Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan
Existing Development – reducing energy consumption
What will the policy do?
The policy aims to assist in improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings, complementing the wider policies of this Local Plan which are primarily aimed at new buildings.
Policy CC7 - Reducing Energy Consumption in Existing Buildings Comment
For all development proposals that involve the change of use or redevelopment of a building, or an extension to an existing building, proposals are expected, where possible to improve the energy efficiency of that building (including the original building, if it is being extended) through a submitted Energy Statement.
Proposals which relate to an existing building(s) should demonstrate that they will result in significant improvements to that building's operational energy efficiency and/or operational carbon emissions through on-site measures.
The sensitive retrofitting of energy efficiency measures and the appropriate use of micro-renewables in historic buildings will be expected, including the retrofitting of listed buildings, buildings of solid wall or traditional construction and buildings within conservation areas, whilst safeguarding the special characteristics of these heritage assets for the future.
Why is this policy needed?
Whilst there is significant new development planned for Rutland, the vast majority of buildings that will be occupied over the coming decades will be those built in earlier times when energy and performance standards were much lower than at present.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides details of the energy performance of a property and is required for properties when constructed, sold, or let.
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Regulations require all applicable properties to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E or better. Separately, the Clean Growth Strategy (2017) has set a target for as many buildings as possible to achieve an EPC of C by 2030/35 and commits to keep energy efficiency standards under review.
The Council intends to bring forward supplementary guidance regarding a Carbon Zero Toolkit, already promoted by other local planning authorities. It will encourage the use of the Carbon Zero Toolkit alongside the PAS 2035 Retrofitting Dwellings for Improved Energy Efficiency: Specifications and Guidance https://www.bsigroup.com/siteassets/pdf/en/insights-and-media/insights/brochures/pas_2035_2023.pdf . This will offer an end-to-end framework for the application of energy retrofit measures to existing buildings in the UK and provides best practices for their implementation. It is a key document in a framework of new and existing standards on how to conduct effective energy retrofits of existing buildings. It covers how to assess dwellings for retrofit, identify improvement options, design, and specify Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) and monitor retrofit projects. A related standard, BS40101, expresses best practice in evaluating the performance of buildings (including energy as well as other factors such as air quality) and can be very helpful to identify building energy performance issues before targeting these through energy retrofit interventions. The Leti Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide (2021) provides useful information on reducing energy consumption in existing buildings. This can be found at: https://www.leti.uk/retrofit. Further advice on energy efficiency measures in historic buildings can be found in Historic England's publication:https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/energy-efficiency-and-historicbuildings/.
Supporting Evidence
Climate change evidence base
Zero Carbon Policy Options for Net Zero Carbon Developments A Climate Change Legislation (July 2023)
Zero Carbon Policy Options for Net Zero Carbon Developments B(i) Carbon Reduction (July 2023)
Zero Carbon Policy Options for Net Zero Carbon Developments B(ii) Risk Matrix (July 2023)
Whole Plan Viability Study (October 2023)
