Issue - meetings

Planning and Sustainability – (C-044-2021-22) - This report sets out the changes proposed to the draft EFDC Sustainability Guidance and Checklist Volume 3: Refurbishment and Extensions following the consultation process.

(1)        The Cabinet noted the public consultation process and outcomes and endorsed the Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) Sustainability Guidance and Checklist Volume 3: Refurbishment and Extensions as a material planning consideration for pre-application advice, assessing planning applications and any other development management purposes within the District.

(2)        The Cabinet agreed that the Planning Services Director, in consultation with the Planning and Sustainability Portfolio Holder be authorised to make minor amendments to the EFDC Sustainability Guidance and Checklist Volume 3: Refurbishment and Extension.

The Planning and Sustainability Portfolio Holder, Cllr Bedford introduced the report. He noted that the Council’s emerging Local Plan set out policies in relation to sustainable and high quality design and construction of developments. On 19 September 2019 the Council declared a Climate Emergency, including a resolution to do everything within the Council's power to make Epping Forest District carbon neutral by 2030. To support these policies and this declaration, the Council produced Sustainability Guidance and Checklist documents for use across the District.

The Harlow and Gilston Garden Town (HGGT) also produced a Sustainability Guidance document that applied to new developments within HGGT sites. All three documents went through a public consultation process and following updates were approved by Cabinet as material planning considerations in March 2021.

The Council also prepared the draft Sustainability Guidance and Checklist Volume 3: Refurbishment and Extensions, which was presented to Cabinet at the same meeting as an update on progress, with a summary of the aims, objectives and purpose of the document. This document would provide householders with practical and technical guidance on how any extension or refurbishment work proposed to existing homes across the District could contribute to the Council’s sustainability ambitions. It was proposed that the Volume 3 guidance be taken to public consultation following the publication of the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) Retrofit Guidance (industry best practice). Further to updates to align the Volume 3 with LETI guidance, the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Sustainability was given delegated authority to approve the final draft of Volume 3 for public consultation.

Councillor Heap welcomed the report but had concerns about implementation, as recently a refurbished building in Buckhurst Hill which had replacement windows which in turn had led to condensation problems; yet the report recommends that all trickle ventilation be phased out. You need to be very careful about how these were retrofitted, particularly to council buildings. M Anil replied that his comments were noted and that they approached refurbishments as a holistic project and the whole home had to be taken into consideration. In the report there was also best practice on how to set up a refurbishment plan before embarking on the work to avoid these types of issues.

Decision:

(1)        The Cabinet noted the public consultation process and outcomes and endorsed the Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) Sustainability Guidance and Checklist Volume 3: Refurbishment and Extensions as a material planning consideration for pre-application advice, assessing planning applications and any other development management purposes within the District.

(2)        The Cabinet agreed that the Planning Services Director, in consultation with the Planning and Sustainability Portfolio Holder be authorised to make minor amendments to the EFDC Sustainability Guidance and Checklist Volume 3: Refurbishment and Extension.

Reasons for Proposed Decision:

To ensure that the EFDC Sustainability Guidance and Checklist Volume 3: Refurbishment and Extensions is afforded suitable planning weight by endorsing the document as a material consideration in the planning process. This would ensure that development proposals across the District contribute to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 116