Sustainability rules for City schemes to come into force within weeks

New developments in the City of London will need to achieve embodied carbon targets or make other sustainability contributions under planning rules set to come into force in the coming weeks.

The City has voted to approve new sustainability guidance for planning applications which will affect how newbuild and refurbishment schemes in the Square Mile are designed and built.

Developers will be expected to demonstrate at the planning stage that schemes can achieve new embodied carbon benchmarks aligning with Greater London Authority benchmarks.

If they do not meet this target, developments will be expected to go “above and beyond” in delivering wider environmental benefits for the City.

This could include creating or extending local energy networks, upgrading public realm to support transport routes, supporting climate resilience infrastructure or providing skills and training in sustainable construction.

Newbuild office schemes will now also be expected to hit a five-star rating on the NABERS tool for measuring environmental impact and energy efficiency, while retrofit projects will need to achieve a four-star rating.

Shravan Joshi, chairman of the City’s Planning and Transport Committee, said the vote was a major step forward for the Square Mile’s sustainability goals.

“This new guidance provides transparency to the built environment sector, encouraging it to come with us on this journey, as we see continued confidence and demand for high quality, sustainable office space in the Square Mile,” he said.

“The City of London is home to some of the most sustainable commercial buildings on the planet and as it continues to be a hugely attractive place for office occupiers, we are setting the pace globally for sustainable design, with the delivery of the next generation of new and retrofit developments, to attract the best global talent, innovators and high growth businesses.”