South Cambridgeshire District Council - Greater Cambridge Local Plan Net Zero Carbon evidence base

SCDC and CCC are working together to prepare a joint Local Plan for the Greater Cambridge area. One of the first stages of this is an Issues and Options consultation, which will take place in early 2020. A key issue for consideration in the Local Plan is the role of planning in responding to the climate emergency including the setting of robust evidence based carbon reduction targets, delivering net zero carbon development while still accommodating growth. The legal requirements for this are outlined a letter sent by Client Earth to 100 local planning authorities, including SCDC and CCC. An evidence base is required to support the Greater Cambridge Local Plan to shape places in ways that responds to the Climate Emergency and delivers net zero carbon development. This evidence base will need to be compliant with the authorities' legal duties related to climate change, as well as the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework, giving consideration to innovative approaches to delivering a net zero carbon built environment.