Housing: Building a Sustainable Future

Meeting: 
MQT on 2005-04-16
Session date: 
April 16, 2005
Reference: 
2005/0751
Question By: 
Dee Doocey
Organisation: 
Liberal Democrats
Asked Of: 
The Mayor

Question

Do you agree with the criticism of the Environmental Audit Committee which highlight the ODPM's lack of consideration for the environment in the five year housing plan? What systems do you intend to put in place to ensure and measure that housing development in London meets the highest environmental standards?

Answer

Answer for Housing: Building a Sustainable Future

Answer for Housing: Building a Sustainable Future

Answered By: 
The Mayor

The Environmental Audit Committee focused its criticism on the Sustainable Communities Plan. The five year Housing Plan (Sustainable Communities; Homes for All) was in fact published just after the Committee reported.The London Plan sets out my vision for London as an exemplary sustainable world city and policies in the Plan flow from that vision. The London plan includes a policy on sustainable design and construction (4B.1) that sets out seven objectives which future developments should address to meet the highest standards. Applications for strategic developments are required to submit a statement showing how these sustainability objectives will be met. Boroughs are encouraged in applying the same criteria to the assessment of non-strategic applications. To assist in this work I will be publishing shortly for public consultation a draft SPG on sustainable design and construction. This SPG will give guidance on how the sustainability objectives can be achieved. I have already indicated that I will be considering expansion of current policy guidance in the first review of the London Plan and am interested in receiving suggestions on how this could be progressed. The GLA group is also leading on a range of projects to contribute to achieving sustainable development, for example by establishing a new London Climate Change Agency.