Planning Research - Study to Prepare One Planet Development Practice Guidance

Descriptions

Objective of ResearchThe objective is to provide comprehensive practice guidance for local planning authorities and planning applicants on the implementation of the new policy framework for One Planet Developments set out in Technical Advice Note 6 Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities and Planning Policy Wales.The planning policy framework requires that One Planet Developments should initially achieve an ecological footprint of 2.4 global hectares per person or less in terms of consumption and demonstrate clear potential to move towards 1.88 global hectares over time. The adopted figure of 2.4 global hectares is both challenging yet achievable, and a number of exemplar projects in the UK have attained similar levels. However, not all methods for calculating ghp use the same approach and through this research the Assembly would be looking to provide a level of consistency in the criteria used, which should help both planning applicant and planning authority.The planning policy framework requires that land based One Planet Developments located in the open countryside provide for the minimum needs of the inhabitants’ in terms of income, food, energy and waste assimilation over a period of no more than 5 years from the commencement of work on the site. This should be evidenced by a management plan. The management plan should set out the objectives of the proposal, timetable for development of the site and timescale for review. The management plan should incorporate the following:•Business and Improvement Plan•Ecological footprint analysis•Carbon analysis•Biodiversity and landscape assessment•Community impact assessment•Transport assessment and travel planThe management plan will be used as the basis for a legal agreement relating to the occupation of the site, should planning consent be granted.The following are examples of matters that it is expected would be covered in the guidance but is not necessarily comprehensive and the successful contractor should look to build on this:•Examples (some possibly hypothetical) of qualifying types of One Planet Developments including full case studies.•Guidance for applicants on the type and availability of information necessary to include in One Planet Development management plans.•Clarification, in terms of One Planet Development, of what is meant by ecological footprint, carbon analyses, and zero carbon in construction.•Guidance for local planning authorities on the validation and assessment of One Planet development management plans. Including advice on the content of business and improvement plans, community impact assessments, transport assessments and travel plans. and the preferred methodologies for undertaking ecological footprint and carbon analyses of OPD proposals,•Further guidance on the possible use of planning conditions•Monitoring arrangements for One Planet Development Management Plans.•Visual representation in the form of flow charts describing the steps involved in applying for permission and processing OPD applications Skills requiredIt is essential that contractors have a sound appreciation of the land use planning system in Wales, an understanding of UK planning law and an awareness of current rural planning issues. Expert knowledge and understanding is required in the field of low impact development. In particular contractors must have a sound understanding of ecological and carbon footprint analysis methodology, and be capable of applying this knowledge to help identify or develop models that are appropriate to One Planet Development. Contractors should be capable of identifying sources of information relevant for inclusion in One Planet Development management plans, and examples of similar developments and the issues they have raised.The appointed contractor must have excellent drafting skills and experience of expressing complex issues in clear and concise language. They must demonstrate experience of undertaking similar types of research and organising and conducting training events for professional audiences. The contractor will be expected to work largely autonomously of the Assembly Government apart from on matters of clarification and issues of contract managementAttached to this form is a link to a draft copy of the specification form (which incorporates some additional information) and a link to Technical Advice Note 6 where One Planet Development guidance is set out.