29th August 2006

Stroud District Council approach welcomed

Stroud District Green party have been appalled by the South West Regional Assembly's 'Draft Regional Spatial Strategy' (RSS) report which sets out development for the region over the next 20 years (i). The Green party in a submission to the RSS consultation process welcome some aspects of the report but argue it fails disastrously to tackle climate change and is based on flawed economics.

 
Cllr Philip Booth, a Green party Stroud District councillor, said: "This is probably the most important and influential planning document in the South West as it sets out development in the region until 2026 - yet what we have, is a plan to increase climate changing CO2 emissions, when what we need is to cut emissions significantly. I cannot stress enough how irresponsible this draft plan is."

Philip Booth, who co-authored the Green party's submission to the consultation which closes tomorrow, Wednesday, said: "In many ways this is a more sustainable plan than we've seen previously and there is much to welcome, but as the report's own Strategic Sustainability Assessment (SSA) states the RSS will lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Our Government must share the blame for a complete failure to lead on this issue: the plan to expand Bristol airport is a perfect example of the absurdity of their approach. The airport expansion alone will wipe out all other gains in CO2 emissions and force our local businesses to unfairly reduce their emissions further purely to compensate for increases in aviation."

Cllr Martin Whiteside, the Green party's Parliamentary spokesperson for Stroud said: "It is deeply disappointing to see this disregard for our future from our unelected Regional Assembly. In the face of the challenge that climate change presents, we need leadership on these issues not tinkering with a 'business-as-usual' approach."

Flawed economic forecasts

Stroud District Council applauded

Notes:

(i) The Regional Spatial Strategy, or RSS, is a new kind of plan up to the year 2026. It will set a regional framework about ‘where things go’, what the scale of development should be, and the links between broad issues like healthcare, education and crime, as well as basic infrastructure such as transport. It will aim to protect what is highly valued about the region, at the same time making provision for sufficient new homes and jobs and retail and leisure facilities to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly affluent population.

The RSS will set the regional context for planning in the South West until 2026. It will:
    * guide the planning process at a local level – in District Local Development Frameworks
    * help deliver the region’s Integrated Regional Strategy
    * include a Regional Transport Strategy to guide investment in transport facilities
    * provide policy guidance on issues ranging from minerals extraction and waste treatment to
    * economic development and housing, health, culture, environment; and
    * include District level housing numbers

The RSS is not simply a land-use plan. It will be developed in the context of the Integrated Regional Strategyand driven by the need to make environmental, social and economic change happen in an effective and inclusive way.

(ii) SDCs full response will be available from the Council but here is their comments re Climate Change:

The Council is concerned that the RSS does not adequately address climate change. This draws upon the evidence in the Strategic Sustainability Appraisal accompanying the RSS. While noting some significant steps, it concludes that the Draft RSS will fail to tackle climate change. The RSS needs to reconsider how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions rather than let them continue to rise as the Draft RSS looks set to do. The SSA identifies transport and higher performance in energy efficiency across the domestic, industrial and commercial sectors as two key aspects that need work (SSA - Para 7.11). We need to move with more urgency towards a low carbon economy if we are to build a stronger economic future for Stroud District and the region.
For example

·       airport development proposals should be reassessed: the SSA report concludes that if airports expand, "all other gains in CO2 emissions will be cancelled out by growth in air traffic alone". Stroud District is concerned that airport expansions in the region would wipe out any environmental gains made by this District and impact negatively on the regions environment and economy. It is inequitable to require local businesses to reduce their emissions further only to see rises in emissions resulting from aviation.

Policy RE1 sets targets for renewable electricity generation in the South West, in line with Government targets. These are for at least 10% of the region’s electricity consumption to come from such sources by 2010, and 20% by 2020. However other regions are now setting more ambitious targets than central Government and the South West, with some of the best renewable energy resources in Europe, should not have one of the lowest targets. The proportion of energy from renewables could be progressively raised beyond 10%.

1. Reassess the need for and impact of airport expansion
2. Increase the renewable energy generation targets
3. Reconsider how the RSS can make a more positive contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions