’ve just been doing and found this. This one has not been approved yet, but will go find one that has.

 

Quote

 

LOW CARBON CHECKLIST
The following statements are included in relation to the Low Carbon checklist.

Energy and Climate Change

The proposals are for a compact house design with limited areas of glazing in order to reduce the size of the thermal envelope and reduce heat loss. The building will be highly insulated and also used the existing topography to minimise the area of exposed external wall. There are no proposals to generate power or heat on site.

Materials

The development will endeavour to provide building materials from local or sustainable sources.

Waste

Refuse and recycling storage proposals are included on the proposed Block Plan.

Travel and Transport

The proposals are for a new house within an existing settlement rather than a rural location and therefore facilitates the use of existing local shops and public transport facilities which are within walking distance of the proposed house.

 

That’ll give me a starting point. No mention of manufacturer but I’ll look to add that. I just don’t want to be locked in before we’ve actually made a choice. I’ll add “or similar to” in the wording.

Edited November 3, 2019 by AliMcLeod

[Jeremy Harris]

I had this discussion with a Conservation Officer, who wanted to mandate the use of stone from a specific (closed) local quarry.  It seemed that this sort of stipulation on the source of materials can apply in some specific circumstances.  I'm pretty sure that National Parks can dictate where some external materials are sourced, and think that someone here had that discussion with one (not sure who, may have been @Barney12 regarding roofing slates?).

 

I doubt that a specific manufacturer of solar panels could be specified, though, only the appearance.  I agreed that I'd use black panels, with black frames, inset into a dark grey slate roof, and provided some examples from a couple of suppliers.  We certainly used the fixing system I'd agreed with the planners, and the same colour of panels, but that was as far as it went.  I'd imagine that, given the fairly volatile solar panel market, it may well be that a particular make and model of solar panel may not exist by the time the house came to be built.

[Ferdinand]

I would not thInk that this could ultimately be justified in law, as planning law is more about meeting ends than documenting precise means.

 

Where did this come from ie originating organisation, and can you post the whole thing please? 

 

it reminds me of one of the more pillocky bits of the CSFH, involving types of washer being treated as part of the build spec of the house, which would only ever achieve great piles of chucked away brand new appliances as people bought the ones they wanted.

 

Ferdinand

 

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, Sensus said:

It comes down to the word 'reasonable' in subsection 1 of this piece of legislation, noting also and in particular subsection 5.

 

AFAICS it seems to be mainly Scottish and seems to be a 44 page document, but I need to see where it comes from before properly commenting.

 

Looks like "micromange your life when it is entirely unnecessary" law.

 

[joe90]

Like jeremy, I remember someone being told he must use slate from his local quarry, he got several random samples and wrote different sources on them in pencil, one being the local quarry but it in fact came from Spain or something, planners passed it and nothing more was said. (I think this what happened or something similar)

[Barney12]

2 hours ago, Jeremy Harris said:

I had this discussion with a Conservation Officer, who wanted to mandate the use of stone from a specific (closed) local quarry.  It seemed that this sort of stipulation on the source of materials can apply in some specific circumstances.  I'm pretty sure that National Parks can dictate where some external materials are sourced, and think that someone here had that discussion with one (not sure who, may have been @Barney12 regarding roofing slates?).

 

I doubt that a specific manufacturer of solar panels could be specified, though, only the appearance.  I agreed that I'd use black panels, with black frames, inset into a dark grey slate roof, and provided some examples from a couple of suppliers.  We certainly used the fixing system I'd agreed with the planners, and the same colour of panels, but that was as far as it went.  I'd imagine that, given the fairly volatile solar panel market, it may well be that a particular make and model of solar panel may not exist by the time the house came to be built.

Certainly National Parks are able to stipulate materials and sources, however they have the benefit of making their own rules! There are dozens of planning policies on the park which cover a multitude of aspects. To give just two specific examples:

 

1. Natural slates must only be nailed. Slate hooks are not allowed in any circumstances.

2. All windows and doors must always be 100mm recessed.

 

There are soooo many other I could list. 
 

The sad fact is though that they are terrible at enforcing their own policies. The reality is they have minuscule resources and as a result many of the policies and conditions get ignored. 

[Temp]

Deleted as effectively duplicates what said above.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Temp

[Temp]

If forced to submit a brochure I would add words to the D&A Statement that refer to the brochure as "illustrative of the type of product, final supplier to be decided later".

 

They can always add a condition requiring you to get approval later just as they do for other materials and finishes.

[ProDave]

My planning application just showed a rectangle on the plan saying "ground mounted solar PV array" with absolutely no details.  they never asked for any details I just bought what I could afford and installed that,.

[Jeremy Harris]

I was asked to send a brochure showing our PV system as it would look when installed, but couldn't, as there were two separate parts, the in-roof mounting system (which didn't show black panels) and the panels themselves (which didn't show the mounting system).  The panel brochure I sent wasn't from the same supplier that we eventually used, either, although there's no easy way to see that from looking at the panels on the roof.  The catch-all for us was that all external materials used had to be approved by the planners, as a condition on the PP, so I had to send details of the system we eventually chose for approval before we fitted them.

[AliMcLeod]

On 03/11/2019 at 17:16, Ferdinand said:

I would not thInk that this could ultimately be justified in law, as planning law is more about meeting ends than documenting precise means.

 

Where did this come from ie originating organisation, and can you post the whole thing please? 

 

it reminds me of one of the more pillocky bits of the CSFH, involving types of washer being treated as part of the build spec of the house, which would only ever achieve great piles of chucked away brand new appliances as people bought the ones they wanted.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

Thanks for all the responses. 

 

In the quote in my initial post, the 3 headings are each excerpts from the Low Carbon Checklist document. The sentence I pasted under each is from an email from the planning officer. So, the actual checklist did not ask for a brochure, but the planning officer did via that email.

 

As confirmed above, we are in Scotland. It still seems daft to me that this is being asked for when this is the same plans that were previously approved and I can't find any local planning change. I guess this is just the standard inconsistency we expect even within the same planning office. 

Edited November 5, 2019 by AliMcLeod

[AliMcLeod]

On 04/11/2019 at 12:45, Temp said:

If forced to submit a brochure I would add words to the D&A Statement that refer to the brochure as "illustrative of the type of product, final supplier to be decided later".

 

They can always add a condition requiring you to get approval later just as they do for other materials and finishes.

 

Thanks, yes, this is what I intend to do.