Developers have been told to switch off the engines of their bulldozers in a bid to slash construction emissions across the Square Mile.
The City Corporation has issued new planning guidelines imploring firms to consider alternatives to demolition when submitting proposals to the planning committee. They will need to deliver a detailed a detailed review of the carbon impact of development options before submitting an application – and swerving the levelling of buildings to start fresh can have a huge impact on a development’s carbon footprint.
City of London Corporation Planning and Transportation Committee Chairman, Shravan Joshi, said: “This pioneering planning guidance puts the City at the forefront of the growing drive to give substantial, detailed consideration to retaining and refurbishing buildings rather than simply knocking them down and starting from scratch.
“It will provide clarity for developers, who are themselves in increasing numbers looking to explore the environmental and financial advantages of retrofitting or refurbishing.
“In an area as dynamic and well-connected as the City, there will always be the potential for new builds, but this guidance, which supports our ambitious sustainability targets, will promote lower carbon alternatives where appropriate and assist developers in putting carbon considerations front and centre when preparing an application.”
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Developers will also be expected to provide details of how their proposed building will operate as energy efficiently as possible. The analysis will be taken into account by City planners when determining planning applications.
The new guidance applies to major developments – those greater than 1,000 sq m of floorspace – and developments which propose knocking down most of the existing structure.
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