The SPD outlines five key sustainability themes, applicable to all development proposals within the city. Credit: ronstik via Shutterstock.

The City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee has approved a new Planning for Sustainability Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the built environment sector in the UK.

This document extends guidance for developers on how to incorporate the City Corporation’s sustainability policies within their planning applications, encompassing aspects related to the design, as well as the construction of buildings.

The SPD offers location-specific guidance assisting planning applicants in attaining optimal results for their properties while also enhancing the overall sustainability of the City of London (the Square Mile) and Greater London.

Developed in consultation with the public and industry experts, the SPD aims to help the Square Mile achieve net zero by 2040 and build climate resilience.

It covers five key sustainability themes, applicable to all the city development proposals.

These include retrofit and reuse, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, circular economy, climate resilience, and urban greening and biodiversity.

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In response to consultations, major areas of change include guidance on the City Corporation’s ‘Retrofit First’ approach and on the NABERS UK target application.

This includes a five-star target for the development of new offices and a four-star target for retrofitted developments, as well as embodied carbon benchmarking.

If applications fail to meet the upfront embodied carbon standards during the planning phase, developments will exceed expectations in providing broader environmental sustainability advantages for the Square Mile.

This could include the establishment or extension of local energy networks, enhancing sustainable transport options or implementation of city climate resilience infrastructure.

City of London Corporation Planning and Transport Committee chair Shravan Joshi said: “The committee’s approval of the Planning for Sustainability SPD is a major step forward for the City Corporation in pursuit of its decarbonisation goals.

“This new guidance provides transparency to the built environment sector, encouraging it to come with us on this journey, as we see continued confidence and demand for high-quality, sustainable office space in the Square Mile.”