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Workstream 5: Land use, transport and infrastructure
The 6th Carbon Budget – a requirement under the Climate Change Act - highlighted that important changes are needed to how development and transportation is located, planned, designed, delivered, maintained and operated. This transition needs to be people-centric.
We need to unlock the potential of climate change mitigation and adaptation to generate wide economic and social benefits. It must also ensure that those benefits and any impacts are distributed fairly.
Led by Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) the workstream includes measurable deliverables divided into three priority groupings: short-term, medium term and long term.
What have participants achieved so far?
- Update guidance on the role of planning, land use and design in reducing car emissions from transport
The RTPI published a research paper on Net Zero Transport in January 2021, exploring how different places could achieve an 80% reduction in surface transport emissions by 2030, on a pathway to net zero by 2050.
In November 2022 CIHT published the report Fixing a Failing Planning & Transport System which builds on 2019’s Better Planning, Better Transport, Better Places. RTPI contributed to both these documents.
The RTPI and CIHT are also working with Active Travel England in their role as a new statutory consultee.
- Publish guidance on how design codes and standards can align with Net Zero
The RTPI, together with TCPA, published The Climate Crisis – A Guide for Local Authorities on Planning for Climate Change in January 2023, replacing the 2021 edition of the same guidance. It provides accessible introduction to the broad issues involved in planning for climate change and is designed to inform the preparation of strategic and local development plans. CIHT supported both editions of the guidance.
- Identify and introduce new professional responsibilities and support to ensure decision making in relation to land-use, transport and infrastructure is consistent with net zero obligations
The Climate Crisis guide offers support to local authorities by introducing broad approaches to handling carbon reduction and climate adaption through the planning systems.
In January 2023 CIHT introduced an expectation that all members dedicate a proportion of their annual CPD hours to transport decarbonisation. The Institution has also published guidance for members to help them meet this expectation.
Understanding and knowledge of sustainability and climate change continues to be an area of assessment for RTPI chartership.
- Identify weakness in the policy framework that prevent the planning system aligning with the UK’s Net Zero Obligations and the changes that are required to remedy this
The two CIHT documents described contain advice to both policy makers and practitioners.
CIHT and RTPI have highlighted policy gaps in the delivery of climate goals and made suggestions in at least eight consultation responses over the past year. In particular, in RTPI’s response to the National Planning Policy Framework consultation, the institute pointed out that considerations of climate change have not been sufficiently incorporated in planning policies.
Resources Library
- The Climate Crisis: Guidance for Local Authorities for Planning on Climate Change
This guide is intended as an introduction for planners and the wide community to some of the key issues. It is a starting point on the vital journey to put in place practical solutions which will halt the rise in temperatures and begin to reverse the climate crisis.
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/climat...
Location of Development
This report expands on the examines the location of approved planning applications
for major residential developments across England. Using new data sources, this research seeks to explore the accessibility of these new developments to a variety of different amenities including planning for climate change.
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/resear...
- PAS 2080: Carbon Management in Infrastructure Verification
PAS 2080 looks at the whole life cycle of the carbon used on projects and promotes reduced carbon, reduced cost infrastructure delivery and a culture of challenge in the infrastructure value chain where innovation can be fostered.