Topic area 2 - Climate resilience and nature

Local planning authorities have a duty under the Climate Change Act to ensure planning policy contributes to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change. Since the existing Local Plan was adopted, we declared a climate change emergency, and are delivering on a climate change action plan.

We also have a duty (under the Environment Act) to conserve and enhance biodiversity, helping to drive nature’s recovery. There are several sites across Runnymede which are designated in recognition of their importance for wildlife, as well as many other natural assets such as local green spaces and watercourses.

The Runnymede Place Portrait goes into more detail about our natural environment and how a changing climate could impact the Runnymede area.

Through the new Local Plan, we will help tackle greenhouse gas emissions, recognising that in Runnymede, transport and heating buildings are key contributors to our carbon footprint. The new Local Plan will also contain policies which ensure new development is adapted to the effects of climate change such as more extreme weather events, which can bring increased risk of flooding, heatwaves, wildfires and drought.

There are several ways the Plan can address climate change, summarised below:

  • Proposing development patterns through a spatial strategy and site allocations which can help contribute to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions e.g. by considering the distribution and location of development to reduce the need to travel and maximise opportunities to travel by foot, bike or public transport.
  • Avoiding increased vulnerability and improving resilience to the effects of extreme weather and long-term climate trends such as heatwaves, wildfires, drought and flood risk e.g. by locating new development to minimise the risk of flooding (taking into account climate change predictions for increased fluvial, groundwater and surface water flood risk).
  • Addressing specific risks from climate change in proposed allocations for development, and necessary adaptations, both of which should be considered for the anticipated lifetime of the development.
  • Setting stronger energy and water efficiency standards for new development where they have a clear and robustly costed rationale and will not have an adverse impact on the viability and deliverability of development. The existing 2030 Local Plan set the higher water efficiency standard for new dwellings, and it is anticipated that the next Local Plan could do the same, taking into account the significant future shortfall of water resources anticipated in the area (described in the latest Water Resources Management Plan).
  • Identifying opportunities for green infrastructure provision and nature-based solutions which can safeguard and improve carbon storage, support nature recovery and resilience, and which take account of the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy (see below for more details).
  • Support the transition to clean power by making provision for new/enhanced renewable and low carbon energy development and associated infrastructure e.g. water supply and electricity infrastructure, and setting out measures to avoid constraints on the operation/future expansion of this infrastructure (although this may be better addressed at a sub-regional scale by Spatial Development Strategies).

The new Local Plan can also expand on NDMPs to contribute positively to the natural environment, and support nature’s recovery, summarised below:

  • Set out the hierarchy of sites/areas of importance for their landscape, geological, or biodiversity value in the area.
  • Identify opportunities for conservation, enhancing and recovery of landscapes, sensitive waterbodies, habitats and valuable biodiversity e.g. through the use of nature-based solutions, as described in the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
  • Steer the location of development, including through site allocations, in ways that use land of least environmental value e.g. away from Runnymede’s limited amounts of higher quality agricultural land.
  • Set out standards for green infrastructure and outdoor recreational provision (including allotments), and potentially site-specific Biodiversity Net Gain standards which exceed national requirements where justified by evidence. 

We recommend that you read a more detailed description of this matter in this topic paper before answering the following questions - which includes a summary of what we consider to be in and out of scope:  

The following questions about this topic are included on the response form:

Q5. Do you agree with what the Council believes is in scope for this matter and which a new Local Plan should address? If not, please explain why.

Q6. Do you agree with what the Council believes is out of scope for this matter? If not, please explain why.

Q7. Are there any further locally specific approaches or measures that should be considered in the development of the next Local Plan to address the impacts of climate change?

Q8. Are there any further locally specific approaches or measures that should be considered in the development of the next Local Plan to protect and enhance the natural environment, and help drive nature recovery?

Next page - Topic area 3 - Meeting housing needs