#Environment
Target:
Winchester City Council
Region:
United Kingdom

Most sane people agree that things have to change if we are to avoid the excesses of climate change - this includes starting to create buildings that use energy more efficiently and are able to supply energy through on-site renewable technologies.

That’s why we need your support right now. Winchester City Council is currently consulting upon the rules under which it will permit new buildings to be built (the Local Development Framework) in the future. Winchester Friends of the Earth believe that the Council should only allow developments of over 500m squared if they include on-site renewable energy equipment to reduce predicted carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10 percent. This kind of rule is not radical and is actually advised by Government and already adopted by many other local authorities.

We also think that the current proposals for the major Silverhill development in the centre of Winchester should follow this principle. At the current time it offers very little in terms of reducing energy use and nothing in terms of renewable energy generation. This is a missed opportunity.

Please sign the Cut the Carbon petition. We will ensure the Council takes note and hopefully delivers a greener future for the District. Many thanks.

Dear Cllr Beckett

Climate change and Winchester City Council

Winchester City Council is soon to make decisions on two vital matters affecting the scale of the Districts’ contribution to climate change. These are the Silverhill development and the Local Development Framework.

Firstly, we urge the Council to do all it can to minimise the carbon footprint of the Silverhill scheme. As you will be aware, the proposals show very little initiative in terms of reducing on-site energy costs, or offering alternatives in the form of renewable energy generation. Friends of the Earth request that the developer reconsiders micro-generation options in more detail and that the conditions to planning approval include a target for 20% for renewable energy.

Secondly, in order to ensure that future developments encourage sustainable design, we also wish the Council to adopt the following statement within its Local Development Framework, thereby creating binding standards for future developments:

‘The Council will require all developments, either new build or conversion, With a floor-space of 500m squared, or one or more residential unit, to incorporate on-site renewable energy equipment to reduce predicted carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10 percent.’

We believe that without adopting rigorous standards for the reduction in energy consumption, the Council will fail to make any meaningful contribution to the reduction of green house gases.

Yours sincerely

The undersigned

GoPetition respects your privacy.

The Cut the Carbon petition to Winchester City Council was written by Chris Bestwick and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.