Sustainability

3.4 Rapid changes in the twentieth century have combined to produce a wide range of global, social, environmental and economic issues, which have become increasingly widespread and now have an effect at the local level in Calderdale. Sustainable development is a well-established concept which has arisen in response to increasing concern over the adverse impact of human activity, particularly because of the effect it has on the environment and the natural resources upon which all life depends and consequently, the quality of people's lives.

3.5 Put simply, sustainable development means doing things that benefit everyone now and in the future. This stems from the original Brundtland definition of sustainable development, “development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Our Common Future - Brundtland Report 1987) which is also adopted in PPG1 ‘General Policies and Principles’ (1997) and PPG11 ‘Regional Planning’ (2000). The Regional Spatial Strategy for Yorkshire and the Humber to 2016 (based on a selective review of RPG12), published in December 2004, further develops these definitions and states that:-

Implicit in these formulations are commitments:-

  1. not to cause irreversible damage to the natural systems that support life;
  2. to aim for no net loss overall in environmental assets that are valued for maintaining biodiversity and enhancing the quality of life; and
  3. to make progress towards all economic, environmental and social objectives.

3.6 Sustainable development is a key feature of all Government programmes and ensures that a balance is struck between environmental, social and economic issues. The Government’s commitment to sustainable development is built around four broad objectives:-

  1. maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment;
  2. social progress which recognises the needs of everyone;
  3. effective protection of the environment; and
  4. prudent use of natural resources.

3.7 The Government published the consultation draft of PPS1 'Creating Sustainable Communities' in February 2004. This set out the role that planning has to play in facilitating and promoting sustainable patterns of urban and rural development. This is to be achieved through:-

  1. making suitable land available for development in line with economic, social and environmental objectives to improve the quality of life;
  2. contributing to sustainable economic growth;
  3. protecting and where possible, enhancing the natural and historic environment and the quality and character of the countryside and existing successful communities;
  4. ensuring high quality development through good design; and
  5. ensuring that development supports existing communities and contributes to the creation of safe, sustainable and livable communities with good access to jobs and key services.

The Replacement Calderdale UDP incorporates these aims.

3.8 The Regional Spatial Strategy for Yorkshire & the Humber (RSS) (2004) places the concept of sustainable development at the centre of the strategy for the Region. This document is now part of the Statutory Development Plan for Calderdale as a result of the provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

3.9 At the local level, Calderdale has a long history of involvement in environmental matters. The Council carried out a ‘State of the Environment’ Audit during 1993 and an Environmental Charter was subsequently drawn up and adopted in 1994. In 1997 the Calderdale Environmental Forum (now the Sustainability Forum) was established as an advisory body to look at the many ways in which everyone could contribute to the quality of life in the District from an environmental, social and economic point of view. This culminated in the Council preparing a Local Agenda 21 Strategy: ‘21 For 21 - A Plan For Living by Common Sense’ in 2000 which recognises the importance of achieving sustainable development. More recently the Draft Calderdale Community Strategy also identifies sustainable development as one of the key cross-cutting issues for the District.

3.10 The Council’s Corporate Vision, Local Agenda 21 Strategy and emerging Community Strategy set the overall goals for the District. The UDP complements the objectives of these plans by providing the spatial expression of how priorities and locations for land use will achieve this vision. At its heart is the importance of achieving sustainable development. The Plan promotes development necessary to meet the District’s needs, which is carefully located and planned to avoid or at least minimise adverse environmental impact and ensure the most efficient and effective use of key resources, such as land, buildings and energy. The strategy of the Plan is therefore:-

POLICY GP 1

ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BY MAKING CALDERDALE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT THROUGH:-
  1. THE IMPROVEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, TRAFFIC REDUCTION MEASURES AND BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORT LINKS;
  2. THE EFFECTIVE PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT;
  3. THE CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES; AND
  4. THE PROMOTION OF DEVELOPMENT WHICH RECOGNISES THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE INCLUDING SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUES.
Table 3.2 below identifies the key sustainable development objectives and how these will be achieved in the UDP. These objectives are used in the Sustainability Appraisal of the UDP, which is described in paragraphs 3.22 to 3.26.

Table 3.2 Key Sustainable Development Objectives
Sustainable Development Objectives
FACILITATION OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND GROWTH
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Provision of a range of employment sites.
  • Encouragement of employment generating development.
  • Protection of existing employment land and buildings.
  • Stimulation of economic regeneration.
  • Promoting vitality and competitiveness in the District’s town centres.
  • Promotion of tourism and rural diversification.
PROMOTION OF SOCIAL EQUITY, CHOICE AND INCLUSION
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Provision of wider opportunity and choice in housing tenures to ensure everyone has the opportunity for a decent home and protected local amenity.
  • Regeneration of the communities in Calderdale.
  • Improvement and protection of the environment to make urban living more attractive, safe and secure.
  • Ensuring accessibility to buildings.
  • Protecting, enhancing and providing access to a diverse range of leisure opportunities, such as open space, local facilities and the countryside, for all to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
  • Inclusive public consultation throughout the UDP process.

PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITIES, RURAL LANDSCAPE AND ITS DIVERSE CHARACTER
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Protection of the Green Belt from inappropriate development.
  • Protection of sites of nature conservation value.
  • Protection of the designated Special Landscape Area.
  • Encouragement of rural diversification.
  • Meeting affordable housing requirements.
  • Control of pollution, flood risk and air quality.
  • Encouragement of safe and secure new developments.
  • Increase tree cover in Calderdale and support woodland management.
  • Provision of needed facilities in accessible locations.
  • Stimulation of rural regeneration.
  • Protection and improvement of river corridors.
  • Protection and conservation of the historic environment.
MAKING FULL USE OF URBAN LAND
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Priority to the development of previously developed land.
  • Promotion of the refurbishment and re-use of vacant or underused buildings.
  • Increasing the density of development without town cramming.
  • Protection of open space.
PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF URBAN COMMUNITIES
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Meeting housing and employment needs in accessible locations within or close to main settlements.
  • Stimulation of urban regeneration.
  • Controlling pollution, flood risk and air quality.
  • Protection of historic assets.
  • Protection and creation of open space and sites of nature conservation value.
  • Provision of needed facilities in accessible locations.
PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF RESOURCES
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Protection, maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity.
  • Promoting development that uses energy as efficiently and effectively as possible to minimise waste and pollution.
  • Safeguarding natural resources.
  • Improving energy efficiency in new developments.
PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL AND ROAD TRAFFIC REDUCTIONS
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Promotion and provision of development in accessible locations close to public transport nodes to reduce the need to travel.
  • Encouraging mixed-use developments.
  • Integrated approach to transport to promote different modes of transport.
  • Encouraging environmentally friendly forms of travel in order to reduce the need to use the car.
  • Maintenance of local facilities.
  • Increasing density of development.
  • Promotion of measures to achieve traffic reduction.
LIMIT AND REDUCE POLLUTION
Attainment of Objectives through UDP policies
  • Minimising travel needs and maximising use of energy efficient modes of transport.
  • Controlling all forms of pollution.
  • Encouraging the use of renewable energy sources.
  • Protection of trees and encouragement of tree planting.
  • Improving the energy efficiency in new housing.
  • Promote waste reduction and a more sustainable waste management strategy.
  • Traffic reduction measures.

These objectives are established in the Part One and Part Two policies of the UDP. They provide a robust basis to ensure that sustainable development is achieved throughout the Plan in the context of the strategy identified in POLICY GP 1 ‘ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT’.

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