INTRODUCTION
Loss of open space coupled with a growing population leaves communities increasingly deficient in open space. Many Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) are viewed as brownfield sites ripe for development. Developers maximising their floorspace area count green space as a cost not a benefit, while councils are not good at checking biodiversity claims or tracking their Biodiversity Action Plans. Concreting over front
gardens is permitted, and hardstanding counted as ‘public realm’, both impacting on biodiversity and increasing flood risk. Retrofitting commercial blocks can result in very little
green amenity space around them.
The development industry generates an estimated third of all of London’s carbon emissions, particularly with the ubiquitous use of concrete, too often building what is not needed. It generates significant pollution, especially road pollution, which impacts
on health and well-being. Carbon assessments are toothless, the circular economy remains a ‘nice to have’, and the virtues of carbon off-setting are unclear.
Solutions in our MANIFESTO
- BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN OF 10% IS NOW STATUTORY. The Mayor and local authorities will:
- Commit to acquire the specialist knowledge in planning teams to avoid ‘gaming’
- Recognise and fund (through CIL) biodiversity as an essential part of infrastructure
- Ensure on-site biodiversity is prioritised over off-site
- Promote ecological corridors, encourage varied planting and eliminate the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides in green space and street management
- Implement a Biodiversity Review Panel of active citizens and specialists to co-produce and promote London’s emerging Local Nature Recovery Strategy and monitor borough Biodiversity Action Plans
- Introduce a presumption against development of SINCs
- Encourage Natural Capital Accounting as an evidence base and important policy instrument
- Acquire powers to change national regulations for London re front gardens and fund a de-paving programme
- PARKS AND OPEN SPACES
- The Mayor must require all major planning applications to rigorously meet the London Plan open space access/deficiency criteria, which is particularly vital in those boroughs ranking as most deprived or where densities are significantly increasing because of development
- The Mayor and boroughs should use covenants to protect open space
- The Charter for Parks should be supported by the Mayor of London, boroughs and the London Green Spaces Commission because it:
- Upholds the right of every citizen to have walking distance access to good quality public green space
- Creates a legal obligation for all public green space to be managed to a good standard
- Embeds effective protection from inappropriate development or loss of public green space
- Encourages and enable community involvement in all aspects of parks
- PROTECT MATURE TREES AND THE TREE CANOPY by enforcing tough protection policies requiring developers to design around existing trees
- ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS SHOULD BE CO-PRODUCED WITH THE COMMUNITY using independent consultants, from pre-planning, scoping, commissioning to reporting, using Gunning principles for engagement
- RETROFIT FIRST: a major change to national and London Plan policy is required to outlaw demolition without approval, prioritise the re-use of existing buildings on brownfield sites and support householders with information on how to retrofit
- LOW CARBON CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVES will be incentivised and prioritised in design codes and decisions, commissioning appropriate advice from those experienced in low carbon design
- WHOLE LIFE CYCLE CARBON ASSESSMENTS must establish increasingly challenging standards to reduce waste, carbon emissions, obsolescence and demolitions; and must be rigorously checked, with a common material baseline for wood, concrete, steel
LINKS, GROUPS CAMPAIGNING ON THIS ISSUE
Healthy Air Coalition Home-Healthy Air Coalition
CPRE London Home – CPRE London
National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces – supporting grass roots
Refurbish Don’t Demolish Refurbish Don’t Demolish – Home
Homes that Don’t Cost the Earth Homes that Don’t Cost the Earth: Affordability within planetary boundaries