Resources

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To promote the sustainable use of resources, including the reduction and re-use of wastes, related to both the construction and operation of new developments.

Read the background on Resources

Ref: 288

Question 6.1

Objective

To ensure that heritage or archaeologically important features are conserved or preserved if present.

Importance:

Question

What will happen to heritage/archaeologically important features and their settings which could be affected by the development.

Targets and Justification

Best: Both protected and enhanced either physically or through public access/interpretation
Good: Important features are protected
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all types of development.

Ref: 288

Ref: 220

Question 6.2

Objective

To ensure that heritage or archaeologically important features are conserved or preserved if present.

Importance:

Question

What will happen to heritage/archaeologically important features and their settings which could be affected by the development.

Targets and Justification

Best: Both protected and enhanced either physically or through public access/interpretation
Good: Important features are protected
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments.

Ref: 220

Ref: 289

Question 6.3

Objective

To increase the volume of low environmental impact materials used during the construction of developments.

Importance:

Question

What proportion (by mass) of building materials used in the construction of the public realm and infrastructure will be specified as having a low environmental impact or be sourced from sustainable and replenishable sources?

Targets and Justification

Best: > 80% green guide A rated (or equivalent)
Good: 60-80% Green Guide A rated (or equivalent)
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to medium and large residential developments; medium and large mixed developments; medium and large office/retail developments; and medium and large industrial developments.

Ref: 289

Ref: 221

Question 6.4

Objective

To increase the volume of low environmental impact materials used during the construction of developments.

Importance:

Question

Targets and Justification

Best: > 80% green guide A rated (or equivalent)
Good: 60 - 80% Green Guide A rated (or equivalent)
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to medium and large residential developments.

Ref: 221

Ref: 290

Question 6.5

Objective

To increase the proportion of locally reclaimed or recycled materials in used in the construction of roads, pavement, public spaces and carparks. Locally within this context describes materials sourced from within a 35 mile radius

Importance:

Question

What proportion of road construction materials is locally reclaimed or recycled material?

See table showing Permitted uses of secondary aggregates in the Specification for Highway Works.

Targets and Justification

Best: > 30%
Good: 25-30%
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to medium and large residential developments; medium and large mixed developments; medium and large office/retail developments; medium and large industrial developments; and clearance/remediation works.

Ref: 290

Ref: 222

Question 6.6

Objective

Importance:

Question

What proportion of road construction materials is locally reclaimed or recycled material? See http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/corpdocs/building_better_roads/02.htm for table showing Permitted uses of secondary aggregates in the Specification for Highway Works.

Targets and Justification

Best: > 30%
Good: 25-30%
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to medium and large residential developments.

Ref: 222

Ref: 291

Question 6.7

Objective

To increase the proportion of locally sourced materials used in the construction process.

Importance:

Question

Does the developer have a strategy to use locally sourced materials in the development. We would generally expect this to be within 35 – 50 miles of the site.

Targets and Justification

Best: Not yet established
Good: Strategy in place for a number of material or component streams
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all types of development.

Ref: 291

Ref: 223

Question 6.8

Objective

To increase the proportion of locally sourced materials used in the construction process.

Importance:

Question

Does the developer have a strategy to use locally sourced materials in the development (we would generally expect this to be within 35 – 50 miles of the site)

Targets and Justification

Best: Not yet established
Good: Strategy in place for a number of material or component streams
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments.

Ref: 223

Ref: 292

Question 6.9

Objective

To develop a sustainable water efficiency strategy that does not impact upon the critical levels required for agricultural purposes during peak demand period of summer months.

Importance:

Question

How will the development meet the required water demands placed upon the site.

Targets and Justification

Best: Good Practice plus greywater recycling
Good: Water demand minimised and rainwater harvested for re-use on the site
Minimum: Sufficient capacity in existing supply without reducing supply available to agriculture

Applies to Developments

This question applies to medium and large residential developments; medium and large mixed developments; medium and large office/retail developments; and all industrial developments.

Ref: 292

Ref: 224

Question 6.10

Objective

To develop a sustainable water efficiency strategy that does not impact upon the critical levels required for agricultural purposes during peak demand period of summer months.

Importance:

Question

How will the development meet the required water demands placed upon the site.

Targets and Justification

Best: Good Practice plus greywater recycling
Good: Water demand minimised and rainwater harvested for re-use on the site
Minimum: Sufficient capacity in existing supply without reducing supply available to agriculture

Applies to Developments

This question applies to medium and large residential developments.

Ref: 224

Ref: 293

Question 6.11

Objective

To ensure that any development on site does not adversely impact upon local public or private water supply through polluting acquifers or groundwater.

Importance:

Question

If there are any public or private surface or groundwater abstractions on or close to the site (within 2 km), are pollution prevention measures are being installed to ensure that water quality is not adversely affected during and after development.

Targets and Justification

Best: Water interception and cleaning facilities in place during construction and in water run off management system to ensure that clean water is returned to ground
Good: General water pollution prevention measures are in place to avoid any adverse affects to local abstractions both during the construction phase and occupancy
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all types of development.

Ref: 293

Ref: 225

Question 6.12

Objective

To ensure that any development on site does not adversely impact upon local public or private water supply through polluting acquifers or groundwater.

Importance:

Question

Targets and Justification

Best: Water interception and cleaning facilities in place during construction and in water run off management system to ensure that clean water is returned to ground
Good: General water pollution prevention measures are in place to avoid any adverse affects to local abstractions both during the construction phase and occupancy
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments.

Ref: 225

Ref: 294

Question 6.13

Objective

To ensure that measures are incorporated into dwellings to increase water efficiency in use water efficiency in use.

Importance:

Question

Average water consumption for the development (per bedspace per year)?

Targets and Justification

Best: 25m³ per bedspace OR 27m³ per bedspace per year and rain water collected for irrigation
Good: 30m³ per bedspace per year
Minimum: 38m³ per bedspace per year

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all types of development (except clearance/remediation works).

Ref: 294

Ref: 226

Question 6.14

Objective

To ensure that measures are incorporated into dwellings to increase water efficiency in use water efficiency in use.

Importance:

Question

Average water consumption for the development (per bedspace per year)?

Targets and Justification

Best: 25m³ per bedspace OR 27m3 per bedspace per year and rain water collected for irrigation
Good: 30m³ per bedspace per year
Minimum: 38m³ per bedspace per year

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments.

Ref: 226

Ref: 295

Question 6.15

Objective

To promote increased levels of recycling.

Importance:

Question

What facilities and storage space will be provided within and around buildings to encourage building occupiers to segregate and recycle their waste.

Targets and Justification

Best: Not yet established
Good: On site communal composting facilities from which residents and occupiers can purchase compost for their own use
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all types of development (except clearance/remediation works).

Ref: 295

Ref: 227

Question 6.16

Objective

To promote increased levels of recycling.

Importance:

Question

What facilities and storage space will be provided within and around buildings to encourage building occupiers to segregate and recycle their waste.

Targets and Justification

Best: Not yet established
Good: On site communal composting facilities from which residents and occupiers can purchase compost for their own use
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments.

Ref: 227

Ref: 296

Question 6.17

Objective

To reduce the impact of noise upon the development.

Importance:

Question

Will the site be designed to minimise the impact of noise from external sources?

N.B. Noise is the biggest source of complaint from residents, especially where higher density are concerned.

Targets and Justification

Best: As Good Practice with advice from an acoustic engineer
Good: Key sources identified and design plan drawn up to mitigate against noise sources
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments; all mixed developments; and all office/retail developments.

Ref: 296

Ref: 228

Question 6.18

Objective

To reduce the impact of noise upon the development.

Importance:

Question

Will the site be designed to minimise the impact of noise from external sources? NB: Noise is the biggest source of complaint from residents, especially where higher density are concerned.

Targets and Justification

Best: As Good Practice with advice from an acoustic engineer
Good: Key sources identified and design plan drawn up to mitigate against noise sources
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments.

Ref: 228

Ref: 297

Question 6.19

Objective

To minimise the waste produced from the development going to landfill.

Importance:

Question

Does the design and phasing arrangements enable a site waste management plan to be enacted during the construction of the development.

N.B. Site waste management plans have been mandatory for larger sites since 2006/7

Targets and Justification

Best: Waste management/ minimisation scheme implemented throughout development with full waste segregation and the use of a waste contractor with dedicated recycling, reclaimation and composting facilities
Good: Waste management/minimisation scheme implemented throughout development with some waste stream segregation
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all types of development.

Ref: 297

Ref: 229

Question 6.20

Objective

To minimise the waste produced from the development going to landfill.

Importance:

Question

Does the design and phasing arrangements enable a site waste management plan to be enacted during the construction of the development (NB site waste management plans will be mandatory for larger sites 2006/7)?

Targets and Justification

Best: Waste management/ minimisation scheme implemented throughout development with full waste segregation and the use of a waste contractor with dedicated recycling, reclaimation and composting facilities
Good: Waste management/minimisation scheme implemented throughout development with some waste stream segregation
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to all residential developments.

Ref: 229

Policy Links

RSS

M3: Minerals – The Use of Alternative Sources of Materials;

RHS

Chapter 7.

Development sizes

The checklist comes in different versions for different sizes and types of development:

Small: Residential up to 9 units
Mixed use up to 9 res. units
Non-residential up to 999 m²
Medium: Residential 10 - 199 units
Mixed use 10 - 199 res. units
Non-residential 1,000 - 20,000 m²
Large: Residential 200 - 5,999 units
Mixed use 200 - 5,999 res. units
Non-residential over 20,000 m²

If the development is for more than 6,000 houses, a bespoke checklist will be produced by the developer/planning applicant and the Local Planning Authority.

The set of questions for smaller developments is contained within the set of questions for larger developments.

There is an additional set of questions for site clearance/remediation.

This checklist is no longer supported

The Government announced that as part of its new policy on economic development all Regional Development Agencies, including Advantage West Midlands, will close.

This checklist will remain online to allow existing users to reference their existing projects. New accounts and projects can no longer be created.