Sustainable building design and construction

Introduction

This page provides links to council advice and guidance about building sustainably. Building more sustainably will help us to reduce our carbon emissions, bring down energy bills and promote improved health and wellbeing.

Planning guidance for sustainable building

Sustainable Building Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Document 5 (pdf, 1.5 MB)

This is part of the Local Development Framework which is used as a basis for deciding on planning applications.

The document covers five key objectives including: minimising energy use, waste, vulnerability to flooding and pollution; incorporate water sensistive design; maximise use of materials from sustainable sources, reuse and recycling. Applicants for large developments are asked to submit a sustainability statement setting out how they have addressed these issues.

The guidance is also a resource for anyone interested in building sustainably, with advice and sources of further information for each topic.

Making your home greener

The Sustainable Home leaflet (pdf, 1.2 MB) gives you the key principles and plenty of ideas about making your home greener.

Sustainable home improvements can save you money as well as reduce your environmental impact. As fuel bills increase it's a good time to think about changes.

Solar photovoltaic panels

In most cases, unless your house is listed or in a conservation area, planning permission is not needed to put photovoltaic (PV) panels on your roof.

Listed building consent will be necessary if your house is listed. For more detailed guidance see the Planning Portal solar panel page.

If planning permission or listed building consent is necessary, advice on submitting these and the supporting information required can be obtained from planning services – see submitting a planning application.

Building regulations consent will be needed to ensure that the installation is safe. Your installer can arrange this. Contact our Building Control team for more information.

The Energy Saving Trust solar pages give more information on the cashback scheme and advice on finding a PV installer.

Sustainable urban drainage and green roofs

Please contact us to request a set of national and local case studies.

Paving your front garden?

If you are paving over front gardens you will need planning permission as well as a highways licence unless the design allows the water to soak away. This because paving over front gardens for parking can lead to increased risk of flooding in built up areas, especially during the heavy downpours we have experienced recently. In older areas rainwater may go into the foul water sewer, and in heavy rainfall these can overflow and contaminate streams and rivers.

Historic buildings and eco-refurbishment

It is possible to improve the energy efficiency of buildings which are listed or in conservation areas, and respect the building's integrity. This leaflet offers suggestions of how this can be done, and sources of further information.

Eco-refurbishment and the historic environment leaflet (pdf, 0.6 MB)