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11
 Climate Change and Transport
   
  STRATEGY
   
  Summary
11.1
 The strategy aims to reduce the impact of climate change through a range of actions, which include providing for development in a way that seeks to minimise additional travel recognising that transport is a major contributor to global warming, specific transport policies, containing the use of energy in development, reducing waste and requiring renewable energy provision. The strategy and detailed policies also contribute to improving air quality and aim to take account of the likely future effects of climate change.
   
  Relevant Objectives
 
1.
 To protect and improve the quality of the environment, including improving the landscape, promoting biodiversity and safeguarding the Borough’s cultural heritage.
 
2.
 To ensure the Borough develops in a way that minimises harmful CO2 emissions contributing to climate change and that caters for potential future climate change.
 
3.
 To secure an improvement in the Borough’s air quality.
 
15.
 To ensure development contributes to sustainable transport choices and reduces the need to travel.
 
19.
 To provide for the continued development of Staines as a focus for a mix of town centre uses including retail, leisure and employment and to improve access to the town centre.
 
20.
 To maintain the role of the centres of Ashford, Shepperton and Sunbury Cross in providing local services.
 
21.
 To encourage development of a sustainable transport system that supports the spatial strategy and provides for the needs of all sections of the community in an environmentally acceptable way and further improve Staines’ role as a public transport interchange.
   
  Explanation
11.2
 Climate change is a worldwide issue that requires action at an international, national and local level to mitigate its worst impacts. While individual actions at a local level can only have a relatively small impact on the total emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, the achievement of national targets is dependent on the cumulative effects of local actions.
11.3
 Although traffic is a major contributor to climate change the energy used in the construction and subsequent use of a development also contributes to climate change.
11.4
 The strategy has been developed at a time when national policy on the issue is developing quickly and the Government is consulting on measures to accelerate the pace of change generally. The Council has therefore set an approach which should be regarded as a minimum and which may be improved upon during the life of the plan in order to meet more stringent national standards.
11.5
 The strategy promotes energy conservation in new development and also greater use of renewable energy to replace the use of traditional fossil fuels from non-renewable sources. Implementation will be through the application of a policy setting out minimum requirements (Policy CC1).
11.6
 In relation to transport the strategy covers two related aspects:
 
a)
 The location of development. It aims to ensure development is located where it reduces the need to travel and in particular reduces the need to travel by car. This means locating development where it is close to the people it serves, where it is easily accessible by alternatives to the car and where it is close to similar facilities that may be visited in the same trip. This will mean retaining and providing local facilities in neighbourhood centres located centrally to the population they serve, with facilities serving a wider area in accessible town centres.
 
b)
 Promoting initiatives to encourage users of developments to be less dependent on the car. This includes promoting non-car based travel and requiring travel plans and improvements to access by alternatives to the car when permitting traffic generating development. This includes restricting car parking provision for new development in locations accessible by other means of travel.
11.7
 Reducing the need to travel and reducing reliance on the car will also enable the impact of new development on traffic congestion in the Borough to be minimised. Given that large scale road building to increase capacity is not a realistic option the way forward needs to focus on containing overall traffic growth, which the strategy is seeking to achieve. The transport related element of the strategy and detailed policies will also make a contribution to improving air quality and implementation of Strategic Policy SP6 and Policy EN3.
11.8
 Policy T8 in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East seeks to develop regional transport hubs, spokes and transport interchange points. Staines is identified as a transport interchange point within the region to recognise its bus and rail facilities and the services they support. This is reflected within Strategic Policy SP7 of this plan.
11.9
 In the future, wetter winters and drier summers are predicted with projections of increases in flood water of up to 20% by 2050 and up to 30% by 2110. As explained in paragraphs 5.8 to 5.18, flood risk presents a twin challenge to the authority of seeking ways to reduce the extent of flooding as well as to locate and design development to avoid risks to people and property. Detailed flood risk issues are dealt with in Policy LO1. Drier summers require a range of measures to use available water wisely. This will include rain water collection, re-use of ‘grey water’, and efficient use of drinking water.
11.10
 The effective management of waste can contribute to a reduction in the use of energy and scarce resources and the adverse impacts on climate change. The appropriate design and layout of development can take account of the negative and beneficial impacts of climate change.
 
  Strategic Policy SP7: Climate Change and Transport
  The Council will seek to minimise the impact of climate change. It will reduce the impact of development in contributing to climate change by:
 
a)
 promoting the inclusion of provision for renewable energy, energy conservation and waste management facilities in both new and existing developments,
 
b)
 ensuring development is located in a way that reduces the need to travel and encourages alternatives to car use, and its design and layout takes account of climate change,
 
c)
 supporting initiatives, including travel plans, to encourage non car-based travel,
 
d)
 promoting the efficient use and conservation of water resources,
 
e)
 promoting measures to reduce flooding and the risks from flooding,
 
f)
 supporting measures to enhance and manage Staines’ role as a public transport interchange.
   
  DETAILED POLICIES
   
  Renewable Energy, Energy Conservation and Sustainable Construction
11.11
 The Government has identified the implications of climate change and the serious and urgent need to take action to address its causes. It is aiming for zero carbon housing by 2016 by a staged progression of targets. This is supported by a Code for Sustainable Homes and other initiatives. The code covers a wide range of sustainability issues including water conservation and recycling. As a minimum the Government expects 10% on-site renewable energy generation and the Building Regulations will require increasing standards of energy efficiency in construction. Whilst the Government has yet to produce a code, renewable energy technologies are equally effective and appropriate for commercial development.
11.12
 The draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East also contains policies to support a reduction in CO2 emissions and increase renewable energy, including requiring provision within new developments. That plan also sets targets for the provision of renewable energy capacity in the region and sub regions. Thames Valley and Surrey is expected to deliver 140MW by 2010 and 209MW by 2016. Thames Valley Energy is the lead organisation for the sub-region. The Surrey Structure Plan sets a requirement for 10% renewable energy in larger residential and commercial developments.
11.13
 The Council wants to encourage measures to provide renewable energy, sustainable construction and the efficient use of resources. It recognises this is a fast developing area of national policy and its requirements in Policy CC1 should be regarded as a minimum and may be superseded by further national guidance and if so, that guidance will take precedence and Policy CC1 may need to be reviewed. In addition to providing renewable energy within new development the installation of renewable energy to supply existing buildings will also be encouraged. The policy also gives general support to the provision of stand alone schemes to provide renewable energy, where these can be developed without adverse impact on the environment or local communities.
11.14
 Recycling and/or reusing construction material has an important role to play in reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and reliance on primary sources of supply including minerals. The policy encourages the use of recycled construction material.
 
  Policy CC1: Renewable Energy, Energy Conservation and Sustainable Construction
  The Council will support the provision of renewable energy, energy efficiency and promote sustainable development generally by:
 
a)
 requiring residential development of one or more dwellings and other development involving new building or extensions exceeding 100m2 to:
 
i.
 optimise design, layout and orientation of development to minimise energy use,
   
ii.
 include measures to provide at least 10% of the development’s energy demand from on-site renewable energy sources unless it can be shown that it would seriously threaten the viability of the development.
 
b)
 encouraging the installation of renewable energy equipment to supply existing buildings,
 
c)
 encouraging appropriate freestanding renewable energy schemes,
 
d)
 encouraging high standards of sustainable construction including the use of recycled construction material,
 
e)
 encouraging developments to attain high energy efficiency and minimum impact on the environment to at least Code for Sustainable Homes – 3 star or BREEAM ‘very good’ standard.
   
  Requirements for Locating Major Traffic Generating Development
11.15
 The purpose of Policy CC2 is to set out the Council’s approach to securing more sustainable travel patterns. This is achieved by supporting means to improve facilities for non-car based travel, which include measures in the Local Transport Plan and the Council’s Community Plan and also through the location and design of new development and travel plans.
11.16
 Where developments are proposed that are intended to attract a large number of visitors, such as large retail or leisure developments, or to be the base for a large number of employees, such as large commercial developments, there is the potential for the development to lead to a substantial increase in the number of cars on the road if its location is only accessible by car. If instead it is located where it is accessible by other modes of transport then there may be scope for some journeys to and from the development to take place by other modes reducing the increase in car travel.
11.17
 The policy also sets out the issues the Council will consider in assessing the acceptability of development in relation to the existing highway network.
 
  Policy CC2: Sustainable Travel
  The Council will seek to secure more sustainable travel patterns by:
 
a)
 supporting measures and specific schemes to improve facilities for non-car based travel including Staines’ role as a public transport interchange,
 
b)
 requiring development needing access by a large number of people to be located where it is or can be made accessible by non-car means of transport,
 
c)
 requiring all major development to be accompanied by a site specific travel plan to promote and achieve sustainable travel choices,
 
d)
 only permitting traffic generating development where it is or can be made compatible with the transport infrastructure in the area taking into account:
   
i.
 number and nature of additional traffic movements, including servicing needs,
   
ii.
 capacity of the local transport network,
   
iii.
 cumulative impact including other proposed development,
   
iv.
 access and egress to the public highway,
   
v.
 highway safety.
  Note: Major development is all non-residential development of 1000m2 or more or 10
or more dwellings
   
  Parking Provision
11.18
 Policy CC3 sets out the Council’s general approach to parking. Its parking standards are set out in supplementary guidance which sets maximum levels of provision in accordance with PPG13 ‘Transport’.
 
  Policy CC3: Parking Provision
  The Council will require appropriate provision to be made for off street parking in development proposals in accordance with its maximum parking standards. In considering the level of provision the Council will have regard to:
 
a)
 the anticipated demand for parking arising from the use proposed, or other uses to which the development may be put without needing planning permission,
 
b)
 the scope for encouraging alternative means of travel to the development that would reduce the need for on-site parking. This will be particularly relevant in areas well-served by public transport,
 
c)
 the impact on highway safety from potential on-street parking and the scope for measures to overcome any problems,
 
d)
 the need to make adequate and convenient provision for disabled parking.
  The Council will require the provision of sufficient, safe, weatherproof, convenient and secure cycle parking within developments to assist in promoting cycle use.
   
  Airtrack and Rail Access to Heathrow
11.19
 Heathrow Airport is a major generator of road traffic and road journeys to and from the airport make a significant contribution to traffic on Spelthorne’s roads. Heathrow has rail access but only to London via the Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect and the London Underground. A rail link to the south connecting with the Waterloo line would represent a substantial improvement in the accessibility of Heathrow from the south by public transport. The Council therefore supports the principle of such a link.
11.20
 However, the Council has serious concerns about the proposal known as Airtrack that is currently being promoted by a consortium of organisations and authorities. Airtrack would connect Staines with Heathrow and involve the construction of a new stretch of track in Staines town centre connecting the Reading and Windsor lines. It would then follow the route of the Windsor line to the north of Staines before turning north across Staines Moor and running alongside the M25 before leaving Spelthorne to enter Heathrow from the west. The scheme has the potential for serious adverse impacts. Specifically:
 
a)
 in Staines town centre the new track and station risk causing disruption and disturbance to the operation of the centre, and those living near the track, in its construction and operation and the elevated section of track, alongside South Street is a potential eyesore.
 
b)
 on Staines Moor the works have a potential impact on a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Area of national and international interest. It also has a potential impact on Common Land and on a visually important tree screen that shields Staines Moor from the M25
 
c)
 where the route follows the existing Windsor Line there is the likelihood of a substantial increase in the number of services increasing noise disturbance to residential areas close to the track.
11.21
 In view of these concerns the Council consulted on and published the Planning Brief for the Airtrack Corridor in 2002 as Supplementary Planning Guidance. The brief identifies the potential impacts of the project and is intended to set the agenda for discussions with future promoters on how they may be addressed. The extent to which the requirements of the brief have been met will be a factor in the Council’s consideration of whether to support any future proposal to construct the scheme. It has yet to be demonstrated that the impacts identified can be overcome.
11.22
 Airtrack is included in the Regional Transport Strategy, the County Council’s Local Transport Plan, the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East and the Structure Plan. In order to be in general conformity with the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East this DPD ‘safeguards’ land for the possible future construction of Airtrack. Safeguarding means that development which might prejudice the implementation of a scheme will not be determined without consultation with those promoting the scheme. The safeguarded route is shown on the Proposals Map.
11.23
 Policy CC4 supports appropriate non-car based transport to Heathrow and ‘safeguards’ the route of Airtrack through Spelthorne.
 
  Policy CC4: Non-Car Access to Heathrow and Airtrack
  The Council will encourage measures to improve the accessibility of Heathrow Airport from the Borough by non car-based modes, where improvements can be achieved in an environmentally acceptable manner.
  The Council will work with those involved in promoting the Airtrack scheme to ensure that potential alternatives are fully evaluated, and that the environmental impacts, particularly on Staines Moor and Staines town centre and those living near the track, are fully assessed and effective mitigation is proposed to minimize and compensate for adverse impacts. It will consider the extent to which detailed proposals overcome environmental impacts in deciding whether to support any proposal to construct the scheme that may be brought forward in the future.
  The route of Airtrack through Spelthorne will be safeguarded.
 
 
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