Public Document Pack
A G E N D A
COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CABINET ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday 21 August 2019 at 6.30 pm Committee Room A, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS
Members: Councillor March (Chairman), Councillors Mackonochie (Vice-Chairman), Bruneau, Ellis, Fairweather, Hamilton, Hill, Ms Palmer, Rands, Simmons and Thomson
Quorum: 3 Members
1 Apologies for Absence (Pages 5 - 6) To receive any apologies for absence.
2 Declarations of Interests (Pages 7 - 8) To receive any declarations of interest by members of the Council in items on the agenda. For any advice on declarations of interest, please contact the Monitoring Officer before the meeting.
3 Notification of Visiting Members Wishing to Speak (Pages 9 - 10) To note any members of the Council wishing to speak, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 18, and which items they wish to speak on.
4 Minutes of the meeting dated 05 June 2019 (Pages 11 - 12) To approve the minutes of a previous meeting as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.
5 Work Programme as at 24 July 2019 (Pages 13 - 16) To note the Board’s forward work programme as attached.
6 Draft Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy - (Pages 17 - 126) Councils Consultation Response To consider and provide a recommendation to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report.
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7 Urgent Business (Pages 127 - 128) To consider any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.
8 Date of the Next Meeting (Pages 129 - 130) To note that the date of the next scheduled meeting is Wednesday 02 October 2019 at 6.30pm.
Mark O'Callaghan Town Hall Scrutiny and Engagement Officer ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS Tel: (01892) 554219 Kent TN1 1RS Email: Mark.O'[email protected]
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Options that the Cabinet Advisory Board Can Consider
The Cabinet Advisory Board is asked to consider each report and in each case come to a consensus and advise the Cabinet which one of the three options identified below it supports:
1) The Cabinet Advisory Board supports the recommendation(s) in the report.
or
2) The Cabinet Advisory Board supports the recommendation(s) subject to the issues it has identified being taken into account by the Cabinet (any issues identified should be stated and recorded).
or
3) The Cabinet Advisory Board does not support the recommendation(s) on at least one of the following grounds
3.1 Inadequate consultation with stakeholders; and/or 3.2 Inadequate evidence on which to base the decision; and/or 3.3 Insufficient consideration of legal and financial information; and/or 3.4 Another reason, as decided by the meeting of the Cabinet Advisory Board.
In each case the final Cabinet report will be amended to outline the option selected by the Cabinet Advisory Board and explain why this option was selected.
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All visitors attending a public meeting at the Town Hall between the hours of 9am and 5pm should report to reception via the side entrance in Monson Way. Access to meetings in the evening after 5pm will be via the main entrance on the corner of Crescent Road and Mount Pleasant Road. Assisted access at all times is via reception on Monson Way and by use of the out-of-hours call button after 5pm.
Notes on Procedure
(1) A list of background papers appears at the end of each report, where appropriate, pursuant to the Local Government Act 1972, section 100D(i).
(2) Items marked * will be the subject of recommendations by Cabinet to full Council; in the case of other items, Cabinet may make the decision, subject to call-in (Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 12).
(3) Members seeking factual information about agenda items are requested to contact the appropriate Service Manager prior to the meeting.
(4) Members of the public are encouraged to participate and those wishing to speak on an agenda item will need to register with Democratic Services. Registration opens when the agenda is published and closes at 4pm on the last working day before the meeting. Places are limited to a maximum of four speakers per item and each speaker will have a maximum of three minutes to address the Committee.
(5) All meetings are open to the public except where confidential or exempt information is being discussed. The agenda of the meeting will identify whether a meeting or part of meeting is not open to the public and why. Meeting rooms have a maximum public capacity as follows: Chamber: 100, Committee Room A: 20, Committee Room B: 10.
(6) Please note that the public proceedings of this meeting will be recorded and made available for playback on the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council website. Any other third party may also record or film meetings, unless exempt or confidential information is being considered, but are requested as a courtesy to others to give notice of this to the Clerk before the meeting. The Council is not liable for any third party recordings.
Further details are available on the website (www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk) or from Democratic Services.
If you require this information in another format, please contact us, call 01892 526121 or email [email protected]
Accessibility into and within the Town Hall – There is a wheelchair accessible lift by the main staircase, giving access to the first floor where the committee rooms are situated. There are a few steps leading to the Council Chamber itself but there is a platform chairlift in the foyer.
Hearing Loop System – The Council Chamber and Committee Rooms A and B have been equipped with hearing induction loop systems. The Council Chamber also has a fully equipped audio-visual system.
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Communities and Economic 21 August 2019 Development Cabinet Advisory Board
Apologies for Absence
Procedural Item:
To receive any apologies for absence.
Page 5 This page is intentionally left blank Agenda Item 2
Communities and Economic 21 August 2019 Development Cabinet Advisory Board
Declarations of Interest
Procedural Item:
To receive any declarations of interest by members in items on the agenda. For any advice on declarations of interest; please contact the Monitoring Officer before the meeting.
Page 7 This page is intentionally left blank Agenda Item 3
Communities and Economic 21 August 2019 Development Cabinet Advisory Board
Notification of Visiting Members Wishing to Speak
Procedural Item:
To note any members of the Council wishing to speak, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 18, and which items they wish to speak on.
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COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CABINET ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, 5 June 2019
Present: Councillor Jane March (Chairman) Councillors Mackonochie (Vice-Chairman), Bruneau, Fairweather, Hamilton, Hill, Rands and Simmons
Officers in Attendance: Nicky Carter (Head of HR, Customer Services and Culture), Jeremy Kimmel (Audience Development Manager), Paul Taylor (Director of Change and Communities) and Mark O'Callaghan (Scrutiny and Engagement Officer)
Other Members in Attendance: None
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
COM1/19 Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ms Palmer and Thomson. Councillor Ellis was not present.
DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS
COM2/19 There were no disclosable pecuniary or other significant interests declared at the meeting.
NOTIFICATION OF VISITING MEMBERS WISHING TO SPEAK
COM3/19 There were no Visiting Members who had registered as wishing to speak.
MINUTES OF THE MEETING DATED 21 MARCH 2019
COM4/19 Members reviewed the minutes. No amendments were proposed.
RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting dated 21 March 2019 be approved as a correct record.
WORK PROGRAMME AS AT 28 MAY 2019
COM5/19 Members considered the work programme. No amendments were proposed.
RESOLVED – That the Work Programme as at 28 May be noted.
PUBLIC ART GUIDANCE: SEEKING CONSULTATION
COM6/19 Jeremy Kimmel, Audience Development Manager, introduced the report set out in the agenda. The Guidance was draft for consultation and would come back for approval.
Discussion included the following matters: Appointing the Council as a Commissioning Agent was an option for developers rather than an expectation. The use of ‘practitioner’ instead of ‘artist’ allows for a broader set of cultural activities. There had been work on ‘social prescribing’ in conjunction with University College London (UCL) which was part of the Lottery Activity Plan. This set a framework for communities and developers to have more meaningful engagement around cultural requirements. Page 11 Agenda Item 4 2
The Guidance had been developed with the Planning Department who helped set the thresholds in line with national planning frameworks to help ensure compliance, it has also been through legal and was based on a Council guidance document use by Maidstone Borough Council. The Guidance created the benchmark in terms of S106 funding, dependent on the nature of the development. The usual S106 asks, such as Highways, Youth and Adult recreation or Education, would be on top of Public Art so it was in addition to and not to the detriment of other areas. Any extra funding for social programmes to combat social isolation would fall within the Public Art category ‘engagements with the community’. Kent County Council used to have a dedicated Select Committee on Social Isolation. Projects to combat Social Isolation, for example the recent Museum Wellbeing Pilot, were detailed in the Activity Plan and could bid for outside finding. Projects funded by S106 would be distinct and complete schemes with the money secured first so there would not be any ongoing financial liabilities for the Council.
RESOLVED – That the recommendations set out in the report be supported.
URGENT BUSINESS
COM7/19 There was no urgent business.
DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
COM8/19 The next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 09 July 2019 at 6.30pm in Committee Room A at the Town Hall, Tunbridge Wells.
NOTES: The meeting concluded at 7.00 pm. An audio recording of this meeting is available on the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council website.
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TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH COUNCIL
EXTRACT OF FORWARD PLAN
www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/forwardplan
Notice of Key Decisions / Notice of Private Meetings Pursuant to the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012
This Plan gives at least 28 days notice if the Cabinet of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council intends to make a key decision1 or make a decision in private2. Other decisions by the executive are also included on the Plan wherever possible.
Page 13 Page Relevant documents can be downloaded from the Council’s website or are available on request from: Democratic Services, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS or [email protected]. Documents may be submitted to the decision maker via Democratic Services.
If it is necessary to hold a meeting in private, the reasons for this are stated alongside the decision. These reasons are prescribed by Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and summarised at the back of this Plan.
Representations against the intention to make a decision in private can be submitted in writing to Democratic Services no less
than ten working days before the meeting date. Agenda Item 5
If the Council is unable to give 28 days notice, it will publish the reasons for this on its website and at its offices.
Councillor Alan McDermott Publication Date: 24 July 2019 The most recent version of the Plan supersedes all previously issued versions Leader of the Council Guidance notes are provided at the back of this document
Culture, Leisure and Economic Development Portfolio – Councillor March
Date of decision/ Full Council Advisory Report Title, Summary and Ward Consultation Details Relevant Officer Key?1 Private?2 Decision maker Board No items within the designated timeframe.
Communities and Wellbeing Portfolio – Councillor Mackonochie
Date of decision/ Full Council Advisory Report Title, Summary and Ward Consultation Details Relevant Officer Key?1 Private?2 Decision maker Board 16/04/20 22/04/20 26/03/20 *Community Safety Partnership Plan The relevant Cabinet Terry Hughes, No Open Cabinet Final Decision Communities 2020/21 Advisory Board will be Community Safety Page 14 Page and Economic To recommend to Full Council the annual consulted. Manager Development Community Safety Partnership Plan for Cabinet approval. The Plan presents data on crime Advisory Board and anti-social behaviour within Tunbridge Wells Borough and provides an update on solutions provided to ensure the safety of residents. (All Wards)
Agenda Item 5
Sustainability Portfolio – Councillor Dr Basu
Date of decision/ Full Council Advisory Report Title, Summary and Ward Consultation Details Relevant Officer Key?1 Private?2 Decision maker Board No items within the designated timeframe.
3
Guidance Notes Note 1: KEY DECISIONS
A “key decision” means a decision which is to be taken by the executive of the Council which is likely to: (a) result in the Council incurring expenditure which is, or the making of savings which are over £250,000 as well as otherwise being significant having regard to the Council’s budget for the service or function to which the decision relates; or (b) be significant in terms of its effects on communities living or working in an area comprising two or more wards in the Borough of Tunbridge Wells.
Note 2: REASONS A MEETING MAY BE HELD IN PRIVATE
In accordance with section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the public may be excluded from a meeting on the grounds that it may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the Act. The exemption must be by virtue of one or more specified paragraphs which are shown on the meeting agenda (giving 5 days notice) and, in the case of the Cabinet, on the Forward Plan (giving 28 days notice). The exemptions are summarised as follows:
Paragraph (1) - Information relating to any individual. QUALIFICATIONS:
Paragraph (2) - Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual. (8) Information falling within paragraph (3) above is not exempt information by
Page 15 Page virtue of that paragraph if it is required to be registered under – Paragraph (3) - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any (a) the Companies Act 1985; particular person (including the authority holding that information). (b) the Friendly Societies Act 1974; (c) the Friendly Societies Act 1992; Paragraph (4) - Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or (d) the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965 to 1978; contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with (e) the Building Societies Act 1986; or any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a (f) the Charities Act 1993. Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office-holders under, the authority. (9) Information is not exempt information if it relates to proposed development for which the local planning authority may grant itself planning permission Paragraph (5) - Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional pursuant to regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings. Regulations 1992. Agenda Item 5
Paragraph (6) - Information which reveals that the authority proposes – (10) Information which – (a) to give under any enactment a notice under or by (a) falls within any of paragraphs 1 to 7 above; and virtue of which requirements are imposed on a person; or (b) is not prevented from being exempt by virtue of paragraph (b) to make an order or direction under any enactment. 8 or 9 above, is exempt information if and so long as, in all the circumstances of Paragraph (7) - Information relating to any action taken or to be taken in the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. crime.
This page is intentionally left blank Agenda Item 6
Communities and Economic 21 August 2019 Development Cabinet Advisory Board
Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting? No
Draft Kent & Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy – Council’s Consultation response
Final Decision-Maker Cabinet Portfolio Holder(s) Councillor Dr Ronen Basu – Portfolio Holder for Sustainability Lead Director Paul Taylor – Director of Change and Communities, Head of Service Gary Stevenson – Head of Housing, Health and Environment Lead Officer/Author Karin Grey – Sustainability Manager Classification Non-exempt Wards affected All
This report makes the following recommendations to the final decision-maker:
That the Council’s consultation response to the draft Kent & Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy as set out at Appendix C to the report be agreed and submitted to Kent County Council.
Explain how this report relates to the Corporate Priorities in the Five Year Plan: Our Borough: Through sustainable growth supporting prosperity, wellness and inclusivity. Providing Value: By working in partnership the strategy identifies priorities that it is valuable to address at a Kent and Medway wide level.
Timetable Meeting Date Agreed for publication by Portfolio Holder 13 August 2019 Agreed for publication by Head of Service 13 August 2019 Management Board 31 July 2019 Cabinet Advisory Board 21 August 2019 Cabinet 12 September 2019 Tunbridge Wells Committee Report, version: March 2019
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Draft Kent & Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy – Council’s Consultation response
1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 This report introduces the consultant draft of the Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy (ELES) and its associated at Appendix A and B respectively. The ELES is open for public consultation from July 1 to September 23 2019 and the proposed response from this Council is at Appendix C. The draft Strategy and evidence base can be found in Appendix A and B.
1.2 The delivery of the Strategy is being led by Kent County Council, (KCC), and has been developed in partnership with Medway, Kent local authorities and partners.
1.3 The purpose of the Strategy is to identify an evidence-based pathway to deliver clean growth and specifically strategies and actions to eliminate poor air quality, reduce fuel poverty and deliver an affordable, clean and secure energy supply for Kent and Medway.
1.4 Cabinet are asked to consider and agree the proposed consultation response as set out in Appendix C.
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 In November 2017, Kent & Medway Chief Executives and Leaders endorsed the need for a multi-agency Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy (ELES), as a sub strategy to the Kent Environment Strategy, with KCC taking the lead in co-ordinating its development collectively with Medway Unitary, Kent Districts and other key partners.
2.2 The Borough Council adopted the Kent Environment Strategy in October 2016 to bring benefits in terms of its integrated approach in key areas of environment, growth, economy and health.
2.3 The UK Government’s Clean Growth Strategy 2017 defines clean growth as - growing our income, while continuing to cut greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring our energy is secure, affordable and sustainable and protecting the climate and environment (air, land, water) on which future generations depend.
2.4 The ELES is timely as it outlines a possible approach for this Council to achieve its ambition of being carbon neutral by 2030. Further to its declaration at Full Council 17th July 2019 of a global climate and biodiversity emergencies.
2.5 The ELES makes the link between supply of energy for housing, industry and transport and air quality, recognising that by reducing the negative emissions from the former will lead to improvements in the latter. It takes an integrated
Page 18 Agenda Item 6
approach, identifying measures that will support growth and promote the development of an affordable, clean and secure energy supply and transport system for residents, business and the public sector as well as improving the quality of the air we breathe and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, which is essential if we are to meet our commitments.
2.6 The Strategy has four strategic aims and follows the three Kent Environment Strategy (KES) Themes. ELES identifies priorities for the next five years. The Strategic aims and themes are shown below in Figure 1. In due course a detailed one-year Implementation Plan will be developed in partnership with Medway and Kent local authorities, after which actions will be incorporated into the Kent Environment Strategy and be monitored though the Kent Environment Strategy Governance process.
2.7 As this is a Kent and Medway Strategy the priorities identified are those that it is valuable to address at a Kent and Medway wide level.
Figure 1: ELES Strategic Aims: 1. EVIDENCE: Provide an ongoing evidence and intelligence base; linking data sets to identify hot spots and opportunities, and to build the business case for action across Kent and Medway 2. POLICY AND STRATEGY: Facilitate the development of evidence-based policy and strategy to future proof growth, tackle emerging issues and realise opportunities 3. LEADERSHIP: Support the public sector across Kent and Medway to play a strong leadership role with regards to challenges and opportunities 4. ACTION: Facilitate increased and accelerated action and implementation across Kent and Medway
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2.8 The Council’s consultation response is set out at Appendix C and makes recommendations in terms of the Strategies aims and themes as detailed in figure 1 above.
2.9 Importantly the Borough Council notes that KCC at its meeting 23 May 2019 declared a climate emergency and through the framework of the Energy and Low Emissions Strategy KCC will facilitate the setting and agreement of a target of net zero emissions by 2050 for Kent and Medway. Equally, KCC will by May 2020 set an accelerated target with an associated action plan for its own estate and activities including those of its traded companies using appropriate methodologies.
2.10 The Borough Council as part of the ELES consultation recommends that the ELES is more ambitious in its targets and sets an ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030 in line with the Full Council Motion agreed in July 2019 declaring its recognition of global climate and biodiversity emergencies.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 Option 1: To support the consultation response as set out at Appendix C and approve its submission as the Borough Councils response to the ELES consultation.
3.2 Option 2: To not submit a response. This is not recommended as the Council has adopted the Kent Environment Strategy and the ELES is a sub strategy of this. The ELES is also a partnership document and by not submitting a response is a lost opportunity to influence the final Strategy document.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Option 1: To support the consultation response as set out at Appendix C and approve its submission as the Borough Councils response to the ELES consultation.
4.2 By approving its response to the ELES consultation the Council clearly states its recommendations for the final Strategy document, which in due course will be brought forward with the proposal for adoption by County, Medway unitary and Kent local authorities.
5. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
5.1 The draft ELES was developed by KCC via stakeholder engagement through a dedicated cross sector working group, workshops and consultations. Organisations and partners involved in the development of the strategy include all Local Authorities in Kent & Medway, Kent Fire and Rescue Services and the NHS amongst others. Further details on partnership engagement can be found on page 13 of the Strategy document.
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5.2 A consultation response to the draft ELES has been co-ordinated by collating feedback from departments across this council and management board, based on the consultation questionnaire.
5.3 The Councils consultation response as set out at Appendix C, recognises that the ELES can be a key document to enable the transition to a low carbon economy, providing the ELES is taken into account at all levels of decision making. Specific comments are made on the seven challenges as set out in the strategy and on each of the ‘three’ themes and on the proposed indicators.
RECOMMENDATION FROM CABINET ADVISORY BOARD
5.4 The Communities and Economic Development Cabinet Advisory Board will be consulted on this decision on 21 August 2019.
6. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
6.1 The approved consultation response will be submitted to KCC by the deadline of 23 September 2019 in line with the consultation requirements.
7. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
Issue Implications Sign-off Legal including No direct legal implications. Karin Grey Human Rights Sustainability Act Manager 12 August 2019 Finance and This report relates to the Strategy itself and Karin Grey other resources not individual costed actions. As future Sustainability projects are developed, the supporting Manager evidence and any cost implications will be identified, and the business case outlined 24 July 2019 through the appropriate governance processes. Staffing The consultation response to the Strategy is Karin Grey establishment delivered within the existing council Sustainability resources. Manager 24 July 2019 In terms of the Councils ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, it is envisaged this will be progressed through the implementation of the Energy and Low Emission Strategy and as such recognises additional staffing resource will need to be identified and agreed as part of the councils appropriate governance process.
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Risk The purpose of the strategy is to facilitate Karin Grey Management increased and accelerated action and Sustainability implementation across Kent and Medway. Manager
By not supporting the delivery of an Energy 24 July 2019 and Low Emission Strategy the Council runs the risk of not meeting the targets as specified in the Climate Change Act 2008 as amended 19th July 2019. Or the ambition as set out in the adopted global climate and biodiversity emergencies motion adopted at Full Council 17th July 2019. Data Protection A Data Protection Impact Assessment is not Karin Grey needed as this Strategy does not require the Sustainability processing of personal data. Manager 24 July 2019 Environment The Strategy supports clean growth whilst Karin Grey and Sustainability protecting and enhancing the environment Sustainability including biodiversity and reducing Manager emissions. 24 July 2019 However, it is advised that emissions are reduced as quickly as possible in line with the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), report 2018. Therefore, it is recommended that the ambition to achieve zero emission by 2030 is pursued. Community There are no community safety issues. Karin Grey Safety Sustainability Manager 24 July 2019 Health and This report is a consultation response Karin Grey Safety therefore there are no health and safety Sustainability implications. Manager 24 July 2019 Health and This Strategy makes the link between Karin Grey Wellbeing supply of energy for housing, industry and Sustainability transport and air quality, recognising that by Manager reducing the negative emissions from the former will lead to improvements in the 24 July 2019 latter.
It takes an integrated approach, identifying measures that will support growth and promote the development of an affordable, clean and secure energy supply and transport system for residents, business and the public sector thereby improving air quality, reducing carbon emissions and supporting public health.
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Equalities There are no significant negative impacts. Karin Grey As this Strategy is aimed at improving health Sustainability outcomes, there are likely to be more Manager positive equality impacts than negative, particularly for Age, Maternity and Disability. 24 July 2019
As individual projects are brought forward in due course, Equalities Impact Assessments will be completed at the relevant project planning stage.
8. REPORT APPENDICES
The following documents are to be published with and form part of the report: Appendix A: Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Consultation draft: Supporting delivery of the Kent Environment Strategy July 2019 Appendix B: Evidence Base Appendix C: Proposed response to the Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Consultation
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
Kent Environment Strategy https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies- and-policies/environment-waste-and-planning-policies/environmental- policies/kent-environment-strategy CAB98/16 Cabinet paper Adoption of the Kent Environment Strategy https://democracy.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/meetings/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?Id=117 9 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Consultation portal and supporting documentation https://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/energyandlowemissionconsultation/con sultationHome Full council: 17 July 2019 Motion to Declare its recognition of global climate and biodiversity emergencies http://democracy.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/meetings/documents/s43943/11%20Alter native%20Motion.pdf Global warming of 1.5◦C (International Panel on Climate Change, 2018) https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ Net Zero – The UK’s contribution to stopping global warming (Committee on Climate Change, 2019) https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/net-zero-the-uks- contribution-to-stopping-global-warming/ and https://www.theccc.org.uk/2019/05/02/phase-out-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by- 2050-to-end-uk-contribution-to-global-warming/
Page 23 This page is intentionally left blank KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY Page 25 Page Appendix A
SUPPORTING DELIVERY OF THE KENT ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY CONTENTS
Foreword 3
Vision 4
Introduction 4
Purpose of this strategy 6
Policy Drivers 7 Page 26 Page Examples of activities and achievements in Kent and Medway 8
Kent and Medway key facts and figures 9
Our challenges 10
How we developed the Energy and Low Emissions Strategy 13
THEME 1: Building the foundations for delivery 16 Appendix A THEME 2: Making the best use of existing resources, avoiding or minimising negative impacts 20
THEME 3: Towards a sustainable future 24
How we will deliver the Energy and Low Emissions Strategy 28
Measuring success - our indicators on a page 30
Glossary 31
2 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy FOREWORD
The challenge of balancing the pressure of development against the impacts on our environment and health has been widely recognised for many years. Kent and Medway, as the gateway to the continent and with close proximity to London, are ideally placed to lead on the energy and low emissions agenda. We need to tackle these issues head on as well as maximising any potential opportunities that arise. Kent and Medway face some important challenges. These include pockets of poor air quality, some areas where fuel poverty levels are above the south east average and an increasing number of severe weather events such as flooding, water shortage and rising temperatures. Page 27 Page Michael Payne Alan Jarrett We welcome, and fully support, the Kent and Medway Energy and Low Kent County Council, Leader of Medway Council Emissions Strategy which falls within the remit of the Kent Environment Deputy Cabinet Member for Strategy, especially as many Councils are now declaring a climate emergency. Planning, Highways, Moreover, we have a part to play in contributing to a better environment. Yet Transport and Waste while our individual endeavours are essential, close partnership working across organisations, sectors and geographical areas will be imperative in order to achieve the collective gain.
We firmly believe that by making growth clean, tackling poor air quality as well Appendix A as energy and carbon constraints in parallel, and by working closely across the public sector and with businesses and communities at scale, we can protect health and the environment and also benefit from being strong players in the low carbon and energy market. Now is the time to act together.
3 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy VISION INTRODUCTION By 2050 the county Kent and Medway are growing. By 2031 it is and sustainable and protecting the climate and anticipated that there will be almost 180,000 new environment (air, land, water) on which future of Kent has reduced homes and nearly 400,000 extra people, a 24% generations depend. emissions to Net-Zero increase from 2011 levels. The local economy is expected to continue to expand, creating an Kent and Medway are already experiencing and is benefiting from a additional 170,300 jobs by 2031 a 21% increase from significant environmental issues and constraints. competitive, innovative 2011 levels, in line with forecast population growth. Though the number of days of moderate or high and resilient low carbon Growth is both a challenge and an opportunity. air pollution fell between 2012 and 2016, there are There will be growth in demand for energy to heat, still more than 40 Air Quality Management Areas economy, where no cool and power our homes, lifestyles, businesses across Kent and Medway and significant pockets and transport infrastructure. This growth must of poor air quality along the county’s major road Page 28 Page deaths are associated be clean. The UK government’s Clean Growth networks. In 2017 it is estimated that there were 922 Strategy 2017 defines Clean Growth as: growing our deaths associated with particulate matter (PM2.5) with poor air quality. 1 income while continuing to cut greenhouse gas exposure across Kent and Medway . emissions; ensuring our energy is secure, affordable Road transport emissions are the main cause of poor air quality across Kent and Medway. In addition, congestion continues to be a problem, with average journey times on A-roads increasing 6% since 2015. Keeping the county moving is a high priority, as congestion negatively impacts productivity levels and air quality. Appendix A Actions to promote sustainable transport options, active travel (walking and cycling) and encourage the switch to alternatively fuelled vehicles will have the dual benefit of reducing harmful emissions and tackling congestion. Over 3,850 ultra-low emission vehicles are already registered in Kent. At the same time the cost of energy is rising. The average annual domestic combined gas and
4 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy 1 Calculated using all age, all cause deaths. electricity bill increased by 5.8% between 2017 and now costs £1,314. Latest data shows that 9.6% of Kent residents and 10.1% Medway residents are in fuel poverty. Many Kent and Medway homes, often those of the most vulnerable residents, are cold and poorly insulated. 23% of homes that have an Energy Performance Certificate have some of the lowest energy efficiency ratings (E,F and G); usually due to inadequate insulation and inefficient heating systems, which can result in higher energy bills. In industry, approximately 75% of energy used is to produce heat, much of which is wasted. This is also true across Kent and Medway. The Government Page 29 Page expects business and industry to improve energy efficiency by at least 20% by 20303, this includes a focus on industrial heat recovery. Ensuring an affordable energy supply for all and continuing to promote energy efficiency, forms a significant element of our Strategy. Supporting new forms of renewable low carbon energy supply will be an important part of the mix. The county has already seen an increase in renewable energy generation of energy system to ensure we have the energy we opportunities. Appendix A 726% since 2012 (230MW to 1900MW). need, when we need it, at the right price and without any negative environmental impacts. By tackling poor air quality, energy and carbon However, low carbon technologies such as electric constraints in parallel, and by working closely across vehicles and local renewable energy generation pose Growth, if clean, is a significant opportunity for the public sector, business and communities to scale a challenge to the electricity grid network in Kent and Kent and Medway. Measures to tackle poor air quality up action, we can protect health, the environment Medway which is already significantly constrained, and lower emissions will have multiple benefits. For and be a significant player in the low carbon and which could inhibit future growth. Therefore, instance, promoting active travel especially walking environmental goods and services sector (LCEGS) we must work with the energy utility companies to and cycling improves health and reduces congestion; both in the UK and internationally. create a more resilient, smart and innovative local and supporting a switch to more efficient, low carbon energy use creates jobs and new market
2 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy “Quarterly energy prices”, December 2018. 5 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy 3 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, “Helping businesses to improve the way they use energy: call for evidence,” 18th July 2018 [online] PURPOSE OF THIS STRATEGY
The Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy (ELES) is a Priority actions to deliver these four aims over the next five years have been sub strategy of the Kent Environment Strategy. The purpose of the ELES identified (see pages 15-23) and follow the three Kent Environment is to identify an evidence-based approach to deliver clean growth. This Strategy themes: includes strategies and actions to eliminate poor air quality, reduce fuel poverty and deliver an affordable, clean and secure energy supply. THEME 1: BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR DELIVERY – The Strategy makes the link between supply of energy for housing, where decisions makers have an evidence-based understanding industry and transport and air quality, recognising that by reducing the negative emissions from the former, will lead to improvements in of the risks and opportunities relating to energy and emissions the latter. It seeks to take an integrated approach, identifying measures and are incorporating them into strategies, plans and actions that will support growth, promote the development of and deliver an affordable, clean and secure energy supply for residents, business and Page 30 Page the public sector and improve the quality of the air we breathe. THEME2: MAKING THE BEST USE OF EXISTING RESOURCES, AVOIDING OR MINIMISING NEGATIVE IMPACTS – where The ELES has four strategic aims: existing infrastructure, assets and resources across the public, 1. EVIDENCE: Provide an ongoing evidence and intelligence base; private and domestic sector are managed to reduce emissions linking data sets to identify hot spots and opportunities, and to build and build a clean future energy supply the business case for action across Kent and Medway 2. POLICY AND STRATEGY: Facilitate the development of evidence- THEME 3: TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE – where Kent based policy and strategy to future proof growth, tackle emerging and Medway’s communities, businesses and public sector have
issues and realise opportunities embraced clean growth and are working towards developing a Appendix A 3. LEADERSHIP: Support the public sector across Kent and Medway clean, affordable and secure local energy future to play a strong leadership role with regards to challenges and opportunities 4. ACTION: Facilitate increased and accelerated action and implementation across Kent and Medway
6 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy POLICY DRIVERS
Climate change, energy and air quality issues are high on the national agenda. The 25 YEAR ENVIRONMENT PLAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS Government has set a clear policy direction Aims to deliver cleaner air Adopted by all United Nations and water; thriving plants and Member States, the goals provide with the Climate Change Act 2008, the animals; connect people with a shared blueprint for peace and Home Energy Conservation Act 1995, the the environment; and secure prosperity for people and the planet, 25 Year Environment Plan 2018, the Clean the environment for future now and into the future. Growth Strategy (2017) and the Clean Air generations. Strategy (2019) to protect and enhance the environment, mitigate climate change, support clean, low carbon economic Clean Air Strategy Industrial Strategy growth and address the negative impacts Focuses on reducing industrial Aims to boost productivity, create and transport emissions. It also good jobs and position the UK as Page 31 Page on health from a poor environment. OPPORTUNITIES aims to reduce particulate matter a leader in low cost, low carbon Local action will play a significant role in emissions from solid fuel used in innovation. achieving these ambitions and therefore homes. It also aims to tackle rising local policy must reflect these priorities. agricultural emissions. The key national strategies that have influenced the development of the The Road to Zero The Clean Growth Strategy Energy and Low Emissions Strategy are
CHALLENGES Aims to ensure almost every Aims to achieve nearly zero summarised in Figure 1. Further detail on car and van is zero emission by emissions from buildings and the policies driving action are outlined in 2050. It supports delivery of both transport by 2050. the supporting Kent and Medway Energy the Industrial and Clean Growth Appendix A and Low Emissions Strategy Evidence Base. Strategies.
Local Transport Plan 4: Local Energy Strategy: Delivering Growth without Energy South 2 East Gridlock (2016-2031) Provides an analysis of the opportunities and challenges FIGURE 1: Key national and regional strategies across heat, transport and power influencing the development of the Kent and in South East England. Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy.
7 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy EXAMPLES OF ACTIVTY AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN KENT AND MEDWAY
Carbon dioxide emissions in Kent Low Carbon Across the South East and Medway fell 36% between (LoCASE) has been identified in 2005 and 2016, hitting our 2020 the Tri-LEP Energy Strategy as an Kent Environment Strategy target exemplar project for replication two years early. across the south-east region. Supported by European funding, LoCASE provides free support to help businesses become more competitive and profitable while The installed capacity of solar, Kent and Medway’s non-domestic protecting the environment and The number of days of moderate wind, waste and Combined Heat gas consumption decreased by encouraging low carbon solutions. or high air pollution in Kent and and Power (CHP) has increased by 60% between 2005 and 2016, Since LoCASE began in 2016, Medway fell between 2012 and 726% in five years, from 230MW in whilst domestic gas consumption £3.5m has been awarded to 425 2016 and there have been positive 2012 to 1,900MW in 2017. fell by 23% over the same period. Kent and Medway businesses. improvements in some Air Quality
Page 32 Page Management Areas.
Since the Warm Homes Scheme The use of gas and electricity in began in 2014, over 2,400 energy Kent and Medway fell by 32% efficiency measures have been between 2005 and 2016, with the installed in over 2,300 homes in carbon intensity of electricity also Kent and Medway. dropping by almost 30%. Appendix A
As of December 2018, 3,850 ultra- In a 2018 survey of Kent residents, There has been a 42% increase in 89% of newly built homes in low emission vehicles (ULEVs) are 85% reported that they have fitted people using train stations in Kent Kent and Medway had an Energy registered in Kent. In February 2019, energy efficiency measures, such in the past ten years. In 2016/17, Performance Certificate rating of Kent Kent Council was awarded as loft or cavity wall insulations, 1.8 million people used Ebbsfleet A or B in 2017, meaning they have £180,000 from the Government’s and 40% have fitted energy International Station. the highest energy performance, Office of Low Emission Vehicles to monitoring equipment. up from 62% in 2011. install 8 rapid chargers for use by taxis in 6 Kent Districts.
8 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy KENT AND MEDWAY KEY FACTS AND FIGURES
Heat networks4 BY 2031 KENT AND MEDWAY currently provide ARE EXPECTING TO SEE6 2% of the UK heat 54% demand, but this is of total fuel estimated to rise to 23% of homes and 19% consumption 43% by 2050. of public buildings are is from gas and E, F or G rated meaning 178,600 electricity 11% of residents additional homes they have poor energy 5 have reported (24% growth) 14.3% increase in the performance and that they struggle therefore have higher number of vehicles to pay their energy on major roads in energy costs and make a bigger contribution to bills. 41% of those, Kent between 2006 carbon and air pollution live in rented Page 33 Page and 2016. emissions. accommodation. 396,300 additional people (23% growth) Carbon emissions from 9.2m 72,000 transport are increasing vehicle movements households in Kent and are now at their at port of Dover and and Medway are in highest since 2007. 170,300 Channel Tunnel fuel poverty. additional jobs every year. (21% growth) Kent and Medway’s Appendix A mortality rate This predicted population and The rate of Excess Winter associated with poor economic growth will require a Deaths is higher in Kent air quality is worse 40 Air Quality higher demand for energy. than for both the south-east than the national Management Areas, where air It is likely that domestic gas and the whole of England. average pollutants have been known to and electricity sales will rise by exceed government objectives 23% and 19% respectively from 2014/15 to 2030/31.
4 Heat networks supply heat from a central source to consumers. 9 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy 5 Kent Environment Strategy resident survey, July 2018 6 Figures identified by the Growth and Infrastructure Framework for Kent and Medway OUR CHALLENGES
Despite the many successes and opportunities, Kent continues to face many The associated economic costs through healthcare and lost productivity are significant challenges. These will need to be addressed in the short to medium- estimated to be £20 billion annually (Holland, 2016). Poor air quality also has term if the environmental condition of the county is not to see considerable adverse impacts on the natural environment through damage to vegetation, deterioration. The Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy soils rivers and lakes (EEA, 2016). Evidence Base identifies a number of key issues which are summarised here: Whilst the numbers of days of moderate or high air pollution in the county fell EMBRACING CLEAN GROWTH between 2012 and 2016, there are still 40 Air Quality Management Areas and significant pockets of poor air quality along the major road networks under Accommodating significant levels of housing and economic growth will be a local authority control. Kent and Medway’s position between London and the major challenge for the county and is an influencing factor in all the key issues continent brings air quality challenges associated with cross-channel traffic, identified. Principles of Clean Growth must be mainstreamed into planning and including a disproportionately large number of HGVs, with their associated diesel development, whilst not becoming a barrier to sustainable growth. emissions. Around the coast and ports, shipping brings additional impacts Page 34 Page from the use of marine diesel. Even air pollution sources from outside Kent and Medway impact the population; with easterly winds bringing pollution from continental sources and westerly winds bringing urban pollution from London.
PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE Whilst air pollution is harmful to everyone, some people are at greater risk due to • living in areas with high levels of air pollution • learning or working near busy roads Appendix A • age; in the womb,, infancy, early childhood and the elderly • existing medical conditions, such as lung and heart disease and asthma. These vulnerabilities are heightened among those living in the most deprived communities. This is due to poor housing and indoor air quality, the stress of TACKLING HOT-SPOTS OF POOR AIR QUALITY living on a low income, and limited access to healthy food and/or green spaces (RCP, 2016). Poor air quality is a major health challenge for the UK causing both short and long-term effects on health. Long-term exposure to air pollution can impact on all stages of life; from asthma in children, to emerging evidence linking fine particulate matter (PM2.5) to the progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
10 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy ACHIEVING A STEP CHANGE IN THE REDUCTION OF CARBON 7,000.0 DIOXIDE EMISSIONS 6,000.0
The Kent Environment Strategy makes a commitment to reduce carbon dioxide 5,000.0 emissions by 34% by 2020 and 60% by 2030, from a 2005 baseline. Our current progress is a 36% reduction since 2005, meaning that we have already achieved 4,000.0 our 2020 emissions reduction target, but meeting our 2030 target will be 3,000.0 challenging. 2,000.0
Whilst emissions from the industry and commercial sector and domestic sector Emissions (kt CO2) CO2 have fallen significantly over the period (falling 55% and 32% respectively), the 1,000.0 transport sector has not followed this trend (see Figure 2). The transport sector 0 now accounts for 41% of Kent and Medway emissions, and these emissions are 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 rising; now at their highest level since 2007. Axis Title To date, much of the reduction in emissions has been due to a national decrease Industry and commerical total Transport total Domestic total Page 35 Page in the use of coal for electricity generation and the closure of a small number of energy-intensive industrial plants. However, it has been estimated that proposed FIGURE 2: CO2 emissions profile for Kent and Medway; this data includes housing growth within the county will generate a likely 25% increase in domestic estimated emissions for the industrial and commercial, transport and domestic emissions compared to current levels, coupled with a potentially even greater sectors. Note: kt refers to kilotons rise in transport emissions if current trends are not reversed. Tackling carbon emissions over the next target period to 2030 will be a fundamental challenge speed has dropped 1% over the same period. With severe congestion on the without significant changes to how we travel and the way we generate and use highway network, particularly in major town centres, growth across the county energy. will be constrained without investment and increased capacity.
The ambition for Kent County Council’s Local Transport Plan: Growth Without Appendix A ENABLING INTEGRATED AND CONNECTED MOBILITY – GROWTH Gridlock, is ‘To deliver safe and effective transport, ensuring that all of Kent’s WITHOUT GRIDLOCK communities and businesses benefit, the environment is enhanced, and A convenient, affordable and reliable transport network is vital for providing economic growth supported’. To achieve this, we must not only focus on clean access to facilities and services, connecting businesses and communities and road transport such as electric vehicles, but also promote smarter driving and reducing social isolation. However, transport contributes over 40% of the traffic management; maximise integration of alternative forms of transport such county’s carbon emissions and pollutants from road vehicles have a negative as walking and cycling; ensure convenient connections to clean public transport; impact on air quality and human health. and support new transport models such as car clubs, car sharing and automated vehicles through the use of smart technology. Kent is already experiencing increased congestion on its road and rail network. The average delay on Kent’s ‘A’ roads have increased 6% since 2015 and average
11 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy At the same time, we need to support smarter working practices. Better The challenge of decarbonising energy at the local level will be threefold: broadband services and enhanced access to digital services will help prevent • Increase the supply of local, low carbon energy generation, at or near the the need to travel in the first place. 95% of Kent and Medway’s homes and point of use, whether domestic or industrial. businesses now have access to superfast broadband, but there are still significant • Significantly cut consumption from greenhouse gas-intensive sources; for challenges to get 100% consistent coverage and service across the county and example, transitioning away from petrol and diesel to electric transportation ensure the full benefits of digitalisation are realised. (cars, buses, autonomous vehicles), facilitating more sustainable energy ENSURING A SUSTAINABLE, SECURE AND AFFORDABLE connections for properties that are not connected to the gas network and still ENERGY SUPPLY heated by coal or oil. • Eliminate wasted energy through greater efficiency, targeting industrial Energy demand, together with generation and supply is intrinsically linked to processes and buildings. carbon dioxide emissions. It is therefore essential to understand how much energy is used, by whom, how and for what, and how this might change in OVERCOMING ENERGY GRID CONSTRAINTS the future. This will allow us to identify the most appropriate and cost-effective interventions that will continue to drive down emissions. Energy security is vital to the development and growth of Kent and Medway in the coming years. However, the energy system in the UK and Kent is changing. Page 36 Page Energy prices are increasing again. Government data shows that average Two-thirds of the UK’s existing coal, gas and nuclear power stations are set to household expenditure on energy rose 5.6% between 2017 and 2018; with the close by 2030 and any future power stations must be largely decarbonised, if the average annual household electricity and gas bills in the south east now costing UK is to achieve its legally binding targets of cutting carbon emissions by 80% by £670 and £661 respectively. Higher energy prices have an impact on both 2050. economic growth and residents’ wellbeing. Although fuel poverty levels vary across the county; from 11.4% in Thanet, to 8.1% in Tonbridge and Malling, eight Much of the county is already subject to electricity grid network constraints, council areas record fuel poverty rates higher than the South East average of 9%. which can inhibit supply and demand. In the future, there will be increased demand on the electricity grid as a result of the push to decarbonise energy, Transport is the largest consumer of energy in Kent and Medway, followed which will require heating systems to be switched from coal, oil and gas, to low- by the domestic and industrial and commercial sectors. Fuel consumption is carbon electricity. Demand for electricity will be further increased with greater Appendix A exacerbated by the fact that large amounts are wasted, such as heat in the numbers of electric vehicles and the associated charging infrastructure. A drive industrial sector and due to the UK having some of the least energy efficient towards locally generated renewable energy, often from smaller, more dispersed housing stock in the world. Continued economic growth means that our energy sources, will further ramp up pressure on the grid network. consumption is set to rise. A study commissioned by Kent County Council revealed that between 2014/15 and 2030/31, gas demand in Kent and Medway is Changing supply and demand, though an enormous opportunity, also presents expected to increase by approximately 23% and electricity demand is expected significant challenges to our existing system nationally and locally. It will to increase by 19%. require large amounts of investment in infrastructure and the transmission and distribution networks. It will be essential to map existing electricity and gas grid As the achievement of our Kent Environment Strategy carbon reduction target of constraints against future development, to identify potential issues early and to 60% by 2030 will not be met by reduced demand, we must instead transition to identify any opportunities for local generation solutions, such as district heating a low or zero carbon clean energy system. systems.
12 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy HOW WE DEVELOPED THE ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY
Underpinning the Energy and Low Emissions Strategy is an Kent Leaders, NHS, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, South East Local Enterprise Partnership, evidence and intelligence base, which is drawn from a wide range Kent and Medway Economic Partnership, Public Health, Kent Housing Group, Kent and of sources: Medway Air Quality Partnership, Kent and Medway Sustainable Energy Partnership, Kent Energy Efficiency Partnership, Kent Planning Officers Group and Kent Health and Wellbeing • Government strategies, plans, reports and national data sets Board. A summary of the review process is shown in Figure 3. • The Tri-LEP Energy Strategy and Evidence Base • The Kent and Medway State of the Environment Report and Evidence & annual monitoring report Engagement • AECOM Renewable Energy for Kent 2017 Update monitoring • Public health indicators and evidence covering national and Page 37 Page local area data • Home energy conservation and fuel poverty action plans Kent State of the Public Perception and reports Environment report Survey • District council’s and Medway Council’s air quality monitoring, plans and reports • Public and private sector research and current activity on the Kent and Medway topics of energy, fuel poverty, transport, air quality, growth and Kent Environment Energy and Low Stakeholder planning and the impacts on public health Strategy Annual workshops Monitoring Emissions • The 2018 Kent Environment Strategy Public Perception Survey Appendix A Strategy 2019 The evidence base is issued as a supporting document to this Strategy. Stakeholder Review of key consultantions and Central to the development of this strategy has been stakeholder strategies external consultant engagement, through a dedicated cross sector working group, review workshops and consultations. Organisations and partners involved in the development of the strategy include, amongst others, all Figure 3: Summary of the review process used to develop the Kent and Medway Local Authorities in Kent & Medway, Joint Chief Executives, Joint Low Emissions Strategy
13 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy ENERGY SOUTH TO EAST: TOWARDS A LOW CARBON ECONOMY - THE TRI-LEP ENERGY STRATEGY
The Government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has requested and provided the FIVE PRIORITY THEMES PROJECT MODELS funding to all Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to produce #1 District Heat Networks rollout regional Local Energy Strategies, which should provide a clear LOW CARBON #2 Off-gas grid homes analysis of the local opportunities and challenges across heat, HEATING #3 Hydrogen injection into the Natural Gas grid transport and power. #16 New-build homes on hydrogen grid
In response to this request, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) has partnered with Coast to Capital and ENERGY SAVING #2 Off-gas grid homes Enterprise M3, to develop an ambitious regional Local Energy #9 Energy Efficiency in homes Strategy, which aims to reduce emissions from energy and AND EFFICIENCY #10 SME Support Programme
Page 38 Page transport and support clean growth.
The strategy has identified five themes and 18 potential #4 Offshore wind development #5 Solar and microgrid on landfill sites technological project model interventions, which are shown RENEWABLE in Figure 4. These interventions will be scalable across the #6 Biomass fuel supply chain development GENERATION #7 Solar energy for Network Rail geography to increase impact and investment and develop #8 Car parks - solar potential partnership working across Local Enterprise Partnerships, #17 Biofuel evolution including Kent and Medway. Where project models are relevant for Kent and Medway, suitable actions will be #5 Solar and microgrid on landfill sites
reflected in the Kent and Medway Low Emissions Strategy. Appendix A SMART ENERGY #11 Housing and community microgrids The full strategy can be found at #12 EV charging & hydrogen-fuelling infrastructure www.southeastlep.com/our-strategy/energy-south2east/. SYSTEM #15 Setup of ESCO / MUSCO infrastructure #18 Support developments in CO2 capture
TRANSPORT #12 EV charging & hydrogen-fuelling infrastructure #13 CNG fleet fuelling REVOLUTION #14 Ports - modernisation of energy infrastructures
Figure 4: The 5 themes and 18 project models in the Energy South To East Action Plan.
14 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy PRIORITIES OF THE KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY
The Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy is informed by, but The strategy is split into three themes: does not duplicate, the priorities and actions from other strategies related to energy and the environment. It also builds on and strengthens the activities of THEME 1 – Building the foundations for delivery aims to ensure decision makers other partner organisations. The focus of this strategy is to draw together the have an evidence-based understanding of our risks and opportunities relating to priorities that need to be addressed in partnership and implemented strategically energy and emissions and are incorporating these into appropriate polices, plans across Kent and Medway. Underpinning the strategy will be the Kent and and actions. Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Implementation Plan, which will THEME 2 – Making the best use of existing resources, avoiding or minimising provide the detailed actions (and other information such as timescales, outputs negative impacts aims to ensure existing infrastructure, assets and resources and lead partners), for achieving our priorities. These actions have been identified across public, private and domestic sectors are managed in a way that reduces through stakeholder engagement, workshops and reviews. emissions and builds a clean future energy supply.
THEME 3 – Towards a sustainable future aims to ensure that the decisions and Page 39 Page plans we make today address future energy challenges and opportunities. In doing so, our communities, businesses and public sector will have embraced clean growth and be working towards developing a clean, affordable and secure local energy future.
EVIDENCE DELIVERY
THEME 1: BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS THEME 2: MAKING THE BEST USE OF THEME 3: TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE Appendix A FOR DELIVERY RESOURCES, AVOIDING OR MINIMISING FUTURE NEGATIVE IMPACTS 1 Bridging gaps in understanding 7 Influence future sustainable 5 Improve our resource efficiency growth for the county of Kent 2 Influencing strategy and policy 6 Support sustainable access and 3 Building resources, capabilities and connectivity for business and changing behaviour communities 4 Monitoring and evaluation
15 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Theme 1 Building the foundations for delivery Theme 1 aims to ensure decision makers have an evidenced-based understanding of our risks and opportunities relating to energy and emissions and are 1 incorporating these into appropriate policies, plans and actions. Page 40 Page Appendix A
16 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy THEME 1 PRIORITIES There are still gaps in our knowledge, where more research in partnership with universities and other partners would be beneficial and where new case studies In developing the evidence base underpinning this Strategy, we have would provide a stronger evidence-based business case for action. Continuing drawn upon a broad range of evidence and data, which has identified many to develop a more robust evidence base will help support the business case for opportunities. It is important that we continue to build on this work, creating an new clean growth project opportunities and will also lead to the development integrated evidence base that can inform other strategies, such as the Kent and of stronger partnership bids to access a range of funding sources. We must Medway Growth and Infrastructure Framework. Our evidence base must make also look to secure long term behaviour change across all sectors, including better use of technologies such as GIS mapping, to overlay datasets and visually the general public, through tailored and targeted communications that raise show countywide opportunities. There also remain gaps in our knowledge awareness and change perceptions. These aspects are the focus of priority 3: base where we need to do more to support evidence-based decisions; such as building resources, capabilities and changing behaviour. improving the extent of our air quality data, or where new data is required to To ensure our activities remain effective, it is essential that we monitor and track emerging trends; such as the uptake of electric vehicles and the extent evaluate progress against our priorities. To do this we will establish and monitor of charging infrastructure. This is the focus of priority 1: bridging gaps in key indicators; ensuring that they remain measurable over the lifetime of this understanding.
Page 41 Page strategy. We must also continue to monitor future risks and opportunities A stronger evidence base will allow for better targeting of activities and will that may impact how we deliver this strategy, for example new technological support more collaborative working with partners across the county, region and developments or changes to national policy. This ongoing assessment is the nationally. It will also highlight where appropriate engagement is needed to focus of priority 4: monitoring and evaluation. influence aspects outside local authorities’ control.
Future growth and fundamental changes to the way we generate and consume energy have been highlighted as key challenges for Kent and Medway. To successfully manage these risks and to realise the opportunities, public sector, business and industry needs to continue to work together to influence policy Appendix A and deliver activity that ensure our continued economic growth is clean and sustainable. Partners must be given the tools to more strongly influence sustainable development through planning policy and Local Plans, by developing shared clean growth policies for planning, licensing and public sector estates and supply chain. Developing such policies and position statements is the focus of priority 2: influencing strategy and policy.
17 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Theme 1 Building the foundations for delivery
3 2 1 Building resources, 4 Influencing strategy and PRIORITIES Bridging gaps in capabilities and changing Monitoring and evaluation policy understanding behaviour
1.1 Further develop Kent 2.1 Develop targeted, evidence- 3.1 Identify, support and 4.1 Establish and monitor key Environment Strategy based clean growth and promote the business case performance indicators intelligence hub and planning policies, for for specific clean growth emissions inventory to example electric vehicle projects across KMEP, SELEP inform decision making infrastructure, to address and Greater South East significant challenges and Energy Hub areas opportunities
1.2 Utilise intelligence hub 2.2 Develop response to the 3.2 Support clean growth 4.2 Evaluate progress and evidence to develop Industrial Strategy’s Clean advocacy and cross border identify future risks, Page 42 Page an Integrated Heat and Growth Grand Challenge to collaboration throughout opportunities and actions Opportunities Map (GIS), influence the SELEP’s local the south east , specifically linked to key strategies industrial strategy the SELEP and sub national transport boards
1.3 Understand where new 2.3 Develop position statements 3.3 Develop a more sustained High level charging points need to be, for lobbying government on collaboration with Kent to inform the discussion areas outside of Kent and Universities to enable more activities Medway’s control effective decision making Appendix A 3.4 Review existing and/or establish new funding mechanisms to deliver the Energy and Low Emissions Strategy
3.5 Develop targeted communications and behaviour change initiatives to support strategy priorities, focusing on hot spot areas
18 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy CASE STUDY: WORKING WITH SCHOOLS TO TACKLE CASE STUDY: KENT AIR WEBSITE AIR POLLUTION The Kent and Medway Air Quality Monitoring Network is funded by the district In 2018, Maidstone Borough Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and borough councils within the county, Medway Council and Kent County environmental health teams worked with local schools to tackle local air Council. The network aims to promote the improvement of air quality within the pollution. Schools who signed up to the Clean Air for Schools Scheme were region, to help local authorities to meet their obligations under environmental helped to undertake an engaging class experiment. Schools were provided with regulations and to maintain an accessible database of robust measurements for two free air monitoring tubes per month, along with guidance on how to record public reporting, research and development. data and report the results back to the council. The Kent Air website has been developed by the network to provide easy public This hands-on approach allowed students to analyse the direct relationship access to live air quality levels, historic data measured from automatic monitoring between the volume of traffic outside their school and its impact on air pollution and NO2 diffusion tubes, and published data and reports for Medway and all within the school grounds. The objective was to encourage a reduction in car district and borough councils except for Dartford and Sevenoaks (whose data is journeys made by parents and to highlight the effects of leaving engines idling hosted on the London Air Quality Network website: www.londonair.org.uk). The while dropping off and collecting children. website also provides information about the health impacts of air pollution and recommended health advice for the forecast level of pollution. The project was launched in conjunction with the KM Charity Team’s Green Champions and is sponsored by the Mid-Kent Environmental Health Team, with Page 43 Page no funding required from the schools. For more information, or to register, visit: www.maidstone.gov.uk/cleanairforschools Appendix A
19 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Theme 2 Making best use of existing resources, avoiding or minimising negative impacts 2 Theme 2 aims to ensure existing infrastructure, assets and resources across public, private and domestic sectors are managed in a way that reduces emissions and builds a clean future energy supply. Page 44 Page Appendix A
20 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy THEME 2 PRIORITIES Enabling growth without gridlock has been highlighted as a key challenge for Kent and Medway, and one that will only be achieved through a combination of Many partners and sectors are already taking action to reduce their impact on measures that influence behaviour and improve infrastructure. We will therefore the environment, but our evidence shows that this activity needs to be joined- look to support the development of traffic free commuter routes; provide up, expanded and accelerated. This theme therefore focuses on enhancing infrastructure and facilities to encourage active travel; support investment in actions to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and support sustainable digital technologies to encourage flexible or remote working; and work with access and digital connectivity. public transport providers to support the transition to lower emission vehicles. Providing good quality integrated transport infrastructure that supports Our evidence has shown that a sustainable, secure and affordable energy supply connected communities and mobility is also a priority. We must also continue will only be possible if we significantly cut consumption of carbon-intensive to tackle poor air quality hotspots, through the implementation of Air Quality energy sources, eliminate energy waste and increase the supply of local, low Management Plans. The way residents, businesses and public sector travel, access carbon energy generation. It has also revealed that some of our most vulnerable and provide services is the focus of priority 6: support sustainable access and residents living in the most deprived communities are often at a dual risk from connectivity for business and communities. poor air quality and fuel poverty. For the domestic sector, our priorities therefore
Page 45 Page focus on continuing to support vulnerable and fuel poor residents through existing home energy efficiency and fuel poverty initiatives. This includes providing a trusted route to access grant funding, energy switching programmes and targeting hard-to-treat homes; such as those off the gas network or with solid walls, to ensure our most vulnerable residents benefit the most. We will also investigate options to support able-to-pay, high energy use residents to install low carbon technology and support private landlords to make energy efficiency improvements.
For business and the public sector, our activities will ensure a stronger focus Appendix A on delivering more efficient and lower carbon heat energy, by reducing or recovering wasted heat and introducing newer heat technologies or alternative fuel sources. We will also continue to provide support to businesses and influence public sector supply-chains; building upon the success of programmes such as LoCASE and broadband rollout. These activities across domestic, public and business sectors are the focus of priority 5: improve our resource efficiency.
21 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Theme 2 Making best use of existing resources, avoiding or minimising negative impacts
6 5 Support sustainable access and connectivity for PRIORITIES Improve our resource efficiency business and communities
5.1 Sign up to the BEIS Emissions Pledge at a Kent and Medway level, 6.1 Support the development of traffic-free commuter routes for walking focusing on actions that can be delivered in partnership and cycling
5.2 Develop a Cross Kent and Medway Public Sector Energy and Emissions 6.2 Promote active travel through the provision of facilities and promoting Programme, highlighting areas where action can be taken jointly at scale the benefits to public and private sector Page 46 Page 5.3 Develop tailored Kent and Medway public sector buildings design 6.3 Promote smarter working by supporting investment in digital guidance for new build, refurbishment and ongoing maintenance technologies that enable flexible working and workspaces
High level activities 5.4 Identify and support vulnerable and fuel poor residents through delivery 6.4 Support public transport providers, including school transport of the Kent Fuel Poverty Strategy providers, to use lower emission vehicles
5.5 Review the Warm Homes programme and develop targeted action to 6.5 Support development and expansion of the electric vehicle uptake and Appendix A support improvements in the domestic housing sector; specifically charging infrastructure for residents, businesses and the public sector. difficult to treat, private rented and fuel poor
5.6 Review current SME support programmes in Kent and develop a Kent and Medway Clean Growth Programme
22 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy CASE STUDY: PARK AND PEDAL IN CANTERBURY CASE STUDY: MAKING KENT HOMES WARMER
In June 2018, Canterbury City Council launched its Park and Pedal scheme at Through a combination of schemes and initiatives, local authorities in Kent and Wincheap Park and Ride. Over 1,200 journeys were recorded between July Medway have been able to maximise funding and signpost residents to initiatives 2018 and January 2019. Of these journeys, 87% were by customers who were that make homes warmer, reduce health inequalities and lower carbon emissions. not regular users of the Wincheap Park and Ride, and would normally have driven into the city centre. Since 2013, five Kent councils have offered a Collective Energy Switching scheme, called Energy Deal. Residents can register for free to take part in energy auctions Cyclists who sign-up to the scheme pay a £15 deposit for a key card that (held 3 times a year), to identify lower energy tariffs without any obligation to allows them to leave their bike in a high security compound. They are then switch. Since 2013, the Energy Deal has helped residents save £804,632 on their able to drive to the car park each morning and park for free, before grabbing energy bills collectively. their bike and heading into the city, helping to cut the queues and improving air quality in the town centre. Kent and Medway partners are also working together to promote the Warm Homes scheme that helps residents identify energy efficiency measures that will The scheme was largely funded by a £21,300 grant from Kent County Council. help lower their energy bills and make their homes feel warmer. Since the Warm The Park and Pedal map can be viewed on Canterbury City Council website Homes scheme began in 2014, over 2,400 energy efficiency measures have been and shows bike routes from Wincheap Park and Ride into the city, cycle racks installed in over 2,300 homes. In total, the measures are expected to save an and places to refill your water bottle. estimated 39,000 tonnes of carbon and save residents £8.8 million over the course Page 47 Page of the measures’ life.
For more information visit www.energydealswitch.com and www.kent.gov.uk/warmhomes Appendix A
23 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Theme 3 Toward a sustainable future
Theme 3 aims to ensure that the decisions and plans we make today address future energy challenges and opportunities. In doing so, our 3 communities, businesses and public sector will have embraced clean growth and be working towards developing a clean, affordable and secure local energy future. Page 48 Page Appendix A
24 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy THEME 3 PRIORITIES Where theme two focused on the impact and efficiency of our current assets and resources, theme three seeks to ensure that the decisions and plans we make for the future embrace clean growth and allow us to develop a clean, affordable and secure energy future.
Ensuring sustainable, secure and affordable energy supplies, which overcome the current energy grid constraints can only be achieved through:
• informed planning decisions • good quality sustainable design • investment in new technologies • cleaner fuels • and adoption of smarter ways of working. Page 49 Page
Together, this will bring about a step change in the reduction of harmful Embracing clean growth also requires us to transform the way we generate greenhouse gas emissions. energy. Whilst some of this will be done at the national level, we will also To support good quality, sustainable design we will refresh the Kent Design progress future new low carbon energy infrastructure opportunities presented in Guide and explore the feasibility of developing a Kent Design kitemark. An the Tri-LEP energy strategy. We will focus on supporting opportunities that allow updated Design Guide could promote important clean growth concepts such more of our energy to be produced locally and from renewable sources and as resource efficient housing and decentralised energy. The Guide would also increasing the number of new developments supplied by local energy centres promote infrastructure that encourages active travel, public transport and and district heating schemes.
electric and alternative fuelled vehicles. It could also include air quality criteria Ensuring that future decisions on services, developments and planning are Appendix A such as anti-idling zones. embracing clean growth is the focus of priority 7: influence future sustainable growth for the county of Kent.
25 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Theme 3 Toward a sustainable future
7 PRIORITIES Influence future sustainable growth for the county of Kent
7.1 Using evidence from theme 1 and the Tri-LEP Energy Strategy, continue to identify and progress future new low carbon energy infrastructure opportunities for Kent and Medway
7.2 Refresh the Kent Design Guide and develop guidance to future-proof development to 2050, for example electric vehicles
7.3 Test new charging technologies on the highway as they become available Page 50 Page
High level 7.4 Support the development and roll out of District Heat Networks and low carbon heating options for off-gas grid homes activities 7.5 Support continued development of offshore wind and biomass fuel sectors and supply chains
7.6 Support the development of renewable energy projects on former
landfill sites and potential solar car parks Appendix A
7.7 Support feasibility studies looking at future housing micro-grids , new-build homes on hydrogen, biofuel development and Compressed Natural Gas fleet fueling
26 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy CASE STUDY: ELECTRIC BUS TRIAL CASE STUDY: LOW CARBON ACROSS THE SOUTH EAST
In March 2018, Kent took part in an eight-week electric bus demonstrator trial The Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) project provides free support commissioned by Volvo Bus UK and ABB UK. The trial aimed to demonstrate to help businesses become more competitive and profitable, by reducing to Kent County Council, Prologis and Arriva (the bus operators), that electric environmental impacts through resource efficiencies and encouraging low buses can be operational without disrupting current schedules, whilst also carbon innovation. It does this through a three-pronged approach of stimulating improving air quality, energy efficiency, noise and passenger comfort, as well demand, supporting supply and transferring knowledge. The scheme is as providing financial benefits. The trial was conducted along the 23.6km-long administered by Kent County Council and supports businesses in Kent and ‘Fastrack Route A’, operating 20 hours daily between Dartford and Bluewater. Medway, Essex, Thurrock, Southend-on-Sea and East Sussex.
Data gathered from the trial showed that an energy saving of 69.3% could The project has seen nearly £3.5 million of EU grant funding approved for 425 be realised on the Fastrack Route A (based on the annual energy use of Kent and Medway Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), towards a huge current diesel buses; 2,063MW, versus the energy used by the bus on the range of purposes. This investment is set to deliver over 4,000 tonnes of CO2 trial; 634MW). Feedback from Arriva was positive, with the electric bus equivalent of savings through 250 energy and resource efficiency projects; from outperforming expectations and the drivers reporting that they preferred the simple lighting, heating and insulation works, to investing in more effective and electric vehicles. The public were also complimentary, with 70% of Twitter sustainable business practices. This support has helped create 160 jobs, launch 45 comments being neutral or positive. new products or services and support 31 business start-ups in Kent and Medway’s
Page 51 Page burgeoning Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services sector. The demonstration proved that the vehicle operated within Fastrack’s operational requirements. It also helped promote the drive towards zero LoCASE was identified as an exemplar project for replication across the south emissions technology and whilst the vehicle itself drew attention, the visual east in the Energy South2East regional local energy strategy. It was also selected element of the charging infrastructure proved to be much more effective and as a runner-up by the President of the Association of Directors of Environment, thought provoking for the general public and stakeholders alike. Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) Awards in 2018. Appendix A
27 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy HOW WE WILL DELIVER THE ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY
The Energy and Low Emissions Strategy provides an evidence based ‘Pathway for Clean Growth’ across Kent and Medway. It identifies high level priorities for action • GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE FRAMEWORK in the short, medium and long term. • LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN 4 – GROWTH WITHOUT GRIDLOCK All actions are partnership-based and will be integrated into the Kent Environment Strategy Implementation • ACTIVE TRAVEL STRATEGY Plan. Monitoring of the Implementation Plan and associated indicators and will take place annually • HEALTH AND WELL BEING STRATEGY through Kent Leaders and Chief Executives and appropriate partnerships. See Figure 6. All the latest • JOINT STRATEGIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT monitoring reports, indicators and state of the environment report can be found • FUEL POVERTY STRATEGY Page 52 Page online at www.kent.gov.uk/environmentstrategy The Energy and Low Emissions Strategy is a sub-strategy of the Kent Environment • HOUSING STRATEGY Strategy and as with the Kent Environment Strategy, it is intrinsically linked to several other strategic documents and policies across Kent. These are shown in • PROPERITY AND PRODUCTIVITY STRATEGY Figure 5. • STRATEGIC ECONOMIC STATEMENT (LEP)
• LOCAL INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY
• LOCAL AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT AREA STRATEGIES Appendix A
• SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION PLAN STRATEGY
Figure 5: Key strategies linked to the Energy and Low Emissions Strategy
28 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Strategic Kent & Medway Kent health & Joint Kent kent housing Direction and Economic Kent Leaders wellbeing Chief Exec. group Monitoring Partnership board
KENT ENVIRONMENT Champion & Challenge Customer Insight STRATEGY STEERING GROUP ______Strategic coordination Kent Environment l Perception Survey
Page 53 Page Reporting on progress Champions Group (KECG) l Customer Feedback Advice on strategic direction
Implementation and Feedback* Appendix A
Partnerships and HEALTH NGO/charities local government business groups Forums
Figure 4: Relationship of partner groups in the delivery of the Kent and Energy Low Emissions Strategy
*The main reporting line will be to Kent Leaders and Joint Chief Execs
29 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy MEASURING SUCCESS – OUR INDICATORS ON A PAGE
Total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions Emissions Total carbon dioxide emissions by sector Number of authorities signed up to the Emissions Reduction Pledge
Concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10 and secondary PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx – made up of NO and
NO2), ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). Air Quality Number of days of moderate or higher energy pollution Number and size of Air Quality Management Areas
Annual energy consumption of the Kent and Medway local authority estate Page 54 Page Energy Average gas and electricity consumption per domestic and non-domestic customer Renewable energy capacity
Number of journeys to school and work using active travel Number of cycling trips recorded by KCC cycle counters on key routes Transport Journey delays on local A-roads Number of Ultra Low Emission Vehicle registrations Appendix A
Number of households in fuel poverty Housing Number of excess winter deaths and fuel poverty Energy Performance Certificates of homes (existing and new build) Number of ECO (energy efficiency) measures installed
Baselines and target setting will be monitored through the Kent Environment Strategy annual monitoring
30 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy GLOSSARY
Active travel - Travel and transport by physically Combined Heat and Power (CHP) - When electricity Flexible working - Flexible working is a way of active modes of transport such as cycling, walking or is generated, up to 60% of the energy can be wasted working that suits an employee’s needs, for example scooting. as lost heat. Combined Heat and Power schemes are having flexible start and finish times, or working from designed to recover most of this waste heat and use home. Air quality - The composition of the air in terms of it to power a turbine and generate more electricity. how much pollution it contains. Fuel poverty - Fuel poverty in England is measured Department for Environment, Farming and Rural by the Low Income High Costs definition, which Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) – Where Affairs (DEFRA) – Formed in 2001, the Department considers a household to be in fuel poverty if they Local Authorities have found that air pollution ob- for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the gov- have fuel costs that are above average (the national jectives have been exceeded or are not likely to be ernment department responsible for environmental median level) and where if they were to spend that achieved, an Air Quality Management Area must be protection, food production and standards, agricul- amount, they would be left with a residual income declared. The size of these areas is not predefined ture, fisheries and rural communities in England. below the official poverty line. and can vary. District heating - A district heating system is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – A com- Department for Business, Energy and Industrial network of insulated pipes, which delivers heat (or puter system that allows analysis of spatial data by Strategy (BEIS) – Formed in 2016 The Department for Page 55 Page chilled water) from a centralised energy centre to organising layers of information into visual maps Business, Energy and Industrial strategy is a govern- multiple end users. and 3D scenes. Commonly used GIS applications are ment department responsible for business, industrial ArcGIS and MapInfo. strategy, science and innovation and energy and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - EPCs are climate change policy. intended to inform potential buyers or tenants about Greenhouse gases - As defined under the Kyoto the energy performance of a building, so they can Protocol, these include: Car club – Car clubs allow you to rent a car by the consider energy efficiency as part of their investment Carbon dioxide (CO ) hour. Car clubs offer the benefits of using a car with- or business decision. The scale is from A-G, A being 2 Methane (CH ) out the expense or inconvenience of maintaining the most efficient. 4 and running your own car. Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Energy switching – a process carried out by consum- Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) Appendix A Clean energy – Energy that is not produced from ers aiming to reduce their energy bills by changing Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) fossil fuels (coal, oil or natural gas) their energy provider. Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
Clean growth – set out in the Government’s Clean Excess Winter Deaths – is defined as the difference Green infrastructure - Green infrastructure is a net- Growth Strategy, the concept aims to lower carbon between the number of deaths which occurred in work of multi-functional green space, both new and emissions, protecting the environment and meeting winter (December to March) and the average num- existing, both rural and urban, which supports the our climate change obligations, whilst stimulating ber of deaths during the preceding months (August natural and ecological processes and is integral to the growth and prosperity, increasing earning power and to November) and the subsequent four months (April health and quality of life of sustainable communities. creating and supporting thousands of jobs. to July).
31 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy Growth and Infrastructure Framework – prepared Low carbon economy - An economy which has a Tri-LEP – A term used to describe collaboration be- by Kent County Council to provide a view of emerg- minimal output of greenhouse gas emissions. tween the South East, Coast to Capital and Enterprise ing development and infrastructure requirements to M3 Local Economic Partnerships. The Tri-LEP area support growth across Kent and Medway. It provides Mega Watt (MW) - a measure of power, one million covers much of south east England including Kent, a strategic framework across the County, for identi- watts. Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Essex. fying and prioritising investment across a range of Net Zero – Achieving net-zero carbon emissions by infrastructure, for planned growth up to 2031. Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) – Ultra low deeply cutting emissions, with remaining emissions emission vehicles (ULEVs), also known as plug-in Hard-to-treat homes – homes that cannot accom- offset by removal from the atmosphere (eg. by trees vehicles, emit extremely low levels of motor vehicle modate routine, cost-effective energy efficiency -mea or technology). emissions compared to traditional petrol or diesel sures. Homes considered hard-to-treat are often not vehicles. Renewable energy - Energy produced using natural- connected to the gas network or are built with solid ly replenishing resources. This includes solar power, walls (without a cavity); this includes older properties Vulnerable resident – term for an individual who is at wind, wave, tide and hydroelectricity. Wood, straw and park homes. risk of abuse or harm due to life circumstances such and waste are often called solid renewable energy, as underage, homeless, physical and mental illness, Heat networks - A heat network, sometimes called while landfill gas and sewerage gas can be described frailty or elderly. district heating, is a distribution system of insulat- as gaseous renewables. ed pipes that takes heat from a central source and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) - Micro, Page 56 Page delivers it to a number of domestic or non-domestic small and medium-sized enterprises who employ buildings. The heat source might be a facility that fewer than 250 people and which have an annual provides a dedicated supply to the heat network, turnover of less than £25 million. such as a combined heat and power plant; or heat recovered from industry and urban infrastructure, Superfast broadband - In the UK, ‘superfast’ broad- canals and rivers, or energy from waste plants. band is defined as a connection with download speeds of 24Mb or above. Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – LEPs are local- ly-owned partnerships between local authorities and Sustainable development - Development that businesses They play a central role in determining meets the needs of the present without compro- Appendix A local economic priorities and undertaking activities mising the ability of future generations to meet their to drive economic growth and the creation of local own needs. It is central to the economic, environ- jobs. mental and social success of the country and is the core principle underpinning the National Planning Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) – An Policy Framework. EU funded project set up to help businesses tackle and adapt to climate change, by aiming to reduce costs by cutting emissions and promoting the oppor- tunities of the low carbon and environmental goods and services market.
32 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY Page 57 Page Appendix A
This document is available in alternative formats and can be explained in a range of languages. Please contact [email protected] This page is intentionally left blank
KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY
Page 59 Page
Appendix B
EVIDENCE BASE A summary of national, regional and local energy, emissions and air quality data and evidence CONTENTS 1. Introduction 4
2. The Growth Challenge in Kent and Medway 5
3. Energy in Kent and Medway 8 3.1 Energy consumption 8 3.2 Future energy scenarios 14 3.3 Greenhouse gas emissions from energy demand 15 3.4 Fuel Poverty 17 3.5 Renewable and low carbon energy in Kent and Medway 19
4. Transport and Travel 22 4.1 Transition to Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) 22 4.2 Active Travel 23 4.3 Emissions from Aviation and Maritime traffic 26
5. Air Quality 27
Page 60 Page 5.1 An introduction to air quality 27 5.2 Health impacts of poor air quality 27 5.3 Assessing air quality 28 5.4 Air Quality in Kent and Medway 33 5.5 Acting on poor air quality 57 5.6 Published Air Quality Information 65 6. References 43 Appendix 1: National Policy Context 47 Appendix 2: Regional Policy context 51
Appendix 3: Kent and Medway Policy Context 52 Appendix B
2 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 1. Introduction
This document brings together an evidence base to support the 2019 Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy (ELES).
It summarises evidence and data related to energy and air quality in Kent and Medway, drawing on national, regional and local sources of data. It also includes appendices which provide the national, regional and local policy context.
This evidence base has informed the Strategy and supporting actions and is a snapshot in time (based on available data up to end March 2019). Delivery of the ELES action plan includes the maintenance of key datasets that will enable progress to be monitored and support future decision making. Page 61 Page Appendix B
3 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE imperative. To do this, new homes, buildings and associated infrastructure need to be built 2. The growth challenge in Kent and Medway to sustainable design standards. A sustainable approach to development will bring benefits including healthier living and working environments; improved efficiency and Kent is growing. The Kent and Medway Growth and Infrastructure Framework (GIF)1, productivity in use; an increase in active travel, including sustainable public transport, the 2 updated in 2018, provides a clear picture of the development and infrastructure reduction of fuel costs and the costs of vehicle ownership . Local plans have a key role in requirements to support growth across the area up to 2031. The aspiration is for 178,600 defining how this will work at a local level. additional homes between 2011 and 2031 (24% growth), 396,300 additional people The GIF explores four future scenarios to 2050 to examine how the area can ensure (23% growth) and 170,300 additional jobs (21% growth). It is estimated this will require it is adaptable, resilient and connected in planning for a sustainable future. The most a £16.4bn investment across transport, utilities, health and social care, education, favourable scenario is the high economic growth, moderate climate change impacts community and culture and the natural environment. scenario, named ‘Fertile Ground’ (Figure 2). Amongst other things, within this scenario the Figure 1 gives an indication of where the key housing growth areas are expected to be; GIF envisions: the larger the grey dot, the more anticipated growth. Much of the planned growth is • new housing via high-quality new green towns and urban extensions, redevelopment expected to be in the north and east of the county, with strong clusters around Dartford and infill and Gravesend, Chatham, Ashford, Sittingbourne, Canterbury, Herne Bay, Margate and • shared autonomous vehicles / autonomous shuttles Dover. • focus on walkability with new paved routes and spaces • increased rail capacity in London.
Page 62 Page Appendix B
Figure 1: Kent and Medway growth context (GIF, 2018) Figure 2: The ‘Fertile Ground Scenario’ (GIF, 2018)
Accommodating significant levels of housing and economic growth without increasing Regardless of the scenario, the GIF recognises the critical necessity for more sustainable energy demand and air pollution will be a major challenge. Achieving “Clean Growth”, energy production and delivery: ‘With an imminent influx in the adoption of electric ie. delivering increased economic growth and decreased emissions, is therefore an vehicles, there will be significant implications for the way in which energy is delivered to support this new infrastructure. In addition, growth pressures, whether in a high- or low-
4 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
growth scenario, will mean that pressures on the grid are exacerbated further. There will be a need to strategically plan the way in which electricity is generated and delivered.’
The GIF also highlights the challenges that an aging population will have on infrastructure demand in Kent and Medway. Like the rest of the UK, the population of Kent and Medway is ageing. The percentage of residents aged 65 or over, is predicted to rise from 17% to 23% of the population between 2011 and 2031, an increase of 6%. In contrast, those of approximately working age (20-64), will decline by 5% in their total share of the population over the same period (Figure 3). This has implications for both health and the economy.
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Figure 4: Map showing Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015 (GIF, 2018)
Figure 3: Forecast differences in population by age group between 2011 and 2031 (GIF, 2018) Kent and Medway is the strategic gateway from the UK to continental Europe. The county is therefore a vital part of the UK’s transport network, facilitating the movement of goods, Although Kent and Medway have a relatively high standard of living compared to services and people across international markets. In 2018, Kent and Medway’s motorway England as a whole, there are still pockets of deprivation in urban areas such as Chatham, network facilitated the movement of 4.8 million vehicles through the Port of Dover3 and Gillingham, Ashford, Folkestone and Dover, as well as peripheral coastal and estuarial another 4.4 million vehicles through the Channel Tunnel4. The GIF states that £120 billion areas (Figure 4). This is caused by a variety of reasons including local demographics and a of traded goods comes through Dover each year, 17% of Britain’s total. The county also
lack of access to healthcare, skills, training and potential job markets. has well connected and increasingly busy train lines, strategically important trunk roads Appendix B and an essential local road network.
Kent and Medway are facing increased congestion on both road and rail networks and increased capacity will be needed if the county’s growth potential is to be unlocked. Roads are already congested, particularly in major town centres. Average delays on locally managed A-roads in Kent and Medway increased 6.3% and 7.2% respectively between 2015 and 2018 and average speeds have dropped 1% over the same period.5 Although average delays in Kent are lower than the South East average, delays in Medway are considerably higher (Figure 5).
5 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
To achieve Clean Growth and the LTP4’s ambition, there must be a multi-pronged approach to investment and innovation that focuses on:
• clean road transport, such as electric and alternatively fuelled vehicles • smarter driving and traffic management • integration of alternative forms of transport such as walking and cycling • ensuring smooth connections to clean public transport • supporting new transport models such as car clubs, car sharing and automated vehicles using smart technology.
At the same time, we need to support smarter working practices. The GIF forecasts an additional 70,300 jobs by 2031, a 21% increase from 2011 levels. Better broadband services and enhanced access to digital services and technology will help transform working practices; enabling more people to work or access services flexibly from home, or any location, reducing the need to travel at all.
Page 64 Page Figure 5: Average delay on locally managed ‘A’ roads in 2018 (Department for Transport, 2019)
The local road network in Kent and Medway can also be heavily impacted by Operation Brock and Operation Stack, which are brought into force in the event of disruption to services across the English Channel, such as bad weather or industrial action. Operation Stack is a procedure that uses part of the M20 to queue lorries travelling towards the continent, to prevent queuing on local roads in and around the Port of Dover. Operation Brock, an alternative to the older Operation Stack, is a set of measures designed to keep the M20 open in both directions by using different lorry holding areas across Kent.6 The use of these interventions can cause significant congestion and delays on local communities in south east Kent, particularly when used for consecutive days,7 exacerbating existing congestion and air quality issues. Appendix B
Road transport is one of the key sources of poor air quality. Further growth in housing, commercial space and cross-Channel traffic is likely to increase vehicle numbers and congestion; offsetting and potentially reversing any air quality improvements from the uptake of cleaner vehicles.
The development of a county-wide traffic model will help to identify problem areas and develop solutions. However, without investment and innovation, the county could be severely gridlocked in the medium-long term. Kent County Council’s Local Transport Plan 4: Growth Without Gridlock 2016-2031 (LTP4) sets out the county’s transport priorities8. It aims to deliver “safe and effective transport, ensuring that all of Kent’s communities and businesses benefit, the environment is enhanced, and economic growth supported”.
6 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 3. Energy in Kent and Medway 3.1.1 Energy consumption in the non-domestic sector Energy use in the non-domestic sector includes all the energy used in commercial, industrial and public sector buildings and processes. 3.1 Energy consumption Total energy consumption in the non-domestic sector in Kent and Medway was 8,614 In 2016, 34,420 GWh of energy was consumed in Kent and Medway: 39% in the transport GWh in 2016; 25% of all energy consumption.13 Within the non-domestic sector, 44% of sector, 36% in the domestic sector and 25% in the industry and commercial sector, which the energy used was electricity, 41% gas, 12% petroleum products, 3% coal and less than 9 also includes the public sector (Figure 6). 1% manufactured fuels (Figure 7).
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Figure 6: Kent and Medway energy consumption by sector in 2016 (BEIS, 2019) Figure 7: Non-domestic fuel consumption in Kent and Medway by fuel type in 2016 (BEIS, 2019) The carbon emissions of these sectors are slightly different due to the carbon intensity Non-domestic gas consumption in Kent and Medway fell 60% between 2005 and 2016, of the energy sources used: transport is responsible for 41% of emissions, industry and from 8,800 GWh in 2005 to 3,497 GWh in 2016 (Figure 8). Non-domestic electricity commercial for 30% and the domestic sector for 29%. See section 3.5 for further details. consumption saw a 20% fall over the same period, from 4,735 GWh in 2005 to 3,786 GWh 14 As a country we spend £32 billion a year on heat10 and almost three-quarters of industrial in 2016 (Figure 9). 11
energy use is to produce heat, often at very high temperatures . The Energy South2East Appendix B Local Energy Strategy12 states that much of the heat produced in the South East is wasted through discharges into the atmosphere, despite the fact it could be reused in a number of ways. Uses for waste heat include:
• reuse within the same facility for heating or cooling • reuse by another end-user via a heat network • converting waste heat to power.
This presents a huge opportunity to utilise more efficient technologies and achieve cost savings for the county’s businesses and residents alike. In the domestic sector, high heat consumption is due to the poor energy efficiency of our housing stock; which also contributes to poor housing conditions and fuel poverty (see section 3.6).
7 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
retail, 30% industrial, 23% offices and 15% ‘other’ (Figure 10). However, the industrial sector accounts for 52% of floor area, retail accounts for 22%, offices 11% and ‘other’ 14% (Figure 11).15 The need for increasing levels of quality commercial space with good transport connections is identified as a growth need in the GIF.
EVIDENCE GAP: The number of businesses exempt from paying business rates is unknown, as exemptions are agreed on a case-by-case basis with the local councils who collect business rates. Future data collection to be considered.
Figure 8: Non-domestic gas consumption in Kent and Medway, 2005-2016 (BEIS, 2019)
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Figure 10: Number of Kent and Medway properties paying business rates in 2015/16 (KCC, 2016)
Appendix B
Figure 9: Non-domestic electricity consumption in Kent and Medway 2005-2016 (BEIS, 2019) Figure 11: Floor area of Kent and Medway properties paying business rates in 2015/16 (KCC, 2016) 3.1.1.1 The industrial and commercial sector The industrial and commercial sector is significant in Kent and Medway. In 2015/16 there were 38,660 properties paying business rates in Kent and Medway: 31% of these were in
8 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE EVIDENCE GAP: Data about energy use and carbon emissions in the industrial energy rating from A-G (A being the most energy efficient and G being the lowest). DECs can also be provided for private sector buildings, but this is optional. DECs were produced and commercial sector in Kent and Medway is limited. Further analysis is needed to 18 segment and better understand the market, for example: for 11,616 buildings in Kent and Medway between 2008 and 2018. Figure 12 shows the distribution of ratings: 64 buildings have a DEC rating of A (0.55% of all buildings with • Which commercial sectors are prevalent in Kent and Medway and which are most a DEC); 452 are G-rated (3.89%). The most common rating is a D, with 4,704 buildings energy/carbon intensive? (e.g. professional, scientific & technical, administrative, (40.50%). retail, information & communication, accommodation & food, finance & insurance). • Which industrial sectors are prevalent in Kent and Medway and which are most energy/carbon intensive? (e.g. food & drink, pulp & paper, cement, chemicals, glass & ceramics; agriculture could also be considered here). What are the opportunities for heat recovery or energy from waste? • Geographically mapping the sector at a local authority level to understand where clusters exist. An understanding of economic output, employment, etc can help to identify where there may be opportunities to augment existing support services or create new offerings. • Understanding commonalities related to buildings and to organisational behaviour, including; age and EPC rating of buildings; functional use of space; occupancy and work patterns; tenure; fleet, freight and commuting.
One support mechanism for the commercial sector in Kent has been identified in the Page 67 Page Energy South2East Local Energy Strategy as an exemplar project for replication across the South East region. Supported by European funding, the Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) project provides free support to help businesses become more competitive and profitable, by reducing environmental impacts through resource efficiencies and encouraging low carbon solutions. It does this through the three-pronged approach of stimulating demand, supporting supply and transferring knowledge. Figure 12: Number of buildings with a DEC in Kent and Medway and their energy ratings, 2008-2018 (MHCLG, 2019) This project has seen nearly £3.5M of EU grant funding approved for 425 Kent SMEs Medway has 13 A-rated public sector buildings, the most in Kent and Medway. towards a huge range of purposes. This investment is set to deliver over 4,000 tonnes Gravesham and Sevenoaks have the fewest with zero. Medway also has the highest CO2 equivalent of savings, through 250 energy and resource efficiency projects; from number of F and G-rated public sector buildings (189 buildings).
simple lighting, heating and insulation retrofit works, to investing in more effective and Appendix B
sustainable business practices. This support has helped create 160 jobs, launch 45 new products or services and support 31 business start-ups in Kent and Medway’s burgeoning EVIDENCE GAP: Further analysis of this data is required to better understand why there Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services (LCEGS) sector. is such a range of energy performance in these buildings across the county, for example is there a much older stock profile in some areas? Is planning guidance stronger in 3.1.1.2 The public sector certain Districts influencing sustainable design and resultant energy use? Within the Kent Environment Strategy,16 there is a commitment to ‘reduce negative Through its ISO14001:2015 certified environmental management system, Kent County impacts and maximise the resource efficiency of public sector services, setting out our Council has a strong track record in reducing energy use across its estate and is on track public commitments for energy, waste and water use reduction’. to deliver a 32% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the five-year period 2016- 2021. Most significantly all traffic signals maintained by KCC use low energy light emitting Total energy consumption across local authority estates in Kent and Medway fell by 6% diode (LED) lamp technology and a further 120,000 streetlights are being upgraded to 17 between 2013 and 2018, but rose 2% between 2017 and 2018. LED in a three-year programme due to complete in 2019. This is expected to deliver over 60% reduction in electricity use from streetlighting and several million pounds of savings Public buildings are required to have a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) which provides an in energy bills and maintenance. As well as lamp upgrades a central management system
9 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE will allow control of every lamp column, enabling remote switching and dimming of Domestic gas consumption in Kent and Medway fell 23% between 2005 and 2016; from lighting as well as quickly identifying faults. 11,085 GWh in 2005 to 8,495 GWh in 2016 (Figure 14). Domestic electricity consumption saw a 6% fall over the same period, from 3,237 GWh in 2005, to 3,055 GWh in 2016 (Figure 21 LED lighting also provides an excellent opportunity to significantly reduce electricity use 15). in buildings and many public sector premises and schools have already upgraded to this technology. There are still significant opportunities for this technology to further reduce energy use across the public sector. Interest-free government funding is available through Salix Finance19 on an invest-to-save loan basis, where the reduction in the energy bills repay the capital investment over several years.
Energy used by heating systems is another significant way to reduce energy use, emissions and costs, however the investment required across the public sector estate runs to millions of pounds and these projects have a much longer payback, usually more than 10 years. Salix Finance can be used to provide a top-up to existing capital investment budgets for heating systems replacement. For example, when converting oil fired boilers to gas systems, where an upgrade to an existing or a new gas pipeline is required at additional cost.
Other public sector organisations such as Kent Police have also made good use of this finance mechanism to implement energy efficiency measures. There is a significant opportunity to make better use of Salix Finance funding across the Kent Public Sector and Page 68 Page this is already being considered by the NHS acute trusts as part of the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Programme.
3.1.2 Energy consumption in the domestic sector Figure 14: Domestic gas consumption in Kent and Medway, 2005-2016 (BEIS, 2019)
Total energy use in the domestic sector in Kent and Medway was 12,376 GWh in 2016.20 Of this, gas accounted for 68% of consumption; electricity 25%; and petroleum products, manufactured fuels and coal making up the remaining 7% (Figure 13).
Appendix B
Figure 13: Domestic fuel consumption by fuel type in 2016 (BEIS, 2019) Figure 15: Domestic electricity consumption in Kent and Medway, 2005-2016 (BEIS, 2019)
10 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE The scale of growth forecast in the Kent and Medway Growth and Infrastructure However, it’s important to remember that not all homes in Kent and Medway are on the Framework will lead to greater energy demand. As a result of this growth, Kent and gas network. In 2016, 571 GWh of energy in the domestic sector came from petroleum 23 Medway domestic gas and electricity sales are predicted to rise by 23% and 19% products (5%), 116 GWh from coal (1%) and 88 GWh from manufactured fuels (0.75%). respectively between 2014/15 and 2030/31 (Figure 16).22 Without mitigation, this will cause emissions from the domestic sector to rise (Figure 17). To offset this increase in The national non-gas grid map, developed for Affordable Warmth Solutions in demand there needs to be a significant increase in the use of low or zero emission conjunction with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), technologies such as heat pumps and LED lighting and a switch to non-fossil fuelled shows that homes off the gas network range from 17% in Medway to 38.6% in Tunbridge energy sources, such as solar power and hydrogen instead of gas. Wells (Figure 18).24 This compares to 20% across Energy South2East Local Energy Strategy area.
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Figure 16: Projected domestic gas and electricity sales in Kent between 2014/15 and 2031/32 (KCC, 2017)
Figure 18: Percentage of homes off the gas grid in Kent and Medway
Comparing the lower layer super output areas (LSOA), with 85-95% off-gas properties (Figure 19, dark blue on map) to levels of fuel poverty; Canterbury, Shepway and Appendix B Tunbridge Wells all have off-gas grid properties with higher levels of fuel poverty at between 12 and 13% These tend to be 3 bedroom homes, privately owned or mortgaged with oil fired heating on average 500 metres or more away from the mains gas grid.
Figure 17: Projected domestic gas and electricity carbon emissions in Kent between 2014/15 and 2031/32 (KCC, 2017)
11 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Figure 20: Distribution of domestic EPC ratings in Kent and Medway (MHCLG, 2018)
Comparing districts (see Appendix 4, Table 12), Ashford and Canterbury have the highest number of homes with an EPC rating of A, with 69 homes each (0.18% and 0.14% respectively of all EPCs). Sevenoaks has the least, with just 17 homes (0.06% of all EPCs). Figure 19: Off gas grid map by lower super output area (LSOA) (nongasmap.org.uk) The district with the lowest rated homes is Thanet: 3,829 homes have an F or G-rating
Page 70 Page 25 (7.14% of all EPCs). Heating oil produces approximately 25% higher carbon emissions than natural gas , which means that emissions from these off-gas homes are also very high. In addition, The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) publishes assumptions these homes tend to have poor energy efficiency, because for example, they are of about the cost of upgrading the energy efficiency of homes.27 This is provided by measure solid wall construction or have low levels of insulation, and so use more energy to heat and by dwelling type only. The average cost to raise a house from a G-rating to a C-rating, compared to a more energy efficient home. Connecting these homes to the gas grid is for example, is not provided. Low, medium and high price bands are provided. Table 1 one of the priorities in Energy South2East Local Energy Strategy under the low carbon uses the median price for a small semi-detached or large end-terrace home (<80m2). heating theme, and work is already underway by Southern Gas Networks to target these premises to get them onto the gas grid. Energy efficiency measure Cost
Energy Performance Certificates for homes (EPCs) are used to show the energy efficiency Cavity wall insulation £570 (materials + labour) of domestic buildings. They give a rating of A to G, with A being the most energy efficient External solid wall insulation £8000 (materials + labour) Appendix B and G being the least energy efficient. Internal solid wall insulation £7,700 (materials + labour) 71% of homes in Kent and Medway had an Energy Performance Certificate issued Loft insulation (joists) £395 (materials + labour) between 2008 and 2018.26 As shown in Figure 20, 583 homes are A-rated (0.1% of all Loft insulation (rafters) £2,200 (materials + labour) homes with an EPC) and 7,929 homes are G-rated (1.44%). The most common EPC rating is D, at 212,022 homes (38.60%). Double glazing £5,550 (materials + labour) Secondary glazing £110/m2 of glazing (materials + labour) Gas central heating installation £3,800
Gas boiler replacement £2,800 LEDs £3.50 to £10.00 (cost per bulb DIY)
Table 1: Average cost of energy efficiency measures (BEIS, 2017)
12 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 3.2 Future energy scenarios • Electricity demand is expected to grow significantly by 2050, driven by increased electrification of heating and transport. There could be 36 million electric vehicles Each year, National Grid publishes their Future Energy Scenarios (FES)28 to identify a range by 2040; these could support the rollout of renewables by storing excess low carbon of energy scenarios for the next 30 years and beyond. They look at how much energy electricity generation. we might need, where it could come from and what future changes might mean for the • Decarbonisation of heat needs to gather pace in the 2020s to meet carbon reduction energy industry and their customers. targets. Up to 60% of homes could be using heat pumps by 2050 and one third of homes could be heated by hydrogen. The 2018 FES provides a new scenarios framework linked to the speed and level of decarbonisation (Figure 21). The framework estimates speed by looking at government policy, economics and consumer attitudes, and estimates the level of decarbonisation by In response to this, the UK government announced in its spring 2019 budget statement looking at how close the production and management of energy is to the end consumer. that a ‘future homes standard’ would ensure that new UK homes will be built without fossil fuel heating from 2025. The government also announced new proposals to increase the proportion of ‘green’ gas in the gas grid, which would help to reduce emissions from the mains gas supply. This signals the start of a phasing out of natural gas for cooking and heating. This will create significant future challenges for house developers and the future of home retrofit, which will need to consider the adoption of new technologies such as heat pumps and heat networks.
Security of energy supply is also an issue for the future. The UK’s electricity and gas supplies come from a diverse range of sources and geographical locations; it is a reliable system, but no system can be entirely risk free. Demand is generally higher in the Page 71 Page winter than in the summer: 70% of household gas demand happens between October and March, and on a cold day, peak demand can be three times as much as average consumption.29 Around half of Britain’s gas supplies come from our own North Sea gas fields, the remainder is imported from a variety of sources including pipelines linking us with Europe and liquified natural gas shipped in from around the world.
In the electricity system, the Capacity Market has been introduced by the government to ensure security of electricity supply. This is delivered by running annual auctions for capacity contracts, which provide a payment for reliable sources of capacity. However, in November 2018 the EU ruled that the Capacity Market could be in breach of State Aid
rules and the mechanism was suspended. In February 2019, following a consultation on Appendix B proposed technical amendments, the government announced a number of changes that 30 would allow the Capacity Market to be restarted.
There are significant electricity grid constraints within Kent and Medway making new connections increasingly difficult, particularly for energy generation projects. Innovation is required to overcome this at an infrastructure level, otherwise Kent’s growth plans will Figure 21: Future Energy Scenario (Source: National Grid, 2018) be severely hampered. Some work has already begun, with UK Power Networks (UKPN) Of these scenarios, only the Community Renewables and Two Degrees options will deliver and National Grid launching a new Active Network Management scheme to boost grid 31 the UK’s 2050 carbon reduction target. The key messages in the 2018 FES are: capacity and simplify the connections process for energy generators. However, much more innovation is needed to ensure housing developments can go ahead without • Energy capacity could double by 2050, with up to 65% of that being locally generated. significant grid connection charges. This changing generation mix will mean new ways to maintain system balance will have to be found.
13 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 3.3 Greenhouse gas emissions from energy demand The South2East Local Energy Strategy highlights that the reduction in energy demand needed to meet the 2032 carbon budget is very unlikely to be met by a reduction in 3.3.1 National policy context and trends energy demand by society in general; ie. we will want more energy than greenhouse gas emission allowances will allow (Figure 23). Instead, the difference between demand The Climate Change Act 2008 commits the UK to reducing emissions of carbon dioxide 32 and traditional energy supply will have to be made up by clean (low and zero emission) and other greenhouse gases by at least 80% from 1990 levels by 2050. Progress against energy generation at both a national and local scale. This will include existing known the 2050 target is measured by legally-binding carbon budgets, which cap the amount technologies such as solar, wind and energy from waste; but will also need to incorporate of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by the UK over a five-year period: these are more innovative solutions, such as the wider adoption of heat pumps, the wide-scale measured by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). development of low carbon heat networks and hydrogen as an ener34 gy source. An By 2017, UK greenhouse gas emissions were 43% below 1990 levels, but as Figure 22 example project is Western Power Distribution’s Freedom Project, which is trialling hybrid heating systems that use both a gas boiler and an electric heat pump, alongside an shows, this was mostly due to a reduction in emissions from the power, industry and 33 aggregated demand side response control system. waste sectors, with all other sectors largely remaining flat.
Although the UK’s binding target for emissions reduction is 80% by 2050, there
is increasing evidence that this will not be
enough. The 80% target aims to limit global
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Page 72 Page Change (IPCC) published a report explaining we need instead to limit warming to 1.5°C.
This will require even tougher targets of zero
carbon emissions by 2050.
Over the last 45 years, climate change in Kent has largely been in line with UK trends. South East average temperatures have generally increased more than in the north ‘Gap’ in demand to be met from clean generation of the country; our sea level has risen about Indudsty & Commercial 1 mm per year since the mid-20th century;
we’ve seen more heavy winter downpours; Figure 23: Comparison of 2015 to 2032 energy Appendix B and a decrease in summer rainfall. Other demand by Sector, highlighting energy “gap” Figure 22: Emissions reductions 1990 - 2017 and change in emissions by sector during that period gradual changes have been recorded in to be met by clean energy (Energy South2East, (CCC, 2018) Kent, which also indicate the impact of 2019)
Although the first three carbon budgets have been or will be met, the fourth budget climate change:
(2023-27) is not on track. In its 2018 report to Parliament, the CCC had four messages for • sea level rise at Sheerness Government: • earlier emergence dates for butterflies • support simple, low-cost options • earlier arrival and breeding of bird species that require warmer climates. • commit to effective regulation and strict enforcement • end the chopping and changing of policy For further information on the impacts of climate change in Kent can be found in the • act now to keep long term options open. Local Climate Impacts Profile (LCLIP), which summarises local impacts in the county from 1996-2010.35 An updated risk assessment will be available in 2019.
14 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
3.3.2 Kent and Medway emissions from energy demand Since 2005, the government has produced annual estimates of carbon dioxide emissions at a local authority level. These are intended as a resource to help the monitoring of efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The dataset includes all the emissions in the national inventory, excluding aviation, shipping and military transport; for which there is no obvious basis for allocating to local areas.
Overall, emissions fell 36% in Kent and Medway between 2005 and 2016. 36 However, whilst emissions from the industrial and commercial sector and domestic sector have fallen significantly over this period (falling 55% and 32% respectively), the transport sector has not followed this trend (Figure 24). The transport sector now accounts for 41% of Kent and Medway emissions, and these emissions are now rising; now at their highest since 2007.
Figure 25: Kent and Medway carbon dioxide emissions by sector in 2016 (BEIS, 2018)
Further analysis of carbon dioxide emissions at a sub-sector level shows that domestic gas Page 73 Page (18%), A-roads (17%), Motorways (14%) and industrial and commercial electricity (12%) are the largest contributors to Kent and Medway’s total emissions (Figure 26).
Appendix B
Figure 24: Kent and Medway carbon dioxide emissions by sector between 2005 and 2016 (BEIS, 2018)
Much of the reduction in emissions during this period comes from the industrial and commercial sector. Between 2006 and 2009 some local authority areas saw old industrial sites/machinery removed or redeveloped, which had a big impact on emissions. For instance, Gravesham saw an 86% reduction in industrial and commercial sector emissions when a cement works closed in 2008.37 Nationally, this sector has also experienced a decrease in emissions, which reflects the decrease in the use of coal for electricity generation. Figure 25 shows the latest sectoral split of carbon emissions for Kent and Figure 26: Percentage of Kent and Medway carbon dioxide emissions by sub-sector (BEIS 2018) Medway. Per capita carbon dioxide emissions vary across Kent and Medway; from 3.3 tonnes per
15 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE capita in Medway, to 8.5 tonnes in Swale (Figure 27). The average for the South East is 5 Under this indicator, a household is considered to be in fuel poverty if: tonnes and the average for England is 5.3 tonnes.38 The variation within Kent and Medway is mostly due to the amount of energy intensive industry in the local authority area and • they have required fuel costs that are above average (the national median level) the extent of the motorway network. Population density also influences the per capita • were they to spend that amount, they would be left with a residual income below the emissions calculation. official poverty line.
In 2016, over 72,000 households in Kent and Medway were in fuel poverty (9.6% of households).39 This compares to a fuel poverty rate of 9% across the South East and 11.1% in England (Figure 28).
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Figure 27: 2016 per capita carbon dioxide emissions for Kent and Medway by local authority area (BEIS 2018)
Figure 28: Percentage of households in fuel poverty in Kent and Medway 2012 - 2016 (BEIS 2018) Carbon dioxide emissions associated with gas and electricity consumption in Kent have
decreased by approximately 21% since 2012, from 6,191 ktCO2 per year to 4,868 ktCO2 per
In 2016, fuel poverty increased nationally by 0.1% to 11.1% compared to the previous year. Appendix B year. This change can be attributed to: In contrast, fuel poverty in Kent and Medway decreased from 9.9% to 9.6% in the same
period, although the number of households in fuel poverty is still higher than its low of • Differences in energy consumption: gas consumption decreased by approximately 8.5% in 2012. 10% while electricity consumption increased by approximately 1%.
• Differences in the fuel emissions factors: the carbon intensity of gas has remained Fuel poverty is higher in some areas of the county compared to others (Figure 29). The local authority with the highest proportion of fuel poor households in 2016 is Thanet relatively stable, while that of electricity has dropped by nearly 30%, from 0.521 kgCO2/ (11.4%). Canterbury, Gravesham, Folkestone and Hythe, Swale and Medway all have more kWh to 0.345 kgCO2/kWh, due to the near elimination of the use of coal to produce electricity and an increasing proportion of electricity generated by wind and solar. than 10% of households in fuel poverty and some specific LSOA’s in Kent and Medway experience fuel poverty of up to 13%. The lowest incidences of fuel poverty are in Tonbridge and Malling (8.1%), Sevenoaks and Dartford (both 8.2%). 3.4 Fuel poverty Fuel poverty in England is measured using the ‘Low-Income High-Costs’ (LIHC) indicator.
16 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Figure 29: Fuel poverty in Kent and Medway in 2016, by local authority area (BEIS, 2018) Figure 30: Average standard UK domestic electricity and gas bills 2008 – 2018 (BEIS, 2019) Resident environmental perception surveys are carried out every two years as part of the Page 75 Page monitoring of the Kent Environment Strategy. Data from 600 interviews undertaken in Delivering Affordable Warmth: a fuel poverty strategy for Kent44, was published by the July 2018 has been published.40 The survey results show that 11% of people struggle to Kent Energy Efficiency Partnership in 2016. It outlines the actions required to address pay their energy bills to some extent, which is slightly higher than the Government figures Fuel Poverty in the county and is delivered in part, through the Kent and Medway Warm of 9.6% of fuel poverty for Kent and Medway. The proportion who noted they struggle, Homes Scheme45. Since the scheme began in 2014, Kent and Medway partners have is highest amongst those aged 25-44 (15%) and those living in rented accommodation installed over 2,400 energy efficiency measures in over 2,300 homes; helping to save (41%). residents £8.8 million over the measures’ lifetime. Despite this positive activity, which also includes helping residents switch to cheaper energy tariffs and claim the benefits they are Government data shows that household expenditure on energy is rising (Figure 30). eligible for, the significant rise in annual costs of energy is making it more difficult to lift The UK average standard annual gas and electricity bill has risen £320 over the last ten households out of fuel poverty. years, with the average domestic combined bill in 2018 costing £1,314. 41 Average bills in the South East are slightly higher than the UK average; in 2018 the South East average Fuel poverty often leads to people living in cold, damp homes. This can contribute to Appendix B gas and electricity bills were £66142 and £67043; giving a combined cost of £1,331 (1.29% increasing the risk of poor health outcomes, as well as increased morbidity and mortality. higher than the UK average). Average costs are lower for those on direct debit (~70% Public Health England monitors the levels of fuel poverty and excess winter deaths of southeast customers), higher for those on prepayment meters (~10% of southeast (EWDs) at a national and council level. The number of EWDs depends on the temperature customers) and highest for those on credit meters (~20% of southeast customers). and the level of disease in the population, including the levels of seasonal influenza, and other factors, such as how well-equipped people are to cope with a fall in temperature. Mortality during winter increases more in England and Wales compared to other European countries with colder climates, suggesting that many more deaths could be preventable in England and Wales.
EWDs (or excess winter mortality – EWM) is measured by an EWM Index, calculated as excess winter deaths divided by the average non-winter deaths, expressed as a percentage. The EWM Index for England is 21.2 and for the south-east is 21.9 (Figure 31). The index varies considerably in Kent and Medway: by far the highest EWM Index is in Dover (35.6), then Gravesham (30.7). The lowest is in Tunbridge Wells where it’s just 9.8.
17 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Thanet, Maidstone, Medway and Tonbridge and Malling are also all below the English 46 average.
Figure 32: Renewable and CHP capacity in Kent and Medway, 2012 vs 2017: Active, agreed and under construction (KCC, 2017)
3.5.2 Solar and wind generation
Page 76 Page The Energy South2East Local Energy Strategy states that solar PV schemes can produce up Figure 31: Excess winter mortality index, 2016-2017 (ONS, 2018) to 36% more electricity in the South East than elsewhere in the UK. Approximately 80% of the solar generation capacity in Kent and Medway comes from large installations of over Older people are particularly vulnerable to higher mortality risk, and physical and mental 0.5 MW (457 MW). The rest (113 MW) is made up from many smaller scale installations. health problems are likely to be exacerbated by living in a cold home. Provisional data for 91% (1020 MW) of wind energy capacity comes from large offshore installations (>2MW). 2017/2018 indicates that around 23% of EWDs are attributable to cardio-vascular diseases Large onshore wind installations make up 8% (84 MW) with the rest coming from small and 35% are attributable to respiratory diseases.47 21.5% of all EWDs are attributable to the scale installations. 48 coldest quarter of housing. The geographical spread of existing small-scale renewable generation (defined as those In 2014, Age UK estimated that the adverse health effects of living in a cold home carry an <0.5MW, mainly solar and wind) can be seen in Figure 33. Blue indicates high levels estimated cost to the NHS of £1.36 billion a year.49 This cost to the NHS does not include of installations, whilst red indicates low levels. The map shows that there are fewer Appendix B additional spending by social services or economic loss through missed work. installations in West Kent. The highest levels are in Medway, Swale (Isle of Sheppey) and Thanet. 3.5 Renewable and low carbon energy in Kent and Medway
3.5.1 Current renewable energy and low carbon capacity In 2017, Kent County Council commissioned an update to the Renewable Energy Action Plan for Kent report which assesses renewable energy capacity and trajectories across the county.50 Renewable and combined heat and power (CHP) capacity across Kent has increased significantly in the last five years (Figure 32). The capacity of solar, wind, waste and CHP combined that was active, agreed or under construction was reported as over 1,900 MW (including offshore wind farms), compared with approximately 230 MW in 2012. Most of this increase has been delivered through off shore wind and solar installations, with wind contributing over 1,100 MW and solar over 550 MW.
18 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Heat networks currently supply around 1% of building’s heat demand in the UK. The government’s Clean Growth Strategy51 estimates that heat networks will meet 17% of heat demand in homes and up to 24% of heat demand in industrial and public-sector 52 buildings by 2050.
The South2East Local Energy Strategy proposes that the building and extension of heat networks be encouraged, particularly in new build developments: ‘Taking these schemes from concept to commissioning should be a priority for the region since they deliver substantial reductions in emissions and provide good rates of return for investors’.53 The strategy sees a key role for the Greater South East Local Energy Hub in ensuring public and private sectors work together to identify opportunities and overcome any technical or commercial obstacles for the development of heat networks.
In 2014, a mapping exercise identified 15 areas in Kent and Medway that are likely to be particularly suitable for heat networks (Figure 34).54 Each area was assessed against technical, social, environmental, economic and practical factors. The clusters prioritised following this process were Chatham University, Chatham Hospital, Canterbury Longport, Ashford and Maidstone County Hall.
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Figure 33: Kent’s existing small-scale renewable generation (KCC, 2017)
Given that so much of the renewable generation in Kent and Medway is large scale, most of the energy generated is fed into the national grid and used across the UK. It is not therefore possible to say what percentage of Kent and Medway’s energy needs are directly met by local generation.
3.5.3 Heat networks
Heat networks (also known as district heating) supply heat from a central source to Appendix B consumers via a network of underground pipes carrying hot water. Heat networks vary in size, from one building to an entire city, and can be supplied by a diverse range of sources including:
• power stations • energy from waste (EfW) facilities • industrial processes • biomass and biogas fuelled boilers and combined heat and power (CHP) plants • gas-fired CHP units • fuel cells • heat pumps • geothermal sources Figure 34: Heat density, anchor loads and potential heat network locations in Kent (KCC, 2014) • electric boilers and even solar thermal arrays.
19 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE More detailed feasibility and planning work is taking place for a heat network in north Maidstone, incorporating Kent County Council offices, Maidstone Prison and a new 55 commercial development.
3.5.4 Nuclear power Nuclear power generates around a quarter of the UK’s electricity and is that is expected to rise to 35% by 2035 (Figure 35). The government wants nuclear power to ‘form an important part of a “balanced mix” of generating technologies, so it provides reliable, low- 56 carbon and cost-competitive electricity’.
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Figure 35: Electricity generation by fuel type - historic and projected as at November 2015 (NAO, 2016) Appendix B
There is a nuclear power station at Dungerness, on the south coast of Kent: Dungeness B consists of two operational 615 MW reactors, and Dungeness A ceased power generation in 2006 and is expected to enter the ‘care and maintenance’ stage of decommissioning in 2027. The power stations provide over 850 full time jobs in Kent as well as over 200 full time contract partners. At the time of writing, the government are not currently proposing any new nuclear power station sites in the county.
Whilst nuclear energy is zero emission, nuclear power plants require greater levels of capital investment and longer timescales to build than other forms of power generation. They also produce significant quantities of hazardous radioactive waste that requires specialist treatment, containment and secure disposal, long after a plant has been decommissioned: this makes nuclear power a less attractive option environmentally.
20 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 4. Transport and travel 4.1 Transition to Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) are currently defined as having less than 75 grams of CO2 per kilometre (g/km) from the tail pipe. Due to advancements in technology, from Transport makes up 41% of Kent and Medway carbon emissions and transport emissions 2021 the Vehicle Certification Agency expects to define ULEVs as a car or van that emits are on the rise; now at their highest since 2007 (see section 3.3.2 and Figure 25). This 60 less than 50 g/km CO2. increase in emissions reflects the growth in the overall number of vehicles on the road, 57 particularly vans. In Kent, freight transport volumes are disproportionally greater than In 2018, the government published its Road to Zero Strategy61 setting out its ambition for other parts of the UK strategic road network, with 2.5 million HGV freight movements at least 50%, and as many as 70%, of new car sales to be ULEVs by 2030, alongside up to 58 59 through Dover and 1.7 million lorry movements through Eurotunnel in 2018. 40% of new vans. By 2040, the ambition is for all new road vehicles to be “effectively zero emission”. This marks a significant step change in UK policy to deliver on the ambitions This intercontinental traffic creates air pollution and increased traffic volumes along the set out in the UK’s Clean Growth Strategy and supports delivery of the Clean Air Strategy M2/A2 and M20/A20 corridors, which contributes to background air pollution levels and 62 2019. peak traffic congestion. The transition to zero tail pipe emission vehicles, paves the way for the investment and The main air pollutants are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and to a lesser extent particulate matter development of alternative fuels and technologies, for example; electric, hydrogen and (PM), which mainly impacts on residents living in urban town centres and along busy A compressed natural gas. With the government incentivising the switch to electric cars roads or close to the motorways. and vans by providing a grant towards the cost of a new vehicle, the take up of electric vehicles is significantly increasing. Economic growth predicts an increase in traffic volumes. Without positive interventions, this could see increased congestion, increased journey times and increases in the In Kent and Medway during 2018-19, the Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) Page 79 Page concentration of air pollutants along specific routes or in specific locations. The transport business support programme has also been able to offer additional grants to further measures that can have an impact in reducing these air pollutants can be summarised as: incentivise the adoption of electric vehicles by local small and medium sized businesses. At the time of writing, this has helped 16 businesses invest in a range of ultra-low • strategic road network improvements and specific junction improvements to increase emission fleet vehicles, from pool cars to all-electric work vans to reduce their running capacity and improve traffic flow e.g. funded through Local Growth Fund costs and air quality impacts. There was also significant interest and take up from taxi • targeted use of low or ultra-low emission zones (also known as clean air zones) operators. Up to March 2019, 27 grants had been awarded to taxi businesses with 18 • update vehicle fleets to accelerate the uptake of EURO 6/Real Driving Emission test of these for the TX black taxi with demand for grants outstripping availability for these (RDE) compliant vehicles owner-operators.
• targeted measures, including retrofitting, for fleets operating in urban areas; such as buses and taxis There were 3,850 ULEVs registered in Kent and Medway by the end of 2018 and this • increasing the availability of electric vehicle charge points and non-fossil fuel refuelling 63 growth is largely in line, if not slightly exceeding, the UK trend (Figure 36). facilities eg hydrogen Appendix B • licensing policies for taxis • improved walking and cycling infrastructure, including connectivity to public transport, schools and business parks • schemes that enable car sharing, or provide access to ultra-low emission pool cars and bicycles • organisation-wide travel plans supported by smarter working, travel and parking policies that promote alternatives to car travel • raising awareness of personal actions to reduce emissions and protect health.
All these measures can be found in the individual air quality action plans for Kent and Medway. For the first time, countywide data and information is being reviewed to identify which of these measures need to be prioritised for increased partnership action to target reductions in air pollution.
21 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Hydrogen and compressed natural gas are also being adopted as alternative low emission fuels, albeit on a smaller scale, which at the time of writing are predominantly in use by larger commercial vehicle operators. The lack of refuelling stations along the strategic road network is a significant barrier, with Kent’s closest hydrogen refuelling station being on the M25 at Cobham services. However, as has been the case for the growth in electric vehicles, as the refuelling network grows, the uptake of vehicles is expected to increase; and this is likely to be achieved within the next decade.
4.1.1 Electric vehicle strategy
There is increasing demand for charging infrastructure by members of the public who are switching to plug-in electric vehicles. Consequently, KCC are considering their role in supporting a shift to electric and hybrid plug-in vehicles, and in addressing the county’s electric vehicle infrastructure requirements. There is a need for additional planning guidance to help ensure new developments adequately support their residents to adopt plug-in vehicles, and this will be included in future updates to the Kent Design Guide. Creating public charging hubs in partnerships with local authorities and the private sector is considered important to help allay ‘range anxiety’ fears, for those wishing to make longer journeys in plug-in vehicles. Additionally, KCC will consider the testing of new charging technologies on the public highway and
Page 80 Page will look for ways to enhance the use of plug-in vehicles in KCC’s own fleet, as well as Figure 36: Number of ULEVs registered in Kent and Medway and UK per quarter 2011-18 (DfT, 2019) those of its partners.
Public Transport is also being transformed, with several national and regional bus 4.2 Active travel providers introducing electric-hybrid and other low emission buses, particularly those used in busy town centres and along major commuter routes. Fully electric buses Active travel is defined as walking or cycling as a means of transport, in order to get to a were demonstrated in Kent during a trial along the Dartford Fast-track route in 2018.64 destination such as work, school, the shops or to visit friends. It does not cover walking Following this successful trial, Fastrack vehicles are being considered for electrification and cycling done purely for pleasure, for health reasons, or simply walking the dog. from the start of the 2022 contract, dependent upon the complimentary infrastructure being installed. In 2015, the Department of Transport published a report called Investing in Walking and 66
Cycling: The Economic Case for Action which concluded that ‘sustainable and more Appendix B KCC encourage operators to upgrade current diesel engines to the cleanest possible specifically, active travel interventions, have the potential to deliver strong benefits and current modes and are actively encouraging the transfer to alternatively powered vehicles deserve a place in the modern toolkit of transport policy’. Importantly from a return on by coordinating applications for government grants to help reduce local air pollution. investment perspective, the report also concluded that ‘sustainable travel, as well as Large bus operators in the county are making significant progress towards EURO V and cycling and walking, can deliver very high benefits when compared to their costs’. VI standards. More work is needed to support providers of public transport; especially smaller companies who operate older vehicle fleets. The report draws on evidence from several UK active travel intervention studies and the benefit cost ratios calculated, ranging from 2.6:1 to 10:1. The report further confirms KCC commits around £5.7 million to support rural bus routes and off-peak services not that ‘one can confidently conclude that sustainable travel and cycling and walking in provided by commercial operators. In light of challenging budgets, the council is also particular, regularly offer high and very high value for money.’ exploring innovative and sustainable ways of providing transport to rural communities in Kent. Based on feedback from a public consultation called ‘The Big Conversation’ in July 2018,65 five pilot schemes in Dover, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tenterden and West Malling are due to launch in summer 2019. The success of the pilot schemes will be determined by several measures, including customer feedback and passenger numbers.
22 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
4.2.1 Current active travel in Kent and Medway
Data from the 2011 Census revealed that 54.4% of Kent’s residents aged 16 to 74 who were in employment travelled to work by driving a car or van, 10.1% travelled by foot and 1.7% cycled (Figure 37). The amount walking to work is higher than both the national and regional average of 9.8%. However, the amount cycling to work in Kent is lower than the English (1.9%) and South East (2.0%) averages. Between 2001 and 2011, the number of people who walked or cycled to work in Kent decreased by 0.8% (Figure 38). This is in line with the decreases recorded nationally and regionally. In the UK, the decreases have coincided with increases in the distance travelled to work.
Figure 38: Proportion of Kent residents travelling to work on foot or bicycle in 2001 and 2011 (ONS, 2001/2011)
According to the Department of Transport’s National Travel Survey figures for 2017, 51%
Page 81 Page of English primary school children and 35% of English secondary school children walk to school.67 The proportion of primary school children walking to school has remained broadly similar since 2002, but the proportion of secondary school children has decreased by 10% since 2002. This in part reflects the longer distances secondary children travel to school.
The 2017 Department for Transport Cycling and Walking Investment strategy sets out its aim to make cycling and walking the natural choices for shorter journeys, or as part of a longer journey. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm
ent_data/file/603527/cycling-walking-investment-strategy.pdf) Appendix B
In Medway, 56.7% of pupils aged 5-10 and 51.6% of pupils aged 11-15 walked to school in Figure 37: Method of travel to work in Kent - 2011 Census (ONS, 2011) 2017/1868, which is significantly higher than the national averages.
In Kent, 60.4% of primary school pupils and 32.1% of secondary school pupils walked, cycled, scooted or parked and walked to school in 2017.
Figures 39 and 40 show the distribution of transport modes used by Kent primary and secondary school children in 2017, based on the data provided through school travel plans. The sample size for the 2017 schools’ data was 24,433 respondents for primary schools and 18,560 respondents for secondary schools. Although this demonstrates a positive picture, this data only covers schools participating in the travel plan initiative (19.5 % of primary school children and 18.6% of secondary school children).
23 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
4.2.2 KCC Active Travel Strategy KCC published its Active Travel Strategy69 in March 2017 and aims to make active travel an attractive and realistic choice for short journeys in Kent. By developing and promoting accessible, safer and well-planned active travel opportunities, this strategy will help to establish Kent as a pioneering county for active travel. The strategy has three main action areas:
1. integrate active travel into planning 2. provide and maintain appropriate routes for active travel 3. support active travel in the community.
The strategy sets targets for active travel in Kent1, including by 2021:
• 2 in 3 primary children and 1 in 3 secondary children will travel actively to school • the proportion of people that work within 5km of their home and actively travel to work in Kent to increase to 40% • the number of people cycling along key routes monitored by the Department of Figure 39: Mode of travel to Kent primary schools in 2017 (KCC, 2017) Transport in Kent to increase by 10%.
A key action is to target regular short journeys, such as to work and school, in areas where Page 82 Page there is peak traffic congestion and local air pollution hotspots.
4.2.3 Public rights of way The Public Rights of Way network provides ‘off the highway’ walking and cycling routes. The network is increasingly being improved and promoted as a healthier route to work, school and the rail network; avoiding the pollution generated by road traffic. This includes benefitting from schemes funded by the Local Growth Funds such as:
• West Kent Local Sustainable Transport (cutting congestion) - A package of schemes and initiatives to allow people to transfer between different types of transport; making sustainable transport a real alternative to the private car in Appendix B 70 Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge and Malling. • Kent Thameside Local Sustainable Transport (integrated door-to-door journeys) - to improve walking and cycling facilities in and around bus and train stations in Dartford and Gravesham, as well as improving the Fastrack service to reduce 71 the reliance on cars. Figure 40: Mode of travel to Kent secondary schools in 2017 (KCC, 2017) • Sholden village housing development, near Deal - KCC is providing upgrades to existing public footpaths to facilitate cycling. These improvements are being completed at the request of the parish council and in response to planning application conditions to provide traffic free cycle access to local schools, Fowlmead Country Park and Deal town centre.
1 These targets do not currently include Medway.
24 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 4.3 Emissions from maritime traffic and aviation The study also revealed that more than 70,000 ships passed through the strait in 2016 without calling at any of the strait’s ports, and these vessels carried about 702 million 4.3.1 Emissions from maritime traffic tonnes of cargo. The study concluded that maritime activity in the Dover Strait was 72
In January 2019, the Government published Maritime 2050: Navigating the Future, responsible for 104 million tonnes of CO2e, from which just 14% was emitted within the which is due to be supported by a ‘Clean Maritime Plan’, to be published in summer 2019. boundary of the strait. The study highlights the difficulties Kent and Medway, and indeed The ambition is for the UK to be a global exemplar in green maritime issues. The Maritime the UK government, have in influencing and tackling the impacts of maritime traffic in the Strategy includes the aims that by 2050: the impact of the UK maritime sector on the Dover Strait. environment is close to zero, as well as a leading supplier of zero and low emission shipping technology and green maritime finance. 4.3.2 Emissions from aviation The Government requires major ports to publish Port Air Quality Strategies in summer The Government is also consulting on Aviation 2050: the future of UK aviation, due to 2019 and will work with ports to review their understanding and implementation be completed in summer 2019.The executive summary states “The UK has the largest of climate change adaptation measures and encourage periodic reporting via the aviation network in Europe and the third largest in the world. Aviation directly contributes Adaptation reporting power. at least £22 billion to the economy and supports around half a million jobs. The government supports the growth of aviation and the benefits this would deliver, provided The Dover Strait is one of the busiest straits in the world, with almost 20% of worldwide that growth takes place in a sustainable way, with actions to mitigate the environmental maritime traffic passing through in 2006.73 Data collected through a study for the EU 75 impacts.” Interreg PASSAGE project (and shown in Table 2), estimated that cross-border activities in the Dover Strait emitted over 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in The objectives of the strategy are to: 2016, with an additional 1.2 million tonnes emitted from port operations and road and rail 74 traffic related to the Port of Dover and Channel Tunnel. • help the aviation industry work for its customers Page 83 Page • ensure a safe and secure way to travel Emission source (within the strait’s France Cross UK • build a global and connected Britain boundary)in tCO2e border • encourage competitive markets Port Energy consumption 6 543 9 662 • support growth while tackling environmental impacts operations Ships in port areas 146 732 60 136 • develop innovation, technology and skills.
Maritime Local maritime cruise 725 457 transport Maritime cruise with calls 21 834 This includes asking for views on reducing the environmental and air quality impacts of to the strait’s ports aviation, including improving connectivity to other forms of transport. Transit maritime cruise 1 702 548 426 075 A white paper is expected to be published later in 2019.
In-land Road transport 1 185 908 Appendix B
traffic Railway transport 16 796 16 154
Waterways transport 36 345 0
Tunnel 64 899 2 Induced Industries 8 346 854 0 3 4 economical Cities & Towns 980 425 686 589 activities Tourism 8 074 29 822 TOTAL 10 727 677 2 514 739 1 228 439
Table 2: Source of emissions within the Strait of Dover in 2016 (PASSAGE, 2018) 2 In Kent, no industry included in the strait’s perimeter is part of the EU emissions trading system. For a better understanding of these figures, please refer to the methodology of the study. 3 Equivalent of 1.252 tCO2e/inhabitant 4 Equivalent of 1.32 tCO2e/inhabitant
25 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
5. Air quality
5.1 An introduction to air quality The term “air quality” describes a wide range of substances and processes which create a state of air to which people or ecosystems are exposed to and which may be harmful to humans and the environment. Poor air quality usually refers to air where pollutant levels are higher than levels set by government or health organisations. These pollutants can have profound impacts on the natural environment; however, poor air quality is more commonly associated with negative impacts on human health, as outlined in section 5.2. Further information on air quality, including its health effects, can be found on the Kent 76 Air website.
Figure 41 provides an illustration of the main sources and effects of air pollution.77 People and ecosystems are both impacted by air quality and are described as receptors. Not all receptors will be impacted by poor air quality in the same way.
Air pollution emitters, or sources, include almost anything that involves fuel combustion such as: Figure 41: The sources of air pollutants (PHE, 2018)
Page 84 Page • car and lorry engines Research into the health effects of poor air quality has identified the key pollutants which • domestic or commercial heating boilers drive those effects. They include: • gas or coal fired electricity generation • open fires (including wood burning stoves and boilers) • Fine particulate matter (PM10 or PM2.5) • anything else where a fuel is burned. • Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) • Ozone (O3).
Sources also include industrial processes, some agricultural practices and even natural Other pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and lead were vegetation and livestock. Factors affecting the impact on receptors are: a problem in the past, with many cities and towns experiencing smogs. Following the introduction of the Clean Air Act 1956, emissions have significantly reduced, albeit current
• the types of substance being emitted levels are still known to be harmful to health. Appendix B • the concentration • the distance between source and receptor 5.2 Health impacts of poor air quality • the behaviour of the substances transported in the air. Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to the public’s health, contributing to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and respiratory disease.78 Indeed, between 28,000 and 79 Understanding the source-transport-receptor process is key to understanding air 36,000 deaths each year in the UK are associated with air pollution. quality and to taking action to improve it. Poor air quality increases the chances of hospital admissions, visits to A&E Departments and respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms which interfere with everyday life. There is also ongoing research into the effects of air pollution on the brain; including studies of air pollution and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. There is also emerging evidence that inflammation associated with poor air quality could influence diabetes, developmental outcomes in children and reproductive health outcomes such as low birth weight.
26 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE While air pollution affects everyone, it doesn’t affect everyone equally. People living with is Tonbridge and Malling) and the highest deprivation ranking (key exception is Dartford). lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, as well as heart disease, may find that their symptoms become worse on days with higher District Council Mortality rate Overall Premature Kent air pollution. Those not sensitive to any immediate effects of air pollution are still at risk (per 100,000) Mortality Rate All Ranking on through the long-term health effects of air pollution. These effects happen at lower attributable to Causes (per 100,000) IMD2015
pollution levels than the short-term effects and are often not noticed by people at the PM2.5 time the damage is being done. Thanet 20.1 395.6 1 Gestation5, infancy and early childhood are vulnerable times because the young body is Dartford 19.4 353.3 6 growing and developing rapidly. We know that the heart, brain, hormone systems and Swale 18.7 350.0 2 immunity can all be harmed by air pollution. Research is beginning to point towards effects on growth, intelligence, and development of the brain and coordination.80 The Folkstone and Hythe 17.3 355.4 3 elderly are also vulnerable, due to the decline in organ function with age and an increased Dover 17.0 340.9 5 prevalence of age-related disease, which could be exacerbated by exposure to pollutants. Gravesham 16.6 322.1 4 Those who spend more time in highly polluted areas could also be affected more and this would contribute to a widening of health inequalities. Maidstone 15.9 288.8 9 Canterbury 15.7 321.0 8 Public Health England (PHE) monitors the impact of poor air quality on premature mortality at a national and council level. The indicator used in the Public Health Outcomes Ashford 14.7 289.4 7 Framework (PHOF) is the fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution.81 Tonbridge & Malling 14.6 367.5 11 Table 3 indicates how Kent and Medway councils compare to England and the South Page 85 Page Tunbridge Wells 14.1 267.9 12 82 East. Sevenoaks 12.5 248.7 10
England 5.1 Table 4: Premature mortality rates per 100,000 and attributable to PM2.5 South East 5.6 It is estimated that there were 922 deaths in 2017 that could be associated with Kent 5.6 particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure across Kent and Medway. Medway 6.3 The UK Health Forum and Imperial College London, in collaboration with, and funded Table 3: Fraction of all-cause adult mortality attributable to particulate air pollution 2017 (PHE, by Public Health England, carried out a modelling study. It quantified the potential 2017) costs to the NHS and social care system due to the health impacts of PM2.5 and NO2 and developed a tool for use by local authorities to quantify the number of expected disease Appendix B Analysis by Kent Public Health Observatory used the PHOF 3.01 indicator to calculate 85 cases and costs in their local area. the premature (under 75), mortality rate per 100,000 that was attributable to PM2.5. It concluded that poor air quality is linked with an approximately similar rate of death The total NHS and social care cost due to PM2.5 and NO2 in 2017 was estimated to be as respiratory disease and liver disease. It is associated with more deaths in Kent and £42.88 million (based on data where there is more robust evidence for an association), 83 Medway than suicide and communicable diseases. increasing to £157 million when diseases are included where there is currently less robust or emerging evidence for an association. Between 2017 and 2025, the total cost to the Table 4 presents the overall premature mortality rate per 100,000 and the mortality rate NHS and social care of air pollution where there is robust evidence for an association, is attributable to PM2.5 for each council (note that Medway is excluded from this table as it estimated to be £1.60 billion for PM2.5 and NO2 combined increasing to £5.56 billion if we is a unitary authority). It also includes the district councils’ rating on Indices of Multiple include other diseases for which there is currently less robust evidence for an association. Deprivation (IMD2015) which is the official measure of relative deprivation for small areas 84 in England. Broadly speaking, the areas with the highest overall premature mortality rate 5.3 Assessing air quality also tend to have the highest premature mortality rate attributable to PM2.5 (key exception
Air quality can be assessed in two different ways, by monitoring or modelling. 5 The period of time between conception and birth.
27 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 5.3.1 Air quality monitoring Local authorities in Kent and Medway also routinely use networks of diffusion tubes to assess levels of NO2 at key locations, and the results can be found on the Kent Air Monitoring involves taking physical measurements of the composition of the air and is 86 website. thus often seen as being more reliable. Monitoring methods can be further divided into passive sampling and continuous monitoring. 5.3.2 Air quality modelling
• Passive sampling, for example diffusion tubes are often used to measure One of the downsides of monitoring air quality is that it only provides information on air concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). They can only provide data on the average quality at that specific location. To estimate the levels of air pollution at other locations, concentration over a specific period, usually over a 1 month period and are used and to assess the likely effect of actions to address air quality in the future, air quality to assess the annual objective. This sampling is not suitable for measuring the modelling is required. concentration of particulate matter which requires more complex techniques. • Continuous monitoring utilises more complex equipment, which samples the air In order to replicate the variability of emissions, the weather, chemical processes in the continuously and provides data over very short time period (15 minutes, 1 hour or 24 atmosphere and geographical features, air quality models are generally very sophisticated hour periods). High quality data such as that produced by well-maintained continuous and require specialist expertise to operate. Nevertheless, their usefulness means that they analysers is generally required to show compliance with air quality technical guidance. are considered essential to obtaining a detailed picture of air quality in an area.
There were 15 sites with continuous analysers operating in Kent and Medway in 2017, The UK uses a model to supplement air quality monitoring data to assess compliance with measuring NO2, PM10, PM2.5, Ozone and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), as shown in Table 5. European air quality standards. Local authorities routinely use modelling to characterise area of high air pollution in their areas, an example of which is shown in Figure 42.
Site Name
Page 86 Page Canterbury NO2 O3 PM10 URBAN BACKGROUND
Canterbury Military Road NO2 ROADSIDE
Chatham Roadside NO2 PM10 PM2.5 ROADSIDE
Dover Centre Roadside PM10 ROADSIDE
Gravesham A2 Roadside NO2 PM10 ROADSIDE
Gravesham Industrial Background NO2 PM10 URBAN BACKGROUND
Maidstone Rural NO2 PM10 RURAL Appendix B
Rochester Stoke NO2 PM10 PM2.5 O3 SO2 RURAL
Swale Newington 3 NO2 ROADSIDE
Swale Ospringe Roadside 2 NO2 PM10 ROADSIDE
Swale St Pauls Street NO2 ROADSIDE
Thanet Birchington Roadside NO2 PM10 ROADSIDE
Thanet Ramsgate Roadside NO2 PM10 ROADSIDE
Tonbridge Roadside 2 NO2 ROADSIDE
Tunbridge Wells A26 Roadside NO2 PM10 ROADSIDE Figure 42: Modelling for Maidstone Borough Council in 2017 (Maidstone Borough Council ASR, 2017)
Table 5: Continuous air quality monitoring sites operating in Kent and Medway While local modelling has been undertaken in Kent and Medway, there is no current
28 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
model covering the whole county. It is hoped this will be developed in future as a useful tool to support District planning and development of air quality actions plans. Maps of ‘background’ concentrations of air pollutants are available now from Defra, as outputs from the national modelling processes.
5.3.3 Sources of air pollution emissions A key tool in understanding and modelling air quality is an emissions inventory. This is a model which reconstructs emissions of different pollutants from different sources, potentially placing them geographically. This is done at its most basic level by multiplying activity data (eg. number of cars using a stretch of road), by an emission factor (eg. the amount of a pollutant emitted by an individual car per kilometre travelled). All emissions calculations are based on assumptions (for example, assuming all cars emit the same amount of the pollutant as each other all the time). Figure 43: NOX emissions from Kent and Medway, 2015 (NAIE) A well-designed emissions inventory allows policies to be tested for their impact on air quality. For example, a scheme providing incentives for people to buy electric or low emission vehicles will change the composition of traffic. The impact of this change can be estimated by adjusting the emissions inventory; the outputs from which can be fed into air quality models and so the effectiveness of the policy can be assessed before it is implemented. In this way, a high-quality emissions inventory can result in better, more Page 87 Page informed decision making and more cost-effective actions.
The UK Government maintains a national emissions inventory (the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory,87 or NAEI), both to help develop policy and to fulfil its legal requirements to report on the UK emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gasses. There is no separate emissions inventory for Kent and Medway, nor do local authorities run and maintain emissions inventories for their areas.
Using the NAEI, it is possible to extract emissions data for Kent. Figures 43 and 44 provide a breakdown of emissions in Kent and Medway for NOX and PM2.5
Appendix B EVIDENCE GAP: Breaking the figures down further, for example breaking down road transport emissions into fuel, vehicle or road type, would be beneficial for policy Figure 44: PM2.5 emissions from Kent and Medway, 2015 (NAIE) development and tracking, but is not possible with the dataset as it currently stands. It is also possible to map this data, to provide a view on the distribution of emissions across the area. Figures 45 and 46 shows emissions maps of Kent and Medway for NOX (as NO2) and Figures 47 to 49 provides the same maps but for PM2.5. Table 6 provides the total emission for NOX and PM2.5 for Kent and Medway local authorities.
29 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Page 88 Page Figure 45: Total NOX (as NO2) emissions for Kent and Medway, 2015 (NAIE) Figure 47: Total PM2.5 emissions for Kent and Medway, 2015 (NAIE)
Appendix B
Figure 46: Road NOX (as NO2) emissions for Kent and Medway, 2015 (NAIE) Figure 48: Road transport PM2.5 emissions for Kent and Medway, 2015 (NAIE)
30 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Figure 50 shows the trends in annual emissions of six air pollutants in UK since 1970 (1980 for ammonia)88. It shows the general trend is downwards and improving, apart from ammonia, which is increasing. The main sources of ammonia emissions are from agriculture, in particular livestock farms. While agriculture in Kent is a significant sector, it is largely arable, orchard and soft fruit crops, with ammonia emissions arising from organic wastes spread on the land to enrich the soil. Currently Defra and the Environment Agency work with the agricultural sector to address this trend.
Figure 49: Commercial and residential PM2.5 emissions for Kent and Medway, 2015 (NAIE) Page 89 Page
District Total NOX emitted (t) Total PM2.5 emitted (t) Ashford 1,227 251 Canterbury 1,054 232 Dartford 1,207 158 Dover 670 207
Gravesham 658 152 Figure 50: Trends in annual emissions of six air pollutants in the UK, 1970 – 2017 (Defra, 2019) Maidstone 1,520 290 Figure 51 shows the emissions trend by source sector for NOX, identifying the key Medway 3,278 383 Appendix B components for road transport.89 The prime focus for local authorities across Kent Sevenoaks 1,608 230 and Medway is influencing the reduction in emissions from road transport on roads Folkstone and Hythe 742 172 maintained by Kent County Council and Medway Council. Whilst the traffic using the motorways and trunk roads in the county (maintained by Highways England) is significant Swale 1,864 329 and impacts background emission levels in general, there is less direct impact on Thanet 609 180 residential properties or areas where the public are exposed whilst walking and cycling. Tonbridge and Malling 2,295 246
Tunbridge Wells 686 187
Kent and Medway Total 17,418 3,017
Table 6: Total NOX and PM2.5 emissions for Kent and Medway Districts, 2015
31 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Table 7 shows the source apportionment calculated for six locations within one of Medway Council’s Air Quality Management Areas, as part of its Air Quality Action Plan90 adopted in 2015. This has been constructed by subtracting the ‘background’ concentration from the measured concentrations at that location. The remainder is then split between different road transport sources using local traffic counts. This is a very useful way of estimating the key sources at a specific location, it cannot be used to provide information at locations without any monitoring, nor can it be used to test ex ante policy effectiveness.
5.4 Air quality in Kent and Medway
5.4.1 Air quality objectives
Based on available data, air quality in Kent and Medway is generally improving, with Figure 51: Emission trend for nitrogen oxides by source sector, England, 1990-2016 (NAEI, 2018) the number of days of moderate or high air pollution falling between 2012 and 2016, although 2017 data showed an increase to 49 days compared to 32 days in 2016 (where While the NAEI provides very useful information on emissions at a national scale and at least one pollutant recorded levels of moderate or higher air pollution). offers a starting point for understanding emissions from Kent, it does not use information specific to Kent to construct emissions for the area. Sub-national scale inventories have Areas where concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or particulate matter are above been constructed for London (the LAEI), Wales and Scotland, and increasingly for larger or close to the national Air Quality Standards, have been declared as Air Quality Management Areas, with 43 currently declared across the county. Page 90 Page urban areas in the UK, in response to a requirement for such areas to investigate Clean Air Zones. Defra is showing an increasing interest in embedding more local scale inventories into the national policy development framework. Defra provides the complete set of EU Limit Values and National Air Quality Objectives.91 The limits for nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter are: In the absence of a local scale emissions inventory, source apportionment can be used to 3 estimate the key sources contributing to air quality as assessed at monitoring stations. • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) - annual average concentration of 40µg/m • PM10 - -3 Location Total Road Back Cars HGV LGV Buses Motor • Annual average concentration of 40µg.m -3 • 24hr average PM10 concentration of 50 µg m with 35 exceedances allowed per year NO2 NO2 ground cycles -3 • PM2.5 - annual average PM2.5 concentration of 25µg.m Luton Arches Junction 44.2 24.5 19.7 11.4 2.5 3.3 7.2 0.05 18 Star Hill 45.6 25.9 19.7 11.5 4.5 3.2 6.7 0.05 Appendix B 5.4.2 Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
High Street, Strood 45 25.3 19.7 11.8 5.6 4.2 3.7 0.04
(Tanning Shop) Figure 52 shows the background concentrations on NO2 for Kent and Medway, for 2015. The map is taken from data provided by Defra to assist local authorities in assessing air High Street, Strood 52.4 32.7 19.7 16.9 4.5 5.8 5.5 0.06 (Southern Heating) quality in their area. It gives the annual average concentrations averaged in each 1x1km grid square. This means that the higher concentrations found closer to sources such as London Road, Strood 41.6 21.9 19.7 10 4.2 5.1 2.5 0.03 major roads are smoothed out. However, it provides a good indication of the distribution
33 London Road, 42.9 23.2 19.7 11.2 3.8 6 2.2 0.03 of NO2 across the area and clearly shows the importance of both urban areas and major
Strood roads, including the motorway network in contribution to poor air quality. It also shows the proximity of London with higher levels of air pollution also contributes to overall Table 7: Central Medway AQMA NO2 source apportionment diffusion tube sites where 2013 annual pollution levels in the north east of the county. mean concentration greater than 40 µg.m-3 (Medway Council, 2015)
32 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Sites
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Canterbury AURN 17 16 18 15 15 15 12 11 14 15 Canterbury Military Road 40 37 34 34 33 34 28 28 33 37 Chatham Roadside AURN 38 30 32 26 25 23 26 26 Gravesham A2 Roadside 40 38 37 34 35 31 31 30 30 32 Gravesham Industrial 28 30 28 26 27 31 24 23 24 24 Background Dartford Bean Interchange 58 58 54 53 54 43 51 61 57 55 Dartford Town Centre 43 45 51 40 42 49 44 37 38 34 Dartford St Clements 69 60 57 54 57 53 61 50 47 43 Maidstone Rural 18 16 17 13 14 14 12 13 12 13 Rochester Stoke AURN 18 17 24 19 18 14 15 13 14 15
Figure 52: Modelled background concentrations of NO2 (annual average) in Kent and Sevenoaks Bat & Ball 33 31 31 30 29 31 29 32 31 28
Medway, 2015 (Defra) Sevenoaks Greatness Park 21 21 21 19 19 20 17 17 17 16 Monitoring data from roadside locations generally shows higher concentrations than Page 91 Page Swale Newington 3 29 30 35 33 30 28 30 indicated by the map above. Figure 53 shows the trend in roadside NO2 concentrations in Swale Ospringe Roadside 2 34 30 39 39 35 37 41 33 33 Kent and Medway, based on the continuous analysers currently in operation. The dotted line shows the average concentrations over the period while the shaded area shows the Swale St Pauls Street 34 35 38 35 36 range of annual averages measured. While the overall trend is downward, progress is slow. Thanet Birchington Roadside 39 40 35 36 41 35 31 25 32 32 The monitoring results for the period for currently operating sites are shown in Table 8.92 Thanet Ramsgate Roadside 26 30 26 27 25 25 26 23 23 23 In 2017, one site out of thirteen, shown in bold red type, measured annual average NO2 concentrations at or above the UK air quality objective (AQO) of 40µg/m3. Tunbridge Wells A26 Roadside 49 52 57 43 48 47 48 44 44 40
Table 8: Annual average NO2 concentrations measured by currently operating continuous analysers in Kent and Medway, 2008-2017
Appendix B
5.4.3 Particulate Matter up to 10 microns (PM10)
The pattern of concentrations for PM10 is similar to that for NO2, as shown in Figure 54. However, the presence of sources such as transboundary air pollution means that the concentration gradient (the difference between high and low concentrations and the distance over which they vary) is much less.
The trend in annual average concentrations of PM10 is shown in Figure 55, and shows a downward pattern, as controls on emissions, such as fitting particle traps to diesel powered vehicles, have an impact. However, this trend appears to have levelled out in recent years. 3.
Figure 53: Trend in annual average NO2 concentrations in Kent and Medway at all continuous analyser sites, 2008-2017
33 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
accrued from any reduction in population exposure. Further action is therefore needed on PM10.
Site
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Canterbury AURN 23 19 18 20 18 19 18 17 17 17 Chatham Roadside AURN 21 24 21 23 21 19 19 24 Dartford Town Centre 26 24 24 27 24 28 24 23 33 25 Dartford St Clements 33 31 28 28 22 24 25 20 24 21 Dartford Bean Interchange 29 24 25 24 21 21 27 26 27 28 Dover Centre Roadside 32 29 27 30 26 28 27 25 26 24 Gravesham A2 Roadside 24 24 18 21 18 20 17 15 19 16 Gravesham Industrial 31 27 30 24 20 20 19 16 18 22 Background Maidstone Rural 19 17 14 16 18 19 25 19 20 20 Rochester Stoke AURN 22 20 14 16 18 18 15 16 18
Page 92 Page Stanford-le-Hope Roadside Figure 54: Modelled background concentrations of 24 21 21 23 23 24 19 17 20 18 PM10 (anual average) in Kent and Medway, 2015 (Defra) AURN Sevenoaks Bat & Ball 23 23 23 25 24 22 21 21 21 20
Sevenoaks Greatness Park 17 20 20 23 20 20 19 21 18 18 Swale Ospringe Roadside 2 28 27 29 26 29 27 28 25 Thanet Birchington Roadside 23 23 24 29 25 25 21 23 25 26
Thanet Ramsgate Roadside 31 30 28 35 28 27 25 26 26 24.6 Thurrock AURN 21 21 24 25 18 19 19 17 17 19
Tunbridge Wells A26 Appendix B 29 29 28 30 28 28 28 28 26 25 Roadside
Table 9: PM10 concentrations measured by currently operating continuous analysers in Kent and
Medway, 2008-2017
Figure 55: Trend in annual average PM10 concentrations in Kent and Medway at continuous analysers sites, 2008-2017
PM10 is currently measured at 16 sites across Kent and Medway, as shown in Tables 9 and 10. Evidence indicates that PM10 does not have a “safe” level, and that health benefits are
34 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
Site Name Exceedance Days* Site Name Annual Mean (µg m-3)* Chatham Roadside 14 Canterbury 2 Rochester Stoke 10 Chatham Roadside 6 Table 11: PM2.5 concentrations measured by continuous analysers in Kent and Medway, 2017 Dartford Town Centre 10 Dartford St Clements 4 5.4.5 Other air pollutants
Dartford Bean Interchange 14 Historically, other air pollutants have had a significant impact on air quality, including Dover Centre Roadside 18 sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and benzene. However, controls on industrial
Gravesham A2 Roadside 5 and transport emissions, including shipping emissions, changes to the way we generate electricity and the removal of lead and sulphur from road fuels have reduced Gravesham Industrial Background 4 concentrations to the point where they no longer cause significant health impacts in the Maidstone Rural 0 UK. Indeed, concentrations are generally at or below the limits of detection for standard monitoring methods in most areas. Rochester Stoke 4 Sevenoaks Bat & Ball 4 Sulphur Dioxide remains a significant transboundary air pollutant and contributes to the
Sevenoaks Greatness 6 formation of secondary particulate matter, and as such is subject to emission controls at a national and European level. 6 Swale Ospringe Roadside 2 -
Thanet Birchington Roadside 9 Ozone is another significant transboundary pollutant but one which is entirely “secondary” Page 93 Page in nature. Reduction in ozone’s precursor pollutants – Nitrogen dioxide and some volatile Thanet Ramsgate Roadside 13 organic compounds – has greatly reduced peak concentrations but both national and Tunbridge Wells A26 Roadside 13 international action is required to reduce levels further. Evidence shows that action at the level of Kent and Medway would do little to reduce ozone concentrations in isolation. Table 10: PM10 daily “exceedance days” recorded by continuous analysers in Kent and Medway, 2017 Ammonia is a further pollutant of concern and is the only major pollutant whose 5.4.4 Particulate matter up to 2.5 microns (PM2.5) emissions are not decreasing over time. It differs from most other pollutants in that it is not produced by combustion processes. Ammonia is produced almost wholly from PM2.5 is measured at only two sites in the area, one of which started measurements agricultural processes and it is highly reactive. This means that concentrations of ammonia relatively recently. The annual average concentrations in 2017 for these two sites are given are generally very low, but it is a key component in secondary particulate matter and thus in Table 11. This shows that concentrations at these sites are well below the national air has significant indirect impacts on both human and environmental health. It also has a
-3 Appendix B quality objective of 25µg.m . significant impact on the natural environment, on vulnerable eco-systems and habitats (especially those which are naturally nitrogen poor). Therefore, the control of emissions of However, this objective, derived from European legislation, is intended as a “backstop” ammonia are a priority for national and international emissions control legislation. with the main policy instrument being a reduction in population exposure on a national basis, rather than focussing on hotpot areas. The World Health Organisation has suggested a guideline value for the protection of human health of 10µg.m-3 while at the 5.5 Acting on poor air quality 93 same time acknowledging that the evidence does not indicate a “safe” level . Further In response to the requirements of Local Air Quality Management (as established through reduction in PM2.5 would therefore derive health benefits for the population of Kent and the Environment Act 1995), district councils in Kent and Medway Council have developed Medway. air quality action plans: 43 Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) have been declared across the area. These are listed in Table 12, which provides a description of each AQMA declared in Kent and the latest monitoring data, where available. All the AQMAs have been declared on an exceedance or risk of exceedance of the NO2 annual average air quality standard (40µg.m-3) using diffusion tube monitoring. Two district councils, Ashford
6 Data omitted due to extremely low data capture and Folkstone and Hythe, have not declared AQMAs.
35 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
District/Council AQMA Name AQMA Description Most recent measured NO2 Measurement annual average (µg.m-3) year Ashford N/A N/A N/A N/A Canterbury Air Quality Management Area – Canterbury 3 Larger City Centre AQMA 47.1 2017 Air Quality Management Area – Herne 1 Junction of the A291 and School Lane 38.2 2017 Dartford A282 Tunnel Approach The approach road to the Dartford Crossing which is flanked at several 56 2016 points by residential properties London Road The length of London Road (A226) which runs from Swanscombe in 47 2016 the east to the Princes Road roundabout, Dartford. Dartford Town Centre and Approach Roads Several stretches of road converging on Dartford town centre. 38 2016 Bean Interchange An area encompassing residential properties near to the Bean 57 2016 Interchange between the A2 and Bluewater Shopping Centre. Dover A20 AQMA An area following the A20 from just west of the Limekiln Roundabout 42.8 2017 at the western end to a point c.140m from the Eastern Docks in Dover. No longer includes properties in Marine Parade and East Cliff to the east. High Street/Lady -well AQMA An area encompassing roads and properties between the junction of 45.4 2017 Effingham Crescent/High Street, and Priory Hill/High Street.
Page 94 Page Gravesham A2 Trunk Road AQMA The A2 Trunk Road AQMA. An area extending either side of the length 31 2016 of the A2 within the borough Northfleet Industrial Area AQMA An area encompassing the Northfleet Industrial Area in Gravesham 33.6 2016 A226 One-way system in Gravesend AQMA An area incorporating the entirety of the A226 One-way system in 40.6 2016 Gravesend B262/B261 Pelham Arms Junction AQMA An area encompassing the junction of the B262 Pelham Road, B262 34.5 2016 Pelham Road South and the B261 Old Road West A227/B261 Wrotham Road/Old Road West An area encompassing the junction of the A227 Wrotham Road and 38.2 2016 Junction AQMA B261 Old Road West extending south to a point just beyond the Woodlands Restaurant Appendix B The Echo Junction Area AQMA On B261 Gravesend 34.4 2016 The Parrock Street Area AQMA An area encompassing Parrock Street (from the point at which it 30.5 2016 crosses the railway line, southwards to the junction of Christ Church Road), and Lord Street (from its junction with Parrock Street to its junction with Windmill Street Maidstone Maidstone Town AQMA An Area encompassing the entire Maidstone conurbation including 79.3 2017 the location previously designated as the separate M20 AQMA
36 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
District/Council AQMA Name AQMA Description Most recent measured NO2 Measurement annual average (µg.m-3) year Medway Central Medway AQMA A large central AQMA which includes the previous AQMAs of 51 2017 Frindsbury Road, Cuxton Road, Strood Centre, Rochester Centre and Chatham Centre which have been slightly extended, but also includes the new areas of Luton Road, Chatham, High Street, Chatham and Rainham Road, Chatham. Rainham AQMA An area running along the High Street in Rainham. 45.4 2017 Gillingham AQMA An area along Pier Road in Gillingham 42.9 2017 Four Elms Hill AQMA Part of Four Elms Hill, Chattenden 50.8 2017 Sevenoaks AQMA 1 Junction 3 of the M25 to the district boundary with Tonbridge and 45.8 2016 Malling Borough Council including part of the A20 at Farningham. AQMA 2 County border with Surrey to district border with Dartford, including 43.1 2016 Junctions 3, 4 and 5 and the extension of Junction 5 to connect with the A25 at Bessel’s Green AQMA 3 M26 - from junction 5 of the M25 to the district boundary with No current monitoring N/A Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. AQMA 4 Swanley Bypass - from junction 3 of the M25 to the district boundary No current monitoring N/A with the London Borough of Bromley Page 95 Page AQMA 6 Junction 5 to Kent / Surrey border No current monitoring N/A AQMA 8 Swanley – London Road (East); High Street; Bartholomew Way and No current monitoring N/A parts of Central town area AQMA 10 Sevenoaks – High Street 54.7 2016 AQMA 13 The entire length of the A25 from the border with Tonbridge and 57.9 2016 Malling in the east to the border with Tandridge in the west. AQMA 14 The junction of London Road and Birchwood Road, Swanley. 60.5 2016 Folkstone and Hythe N/A N/A N/A N/A Swale AQMA 1: Newingto n (A2 / High Street) An area encompassing those parts of London Road and High Street, 48.5 2017 Appendix B Newington where the speed limit is 30mph AQMA 6: Ospringe Street, Faversham (A2 / Area incorporating all of Ospringe Street, Ospringe which is a section 61.3 2017 Ospringe) of the A2 London Road, trunk road near Faversham between the grid reference 600106, 160936 and the grid reference 600466, 160839. AQMA 3: East Street, Sittingbourne (A2 / The designated area incorporates the area of East Street, 42.5 2017 Canterbury Road) Sittingbourne. AQMA 4: St Paul’s Street, Milton, The designated area incorporates the area of St Pauls Street, 55.7 2017 Sittingbourne (B2006) Sittingbourne AQMA 5: Teynham (A2 / London Road) A2 London Teynham. 39.9 2017 Thanet Thanet Urban AQMA An area encompassing a number of urban areas within Thanet 40 2016
37 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
District/Council AQMA Name AQMA Description Most recent measured NO2 Measurement annual average (µg.m-3) year Tonbridge and Malling M20 AQMA 1 An area extending 39m from the centreline along the M20 motorway 36.7 2017 between the points where it passes below New Hythe Lane, Larkfield to the west and where it crosses Hall Road, Aylesford to the east. Ditton AQMA 2 An area incorporating the Station Road/London Road A20 crossroads 31.9 2017 in the Parish of Ditton. Tonbridge High Street AQMA 3 An area incorporating the High Street between Botany and the High 49.6 2017 Street/Vale Road roundabout, Tonbridge. Wateringbury AQMA 4 An area incorporating the Red Hill/Tonbridge Road A26 crossroads in 61.3 2017 the Parish of Wateringbury. Aylesford AQMA 5 An area encompassing the A20 London Road in Aylesford, including 44.8 2017 the junction with Hall Road and Mills Road. Larkfield AQMA 6 An area encompassing the A20 London Road in East Malling, Larkfield 43.2 2017 and Ditton, including the junction with New Hythe Lane. Borough Green AQMA 7 Parts of Sevenoaks Road A25, Western Road and the High Street in 43 2017 Borough Green Tunbridge Wells A26 AQMA The A26 between Park Road and Neville Terrace and also including 43.3 2017 Grosvenor Road at 0- 80m from the road Page 96 Page
Table 12: AQMAs declared by Kent and Medway councils
A number of the air quality action plans are currently being reviewed and updated, so a definitive list of the actions currently underway is not available. However, a preliminary analysis of published reports showed around 250 individual actions; ranging from the very specific, e.g. addressing a particular junction or road section, though to the more general, dealing with broader council policy or approach.
Roughly two thirds of the actions were aimed at transport sources, including:
• promotion of low emission vehicles and infrastructure Appendix B • supporting walking and cycling • low emission buses and taxis • specific road improvements.
The other third was aimed at development control and council policies, including:
• the adoption of common guidance on handling air quality in planning applications • a commitment to a joint air quality strategy • the development of awareness raising campaigns • reducing the impact of Council fleet vehicles.
38 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 5.5.1 The role of green infrastructure However, whilst green infrastructure is beneficial for air quality and has many multiple benefits, it is unlikely to resolve air quality problems at a city scale. One of the problems Green infrastructure is a term usually used to describe an urban network of greenspace is that there is often insufficient space to plant vegetation in the quantity required to that is often strategically planned and managed. It includes roadside trees, shrubs and have an impact. Research from the Air Quality Expert Group on behalf of Defra concluded hedges; parks, cemeteries and allotments; urban woodland, riverbanks and wetlands; that realistic urban planting schemes would reduce PM10 concentrations by only a private gardens; and green walls, sustainable urban drainage systems and green roofs. few percent. 97 For this reason, Public Health England have recently cautioned that appropriately designed urban green infrastructure can improve air quality, improve health There has been increasing recognition that green infrastructure can play an important inequalities and promote health and wellbeing, but should not be used in isolation to role in influencing urban air quality. Vegetation acts as a natural filter; with the surface 98 address air pollution. of leaves absorbing carbon dioxide, dust particles and other pollutants such as sulphur 94 dioxide. A 2017 study for the Office of National Statistics estimated that existing UK 5.6 Published Air Quality Information vegetation reduces the average annual surface concentrations of PM2.5 by 10%, PM10 by 6%, ozone by 13%, ammonia by 24% and sulphur dioxide by 30%, but did not markedly The Kent Air website provides access to published data and reports for Medway and all change nitrogen dioxide concentrations. The study concluded that UK vegetation district councils except for Dartford and Sevenoaks; whose data is hosted on the London removes 1,354 kilotons of pollutants annually, with an annual value of £1 billion. Air Quality Network:
Research by Lancashire University95 showed that trees removed airborne pollutants at http://kentair.org.uk three times the rate of grasslands. The research also revealed that there is variation in the effectiveness of different species of trees: Scots pines, common alder, larch, Norway http://www.londonair.org.uk maple, field maple, ash and silver birch were found to remove the most pollutants. However, species of oak and willow were found to be detrimental to air quality, due to the These websites provide information and advice for individuals and to be used as Page 97 Page emittance of biogenic volatile organic compounds (bVOCs), which enhance the formation educational resources and together show the status of air pollution across the county. of pollutants such as ozone. Other negative impacts related to trees and hedges include the release of allergenic pollens in some species; the loss of effectiveness in winter due 5.6.1 Ashford Borough Council to leaf fall in deciduous species; and a reduction in air-flow if planted too densely, leading to pollutant concentration spikes. However, these impacts can all be avoided if suitable Air Quality in the borough is considered to be good with pollutant concentrations below species are selected and correctly planted at the outset. the national air quality objectives and monitoring data showing levels are continuing to decrease slightly. The council has therefore not declared any AQMAs. As well as the air quality benefits, green infrastructure is seen as an essential tool in the creation of healthy and sustainable communities because it provides many other benefits, 5.6.2 Canterbury City Council including: There are two AQMAs declared in the district. Monitoring of the levels of nitrogen dioxide
is from a continuous analyser at a roadside site and a network of 44 diffusion tube Appendix B • enhanced physical and mental wellbeing sites. In addition, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and PM10 monitoring take place at an urban • important urban wildlife habitat, supporting many different species background AURN affiliated site. • acts as a sound barrier, reducing the impact of urban noise
• natural drainage, which helps prevent flooding The nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube network was further expanded in 2017 to include
• urban shading, to reduce the impact of heatwaves and mitigate the ‘urban heat island’ additional sites in response to a number of planning applications and local concerns.
• carbon storage, mitigating the impacts of climate change • increased property values from enhanced aesthetics 5.6.3 Dartford Borough Council
There are four AQMAs declared in Dartford for NO2 and PM10 mainly due to emissions A recent report by Fields in Trust concluded that based on estimates of a reduction in GP from road traffic sources. Levels of pollution have been improving over recent years but visits by regular park users in the UK population, the annual NHS cost saving from parks remain high. All four AQMAs still record levels of NO2 in excess of the annual average 96 and greenspace is £111 million, or £3.16 per person. objective.
39 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE Dartford has two major trunk roads running through it, incidents on these roads can the whole of the urban area, but the modelling showed that a much smaller AQMA could result in vehicles being displaced onto the local road network. This combined with be considered. Maidstone councillors approved this change at the end of 2017 and a higher background pollution levels due to its geographical proximity to London results in new AQMA has been declared which closely follows the carriageways of the main roads pollution levels higher than many other Kent districts. through Maidstone Borough. The actual boundary of the AQMA is based on the 36µgm-3 NO2 contour predicted by the modelling. New air quality action plans are to be produced in 2019. A review of air quality monitoring provision in Maidstone was undertaken, which 5.6.4 Dover District Council concluded that automatic monitoring in the town centre was essential, with Upper Stone Street being the preferred location. A suitable monitoring site in Upper Stone Street was There are two AQMAs declared in the district. The extent of these AQMAs has now been identified and a new monitoring station has now been installed, which measures NO2 and reviewed and modelled by the council’s consultants and no changes to area boundaries PM10 and also measures PM2.5 in Maidstone for the first time. are necessary. Although additional monitoring at an extra four sites at the High Street / Ladywell AQMA and at residential locations close to the Townwall Street AQMA continue. 5.6.8 Medway Council
Dover faces several challenges to manage traffic to and from the Port and discussions are Many challenges still lie ahead for Medway Council in terms of making a positive taking place with central government and Highways England to manage the expected contribution to improving air quality. major increase in housing stock in South East England coupled with proposals for the third Thames crossing. A weak trend of decreasing measured concentrations of NO2 is apparent at most sites from 2011 to 2017. However, monitoring results for 2017 demonstrate that air quality in 5.6.5 Folkestone and Hythe District Council Medway continues to exceed the annual mean NO2 objective at some locations adjacent to roads covered by the four AQMAs. Measured pollution concentrations remain below Page 98 Page Folkestone and Hythe District Council has not been required to declare an AQMA and the the national objectives outside the declared AQMAs, and at numerous sites within them. 2017 annual status report supports this decision. The council is now planning to develop an Air Quality Action Plan for this AQMA, which is The 2017 monitoring results indicated that the prescribed objectives were all being expected to run in conjunction with development of the new Medway Local Plan during met. The highest monitored levels are still at the busy roadside sites in Folkestone 2018/19. town. Therefore, the council continues to monitor at these locations to demonstrate continued compliance with the prescribed objectives. A review of the network will also 5.6.9 Sevenoaks District Council be considered to ensure the monitoring stays relevant. There are nine AQMAs declared in Sevenoaks district for NO2 and PM10 mainly due to 5.6.6 Gravesham Borough Council emissions from road traffic sources.
There are seven AQMAs declared in the district. The adoption of the action plans and Sevenoaks district Council maintains a network of air quality monitoring including Appendix B Air Quality Strategy have enabled the council to make excellent progress in improving ozone monitoring. Levels of NO2 and PM10 have generally been improving over recent air quality and three AQMAs are being considered for revocation around the area of years however Ozone levels recorded at the Greatness park background have breached Rathmore Road, although monitoring of NO2 will continue. This will help the council objective levels in nine of the last ten years. to ascertain whether the actions being taken through the planning process, including junction improvements when new developments come along, have a beneficial effect on A review of the current AQMAs is to be carried out in 2019 as part of the development of air quality. a new air quality action plan. It is likely that some of the AQMAs will be able to be revoked as a result of this review. The general trend of pollution levels across the borough is a downward one, with significant improvements being made in the AQMAs above. 5.6.10 Swale Borough Council
5.6.7 Maidstone Borough Council There are five AQMAs declared in the district, due to elevated levels of NO2 from excessive traffic and congestion on and near the A2. The extension to the Ospringe AQMA has now Extensive air quality modelling was undertaken in 2016, to enable a review of the been consolidated into one AQMA designation. boundaries of Maidstone’s AQMA. Maidstone previously had one large AQMA covering
40 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE Monitoring activity has reduced. The Ospringe monitoring site has been closed since February 2017 to accommodate the building of a new property; this has meant that access to the station was not possible. A review of diffusion tubes has left a similar number as before - 72 tubes - but some sites have been moved as different requirements have been accommodated. Results still show extensive individual exceedances of the NO2 annual means in most of the AQMAs.
There have been a significant number of large planning applications with associated, complex air quality assessments to review. Reference to the significant amount of Swale monitoring data has been critical in this process.
5.6.11 Thanet District Council An urban wide AQMA was declared in 2011 to incorporate several busy junctions that were close to or exceeding the annual objective for nitrogen dioxide. During the last five years there have been good air quality improvements, which have led to only one exceedance at High Street St Lawrence, Ramsgate. However, the large urban AQMA boundary will be retained until all areas fall below health objectives, as it provides the council with more flexibility to secure mitigation measures through the development control process over a wider area and benefiting the whole district.
Page 99 Page 5.6.12 Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council There are seven AQMAs declared within the district. All are declared due to exceedances of NO2, and the M20 AQMA also exceeds the objective for particulate matter. Air quality is monitored using 74 diffusion tubes, as well as a continuous NOx analyser currently located on Tonbridge High Street.
With the scheduled refit of the site of the NOx analyser, the continuous analyser will be moved to Wateringbury Village Hall, to better monitor air quality in the AQMA there.
5.6.13 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Appendix B There is one AQMA declared in the district. Amendments to the AQMA boundary to create a longer, but narrower, AQMA were approved and the order made on the 1st September 2018. Public consultation on a draft plan was also carried out between September and October 2018, with a new Air Quality Action Plan adopted in March 2019.
The council measures NO2 and PM10 in a continuous monitoring station in St Johns Road, in addition to a network of diffusion tubes. Results at most tube locations were lower in 2017 than in 2016. The annual mean NO2 level measure at the continuous monitoring -3 station in 2017 was equal to the annual mean objective for NO2 at 40µgm
41 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
16. KCC (2016) Kent Environment Strategy; https://www.kent.gov.uk/ data/assets/pdf_ 6. References file/0020/10676/KES_Final.pdf 17. KCC (2019), Kent Environment Strategy Indicators https://www.kent.gov.uk/ data/ 1. KCC (2018) Kent and Medway Growth and Infrastructure Framework, https://www. assets/pdf_file/0005/91058/Kent-environment-strategy-indicators-January-2019.pdf kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/environment-waste-and- planning-policies/growth-and-infrastructure-framework-gif 18. MHCLG (2019) Display Energy Certificates https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical- data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings-certificates. 2. KCC (2011) Kent Design Guide https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies- and-policies/regeneration-policies/kent-design-guide 19. Salix Finance https://www.salixfinance.co.uk/ 3. Port of Dover annual traffic statistics; https://www.doverport.co.uk/about/ 20. BEIS (2019) Final energy consumption statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/ performance/ statistical-data-sets/total-final-energy-consumption-at-regional-and-local-authority- level#history. 4. Eurotunnel traffic statistics; https://www.getlinkgroup.com/uk/eurotunnel-group/ operations/traffic-figures/ 21. BEIS (2019) Final energy consumption statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/ statistical-data-sets/total-final-energy-consumption-at-regional-and-local-authority- 5. Department for Transport (2018) Road congestion and reliability statistics; https:// level#history. www.gov.uk/government/collections/road-congestion-and-reliability-statistics 22. KCC (2017) Renewable Energy Action Plan: 2017 Update https://www.kent.gov. 6. Highways England (2019) https://highwaysengland.co.uk/OperationBrock/ uk/ data/assets/pdf_file/0011/89498/Renewable-energy-for-Kent-2017-action-plan- 7. House of Commons Transport Committee (2016) Operation Stack https://publications. update.pdf parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmtrans/65/65.pdf 23. BEIS (2019) Final energy consumption statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/ Page 100 Page 8. KCC (2016) Local Transport Plan 4 https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/ statistical-data-sets/total-final-energy-consumption-at-regional-and-local-authority- strategies-and-policies/transport-and-highways-policies/local-transport-plan level#history. 9. BEIS (2019) Final energy consumption at local authority level https://www.gov.uk/ 24. Non-gas map https://www.nongasmap.org.uk/. government/statistical-data-sets/total-final-energy-consumption-at-regional-and- 25. Energy South2East Local Energy Strategy (2019) https://www.southeastlep.com/app/ local-authority-level#history. uploads/2019/03/Local-Energy-Strategy-FINAL.pdf 10. DECC (2013) The Future of Heating; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ 26. MHCLG live tables on energy performance of buildings https://www.gov.uk/ the-future-of-heating-meeting-the-challenge government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings- 11. DECC (2013) Estimates of heat use in the United Kingdom in 2013 https://assets. certificates.
publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ 27. BEIS (2017) Update of domestic cost assumptions https://www.gov.uk/government/ Appendix B file/386858/Estimates_of_heat_use.pdf publications/domestic-cost-assumptions-what-does-it-cost-to-retrofit-homes 12. South East LEP (2019); Energy South2East Local Energy Strategy https://www. 28. National Grid (2018) Future Energy Scenarios http://fes.nationalgrid.com/ southeastlep.com/energysouth2east 29. Ofgem (2018) Energy Security; https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2018/10/ 13. BEIS (2019) Final energy consumption statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/ october-energy-security.pdf statistical-data-sets/total-final-energy-consumption-at-regional-and-local-authority- level#history 30. BEIS (2019) Capacity Market: outcome of consultation on technical amendments; https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/electricity-market-reform-capacity- 14. BEIS (2019) Final energy consumption statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/ market statistical-data-sets/total-final-energy-consumption-at-regional-and-local-authority- level#history 31. UK Power Networks https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/news-and- press/press-releases/UK-Power-Network-and-National-Grid-launch-major-project-to- 15. KCC (2016) Business rates in Kent 2015/16 https://www.kent.gov.uk/ data/assets/ boost-network-capacity.html pdf_file/0003/7554/Business-rates-in-Kent.pdf.
42 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 32. Climate Change Act 2008 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/27/contents uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/ excesswintermortalityinenglandandwalesreferencetables. Also see table 20 in 33. Committee on Climate Change (2018) 2018 Progress report to parliament https:// appendix 4. www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CCC-2018-Progress-Report-to- Parliament.pdf 48. ONS (2018) Excess winter mortality in England and Wales: 2017 to 2018 (provisional) https://www.ons.gov.uk/ 34. Western Power https://www.westernpower.co.uk/projects/freedom peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/ 35. IPPC (2018) Special Report http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/ excesswintermortalityinenglandandwales/2017to2018provisionaland2016to2017final 49. 36. KCC (2009) Local Climate Impacts Profile https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/ Friends of the Earth (2011) The health impacts of cold homes and fuel poverty https:// information-and-data/Facts-and-figures-about-Kent/environmental-policies/climate- friendsoftheearth.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/cold_homes_health.pdf change/kents-changing-climate 50. Age UK (2014) Reducing fuel poverty – a scourge for older people https://www. 37. BEIS (2018) Local Authority carbon dioxide emissions https://www.gov.uk/ ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/For-professionals/Consumer-issues/reducing_fuel_ government/collections/uk-local-authority-and-regional-carbon-dioxide-emissions- poverty_report.pdf?dtrk=true national-statistics. 51. KCC (2017) Renewable Energy Action Plan: 2017 Update https://www.kent.gov. 38. BEIS (2018) Local Authority carbon dioxide emissions estimates 2016 https://assets. uk/ data/assets/pdf_file/0011/89498/Renewable-energy-for-Kent-2017-action-plan- publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ update.pdf file/719182/Local_Authority_CO2_Emissions_Statistical_Release_2016.pdf 52. BEIS (2018) Clean Growth Strategy https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ 39. BEIS (2018) Local Authority carbon dioxide emissions https://www.gov.uk/ clean-growth-strategy government/collections/uk-local-authority-and-regional-carbon-dioxide-emissions- Page 101 Page 53. BEIS (2018) Heat Networks Investment Project https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ national-statistics. government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/691643/Heat_Network_ 40. BEIS (2018) Fuel poverty sub regional statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/ Case_Study_Brochure.pdf collections/fuel-poverty-sub-regional-statistics#2016-statistics. See also tables 23 and 54. SE LEP (2019) Energy South2East Local Energy Strategy https://www.southeastlep. 24 in appendix 4. com/app/uploads/2019/03/Local-Energy-Strategy-FINAL.pdf 41. KCC (2018) Environment Perception Survey 2018 https://www.kent.gov.uk/ data/ 55. AECOM/KCC (2014) Heat Networks in Kent and Medway: pre-feasibility study (not assets/pdf_file/0006/88170/Kent-environment-survey-research-report.pdf published) 42. BEIS (2019) Quarterly Energy Prices, Q4 2018 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ 56. AECOM/KCC (2016) Maidstone Heat Network Feasibility Study (not published) government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790035/QEP_Q4_2018. pdf 57. National Audit Office (2016) Nuclear Power in the UK https://www.nao.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2016/07/Nuclear-power-in-the-UK.pdf Appendix B 43. BEIS (2019) Average annual domestic gas bills for GB regions https://assets.publishing. service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790133/ 58. Committee in Climate Change (2018) 2018 Progress report to Parliament https://www. table_233.xlsx theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CCC-2018-Progress-Report-to-Parliament. pdf 44. BEIS (2019) Average annual domestic electricity bills for GB regions https://assets. publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ 59. Port of Dover annual traffic statistics https://www.doverport.co.uk/about/ file/790129/table_224.xlsx performance/ 45. KEEP (2016) Delivering Affordable Warmth http://www.gravesham.gov.uk/home/ 60. Eurotunnel traffic statistics https://www.getlinkgroup.com/uk/eurotunnel-group/ housing/saving-money-on-your-bills/fuel-poverty-strategy-for-kent operations/traffic-figures/ 46. Kent and Medway Warm Homes Scheme https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/ 61. Vehicle Certification Agency https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/fcb/ulev. campaigns-and-events/warm-homes asp 47. ONS (2018) Excess winter mortality in England and Wales https://www.ons.gov. 62. DfT (2018) The Road to Zero https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/
43 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/739460/road-to-zero.pdf 79. Defra (2017) Air quality: A briefing for Directors of Public Health https://laqm.defra.gov. uk/assets/63091defraairqualityguide9web.pdf 63. DEfRA (2019) Clean Air Strategy 2019 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ clean-air-strategy-2019 80. PHE (2019) Review of Interventions to Improve Outdoor Air Quality and Public Health https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ 64. DfT (2019) Road vehicle statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data- attachment_data/file/784055/Review_of_interventions_to_improve_air_quality.pdf sets/all-vehicles-veh01#ultra-low-emissions-vehicles 81. Royal College of Physicians (2016) Every breath we take: the lifelong impact of air 65. Fastrack electric bus trial http://www.go-fastrack.co.uk/electric-bus-trial.html pollution https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/outputs/every-breath-we-take- 66. KCC The Big Conversation https://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/travelling- lifelong-impact-air-pollution around-kent/big-conversation 82. Public Health Outcomes Framework https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public- 67. DfT (2015) Investing in walking and cycling: the economic case for action https:// health-outcomes-framework/data#page/3/gid/1000043/pat/6/par/E12000008/ assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ ati/102/are/E06000036/iid/30101/age/230/sex/ data/file/416826/cycling-and-walking-business-case-summary.pdf 83. PHE Public Health Profiles: PHOF 3.01: Fraction of all-cause adult mortality attributable 68. Dft (2017) National Travel Survey 2017 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ to anthropogenic particulate air pollution (measured as fine particulate matter, government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/729521/national-travel- PM2.5) https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/air%20quality#page/0/gid/1/pat/6/par/ survey-2017.pdf E12000008/ati/102/are/E10000016
69. Medway Council (2018) Medway Sustainable School Travel Strategy https://www. 84. Kent Public Health Observatory (2018) Air quality https://www.kpho.org.uk/ data/ medway.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/1811/medway_sustainable_school_travel_ assets/pdf_file/0004/80617/Air-Quality.pdf strategy.pdf Page 102 Page 85. KCC (2015) The English Index of Multiple Deprivation headline findings for Kent http:// 70. KCC (2017) Active Travel Strategy https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/ www.kent.gov.uk/ data/assets/pdf_file/0006/7953/Indices-of-Deprivation-headline- strategies-and-policies/transport-and-highways-policies/active-travel-strategy findings.pdf
71. West Kent Local Sustainable Transport Fund https://www.southeastlep.com/project/ 86. PHE (2018) Estimation of costs to the NHS and social care due to the health impacts west-kent-local-sustainable-transport-fund-lstf/ of air pollution https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/708855/Estimation_of_costs_to_the_NHS_and_social_ 72. Kent Thameside Local Sustainable Transport https://www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and- care_due_to_the_health_impacts_of_air_pollution_-_summary_report.pdf travel/what-we-look-after/roads/road-projects/in-progress-road-projects/kent- thameside-local-sustainable-transport-integrated-door-to-door-journeys 87. Kent Air www.kentair.org.uk
73. DfT (2018) Maritime 2050 Navigating the future https://assets.publishing.service. 88. National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, http://naei.beis.gov.uk gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/773178/ 89. Defra (2019) Emissions of air pollutatns in the UK, 1970 to 2017 https://assets. Appendix B maritime-2050.pdf publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ 74. Atlas Transmanche (https://atlas-transmanche.certic.unicaen.fr/fr/page-382.html) file/778483/Emissions_of_air_pollutants_1990_2017.pdf 90. 75. PASSAGE Interreg Europe (2018) PASSAGE carbon study https://www.interregeurope. National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (2018) Air pollutant inventories for England, eu/passage/library/# Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 1990 – 2016 https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/ documents/reports/cat09/1810160958_DA_Air_Pollutant_Inventories_1990-2016_ 76. DfT (2018) Aviation 2050 the future of UK aviation, a consultation https://assets. Issue1.pdf publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/769695/aviation-2050-web.pdf 91. Medway Council (2015) Air quality action plan https://www.medway.gov.uk/ download/downloads/id/1982/medway_air_quality_action_plan_2015.pdf 77. Kent Air http://kentair.org.uk/information 92. Defra https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/air-pollution/uk-eu-limits. 78. PHE (2018) Health matters: Air pollution https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/health-matters-air-pollution/health-matters-air-pollution 93. Kent and Medway Air Quality Partnership
44 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 94. http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality- and-health 95. ONS (2017) Developing estimates for the valuation of air pollution in ecosystem accounts https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/ developingestimatesforthevaluationofairpollutioninecosystemaccounts/2017-07-25 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (?) Using trees to improve air quality in cities http:// www.es.lancs.ac.uk/people/cnh/UrbanTreesBrochure.pdf 96. Fields in Trust (2018) Revaluing parks and green spaces: measuring their economic and wellbeing value to individuals http://www.fieldsintrust.org/Upload/file/research/ Revaluing-Parks-and-Green-Spaces-Report.pdf 97. Air quality expert group (2018) Impacts of vegetation on urban air pollution https:// uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/1807251306_180509_Effects_of_ vegetation_on_urban_air_pollution_v12_final.pdf 98. PHE (2019) Review of interventions ot improve air quality https://assets.publishing. service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/784055/ Review_of_interventions_to_improve_air_quality.pdf Page 103 Page Appendix B
45 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE Appendix 1: National policy context 2.3 25-Year Environment Plan A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment4, published in January 2018, sets out the Government’s strategy with regard to environmental protection. Climate 1 Introduction change and air pollution were identified as key action areas, under 6 policy focusses:
• Using and managing land sustainably This Appendix summarises key areas of national government policy which have an impact • Recovering nature and enhancing the beauty of landscapes on the drive to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. Policy approaches have • Connecting people with the environment to improve health and wellbeing been categorised for ease of reference into: • Increasing resource efficiency, and reducing pollution and waste • Securing clean, productive and biologically diverse seas and oceans
• Environmental policy • Protecting and improving the global environment
• Health and social policy
The 25 Year Plan also made explicit links to the Government’s Industrial Strategy stating that: “Environmental protection is at the heart of the [industrial] strategy, as our Clean 2 Environmental policy Growth Grand Challenge shows, and is also evident in our investment in clean innovation, the support for zero-emission vehicles, and measures to tackle local air pollution.
2.1 UK Industrial Strategy and Clean Growth Strategy Similarly, the 25 Year Environment Plan will help boost productivity by enhancing our
1 natural capital – the air, water, soil and ecosystems that support all forms of life – since this Page 104 Page In 2017, the Government published its Industrial Strategy , setting out its plan to create an is an essential basis for economic growth and productivity over the long term”. economy that boosts productivity and earning power throughout the UK and as part of this, maximising the advantages for UK industry from the global shift to clean growth. The Clean Growth Strategy2 goes on to give more detailed policies and proposals including 2.4 Climate Change Act 2008 improving business and industry efficiency (in their processes as well as their buildings), The 2008 Climate Change Act5 sets the legal framework for the UK to cut greenhouse improving homes and accelerating the shift to low carbon. gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. It was innovative legislation, setting mandatory targets and requiring five-year carbon budgets for the first time, as well 2.2 Clean Air Strategy as setting up the Committee on Climate Change6 to provide the government with independent advice and to report on progress made. Work in the UK was strengthened 3 In January 2019, Defra published the Clean Air Strategy 2019 , which addresses broadly by the 2015 UN Paris Agreement7, an international agreement to limit global temperature air quality and is aimed at meeting the national emissions reductions obligations. This rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. An IPCC Special Report8, published in Appendix B Strategy also provides a specific focus on reducing population exposure to particulate October 2018, suggests that warming needs to be restricted to 1.5°C to avoid damaging matter and indoor air pollution. It also seeks to address the upwards trend in ammonia climate change. emissions from agriculture, which negatively impacts the natural environment, such as nitrogen deposition. 2.5 Public Sector Carbon Emissions In April 2018, BEIS published the ‘Emissions Reduction Pledge 2020’.9 The Pledge responds to a commitment in the Clean Growth Strategy to introduce a voluntary greenhouse
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan 5 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/27/contents 6 https://www.theccc.org.uk/
7 https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement 1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-building-a-britain-fit-for-the-future 8 http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/ 2 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy 9 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/745003/ 3 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-air-strategy-2019 Guidance_note_for_voluntary_reporting-final.pdf 4 46 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE gas reduction target for the public and higher education sectors in England, aiming to As part of this, the Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU)13 was established to support local reduce these emissions by 30% by 2020/21 compared to a 2009/10 baseline. In the authorities to develop heat networks. This is now further supported by the Heat Networks document, BEIS sets out the voluntary target and reporting framework which is ‘intended Investment Project (HNIP)14 which will provide over £300m capital investment and to standardise public and higher education sectors reporting, engage sector leaders and support for the delivery of heat networks. encourage future action on decarbonisation.’ Organisations that sign up are required to: 2.8 Low Emission Transport • Develop and implement the business case for measuring and reducing energy use, costs and carbon emissions in their organisation The Road to Zero white paper, published in 2018, sets out both the ambition for all • Implement the Emissions Reduction Pledge 2020, using regular measurement to new road vehicles to be “effectively zero emission” by 2040 and the steps by which inform management action the Government intends to achieve this. This includes stimulating the design and • Report annual energy use to BEIS through existing reporting mechanisms where manufacture of low emission vehicles, supporting the development of relevant possible infrastructure, e.g. charging points, and incentivising the uptake of low emission vehicles • Share best practice in their local area and within the sectors. by businesses and the public. It includes steps to support action at a local level:
• Fulfilling a £48m ultra low emission bus scheme funding round to accelerate uptake 2.6 Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for Buildings and deployment of supporting infrastructure. • Launching a second round of funding of at least £6m for local authorities to roll out Introduced under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) dedicated taxi charging infrastructure. Regulations 2015, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (or MEES) came into force in • Setting out definitions of ultra low and zero emission vehicles that local areas may April 2018. They set a legal standard for energy efficiency in both the domestic and adopt. commercial rented sectors. F and G-rated buildings can no longer be let: this goes for all • Running a series of roadshows across the UK on best practice approaches to driving Page 105 Page new buildings from 2018 and all existing buildings from 2023 (although some exemptions the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles. do apply). This puts the onus on the landlord to improve the energy efficiency of their • It is clear that local authorities can benefit from new funding streams buildings in order to continue to rent them out. In the domestic sector, energy efficiency standards in rented accommodation can also be enforced through the Housing Health 10 and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). 2.9 Air Quality
2.7 Low Carbon Heat EU legislation forms the core of the current UK legislative framework on air quality, covering all four aspects of air quality and air pollution control policy: national emissions, The UK spends about £32bn/year on heating, accounting for about one-third of our ambient concentrations, industrial emissions and produce standards (including vehicle greenhouse gas emissions. In 2012, the Government published The Future of Heating: emissions standards). Most prominent are the Ambient Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC), 11 A Strategic Framework for Low Carbon Heat , their strategy to decarbonise heat to the Reduction of National Emissions Directive, the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/ Appendix B contribute to meeting carbon budgets and the 2050 target. In The Future of Heating: EU) and the suite of vehicle emissions standards known collectively as the Euro Standards. Meeting the Challenge12 published the next year, the Government set out their action plan to deliver low carbon heat across industry, heat networks, heating and cooling in Responsibility for Local Air Quality Management (under the Environment Act 1995) rests domestic and non-domestic buildings and the long term options for the gas grid. with District Councils and unitary authorities, whereas national responsibility is retained by Defra. However, County Councils retain a strong role in improving air quality, including the obligation to set out the measures at their disposal in support of the District Councils’
10 For more information on how MEES and HHSRS can be used to promote energy efficiency in the domestic Air Quality Action Plans. sector also see https://www.theade.co.uk/resources/publications/the-warm-arm-of-the-law-tackling-fuel-pover- ty-in-the-private-rented-sector. 11 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-of-heating-a-strategic-framework-for-low-carbon- heat 12 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-of-heating-meeting-the-challenge
13 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/heat-networks-delivery-unit 14 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-networks-investment-project-hnip
47 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE The Government’s 2017 National Air Quality Plan15 is aimed at fulfilling current obligations There were a number of interventions identified. These are scalable and could deliver to meet air quality Limit Values, specifically on NO2. Central to this is a system of Clean Air greatest health benefits when widely implemented. These interventions include: Zones and other nationally coordinated actions (undertaken by local authorities), running alongside local Air Quality Management Areas to help achieve UK Air Quality Objectives. • targeted intervention such as anti-idling at specific hotspots or close to schools and hospitals The full set of UK and European air quality targets is provided16. • interventions to reduce or prevent emissions rather than mitigating pollution that has already occurred • interventions in urban areas that target road vehicles or emissions from wood-burners • all interventions should be systematically evaluated. 3 Health and social policy In addition, there were several interventions on specific areas. These add credence to this strategy as they demonstrate the evidence base used for the interventions in the Energy 3.1 Public Health and Low Emissions Strategy and the current and future work plans of Kent Public Health. Firstly, for traffic-related pollution, the interventions included: 17 In 2012, the Health and Social Care Act transferred local public health duties out of the National Health Service (NHS) and back into local government. The Act gives local • promoting the uptake of low emission vehicles and reducing demand for more authorities the responsibility for improving and protecting the health of their local polluting forms of transport populations. • using spatial planning and transport tools to reduce the sources and exposure to pollution e.g. by reducing the need for individual car use or changing road layouts. This reflects the importance of the wider determinants of health (including good housing, Page 106 Page access to open spaces, public transportation and clean air to breath) which are more important for population health and wellbeing than the quality of healthcare received.’ For intervention on non-traffic sources of pollution there were interventions suggested on low emission transport such as: Review of interventions to improve outdoor air quality and public health’ • lower-emission trains and planes Public Health England published a review of interventions to improve outdoor air quality • reducing pollution from local industry and agriculture such as dust abatement and 18 in March 2019 . This report aimed to support local authorities and partners to take livestock management. effective action to reduce emissions of air pollution at source. Five areas were considered: vehicles and fuels, spatial planning, industry, agriculture and behaviour change. The evidence was assessed and the interventions with the potential for the most benefit to To address public behaviour, awareness campaigns are suggested along with the health by reducing emissions, concentration and exposures were identified. provision of information to allow people to make informed choices to minimise their contribution to air pollution and, as importantly, how they can minimise their exposure to Appendix B Several principles were developed. These included that air pollutants should be pollution. considered and tacked together; that the pollutants do not respect borders and local authorities need to work together; that effective strategies require a coherent approach 3.2 The NHS long term plan 2019 e.g. through public health working with planning or local government working with local communities; that individuals need to change behaviours to reduce their contribution This plan confirms the need for more action on Prevention and Health Inequalities, by to pollution and their contribution to that pollution and that prevention is better – that improving upstream prevention of avoidable illnesses and its exacerbations. Examples of preventing, reducing or replacing polluting activities is better than mitigation. In addition, targeted action that will positively impact health includes smoking cessation, reducing some of those affected may need additional help, e.g. those that have to drive for a living, obesity and lowering air pollution. but do not have resources available for less polluting vehicles and reducing pollutants does not have to be at the expense of economic growth. It makes clear that action goes beyond the NHS and requires individuals, communities, 15 www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-quality-plan-for-nitrogen-dioxide-no2-in-uk-2017 businesses and national government to ensure health is hardwired into social and 16 https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/Air_Quality_Objectives_Update.pdf economic policy, making clear that socioeconomic inequality costs the NHS an extra £4.8 17 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-social-care-act-2012-fact-sheets 18 Review of intervention to improve outdoor air quality and public health. Public Health England. March 2019. billion per year, in greater hospitalisations alone.
48 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE The role of local authorities is an important one, which the NHS can complement. In The top five priorities for the renewed NHS prevention programme are: smoking, recent years top tier and unitary councils have become responsible for funding and poor diet, high blood pressure, obesity, alcohol and drug use. Air pollution and lack of commissioning preventive health services, this in addition to its wider responsibilities exercise are also significant, with a need to intensify the NHS focus on children’s health, for planning, education, housing, roads, social care, economic development and green cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, amongst others. spaces, all of which have an important role in supporting improved health outcomes. Key facts from the NHS Long Term Plan19 (linked references refer to references in the NHS While the NHS recognises wider action to reduce air pollution will be government led, Long Term Plan) the NHS is also committed to work to reduce air pollution, specifically by cutting business mileage and fleet emissions by 20% by 2023/24. Redesigned care and greater use of • The NHS Long Term Plan has been informed by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) ‘virtual’ appointments will also reduce the need for patient and staff travel. study which quantifies and ranks the contribution of various risk factors that cause premature deaths in England [21] The NHS long term plan provides some key facts about air pollution: • Lung conditions, including lung cancer, are estimated to cost wider society around £9.9 billion each year [129]. • Almost 30% of preventable deaths in England are due to non-communicable diseases • Respiratory disease affects one in five people in England, and is the third biggest cause specifically attributed to air pollution. (See Figure 12 from NHS long term plan below) of death [130]. Hospital admissions for lung disease have risen over the past seven • More than 2,000 GP practices and 200 hospitals are in areas affected by toxic air. years at three times the rate of all admissions generally [131] and remain a major factor • In 2017, 3.5% (9.5 billion miles) of all road travel in England was related to patients, in the winter pressures faced by the NHS. Over the next ten years the NHS will target visitors, staff and suppliers to the NHS. investment in improved treatment and support for those with respiratory disease, • At least 90% of the NHS fleet will use low-emissions engines (including 25% Ultra Low with an ambition to transform our outcomes to equal, or better, our international Emissions) by 2028, and primary heating from coal and oil fuel in NHS sites will be fully counterparts. phased out. • Incidence and mortality rates for those with respiratory disease are higher in Page 107 Page disadvantaged groups and areas of social deprivation [132], where there is often higher smoking incidence, exposure to higher levels of air pollution, poor housing conditions and exposure to occupational hazards. • Preventive action commissioned by local authorities focused on smoking cessation, reduced air pollution and fuel poverty will be important to help achieve reduced admissions due to respiratory disease and a reduced burden on NHS resources.
3.3 Fuel Poverty
Around 4 million UK households are in fuel poverty, unable to afford to live in a warm, dry Appendix B home. The Fuel Poverty Strategy for England (2015)20 set an ambition for as many fuel poor homes in England as is reasonably practicable to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band E by 2020, Band D by 2025 and Band C by 2030. One route to achieving this is to improve the energy efficiency of homes.
19 https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/nhs-long-term-plan.pdf 20 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cutting-the-cost-of-keeping-warm
49 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE The strategy identifies 18 Project Models, acting as exemplar or ‘lighthouse’ projects to Appendix 2: Regional Policy Context help implement the five themes. If delivered, by 2032 the tri-LEP region will have:
Kent and Medway falls within the region covered by the South East Local Enterprise • secured investment in the region of £14.755 billion in commercially and technically 21 Partnership (SELEP) , one of 38 business-led public/private bodies established to drive viable projects that deliver healthy returns to stakeholders economic growth in the region. SELEP covers East Sussex, Kent, Medway, Southend • delivered a reduction in CO2 emissions across the electricity, heat and transport sectors and Thurrock and is the key body determining strategic priorities, making investments of 13,615 ktCO2e and delivering activities to drive local growth and jobs. The SELEP is also part of a new • reduced energy consumption by 48,583 GWh collaboration with 10 other LEPs to form the Greater South East Energy Hub, aimed at • created or secured 75,652 jobs across the tri-LEP area. increasing the number, quality and scale of local energy projects being delivered across 22 the South East of the UK, over time. The proposed Project Models have been considered and those considered priorities for SELEP has joined with the Coast to Capital LEP and the Enterprise M3 LEP to deliver the the county have been included in the KMELES action plan. Energy South2East local energy strategy.23 Five themes have been identified for the strategy as shown in Figure A2.1
Page 108 Page
Figure A2.1: The five priority themes for categorising energy interventions Appendix B
21 https://www.southeastlep.com/ 22 http://46.32.240.41/energyhub.org.uk/ 23 https://www.southeastlep.com/energysouth2east/
50 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE of mitigation measures to be implemented to negate the impact of development on Appendix 3: Kent and Medway Policy Context air quality. It is hoped that the guidance will be adopted across the county and provide clarity and consistency of approach for developers, the local planning authority and local communities. The guidance is available on the KentAir website. 1. Environment
The 2016 Kent Environment Strategy (KES)24 seeks to address environmental risks and 3. Health priorities and to balance and mitigate the impacts of growth. This includes a focus on sustainable and alternative transport options, green infrastructure, energy, water and The Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for Kent and Medway (updated in 2016)26 climate risks such as flooding and other severe weather impacts. The KES includes sets out how health and social care services need to change over the next five years to countywide targets including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020 and achieve the right care for people for decades to come. The STP calls for reduced health 60% by 2030, from a 2005 baseline. It draws together priorities and strategies from inequalities (avoidable differences in health and life expectancy that people experience partner organisations across Kent and Medway in environment, growth, economy and in some parts of the county due to the wider determinants of health such as poor access health to provide a single, integrated approach to tackling the challenges and maximising to healthy food) and death rates from preventable conditions, and improved services to the opportunities provided by our changing environment. The strategy identifies 10 prevent and manage long-term health conditions, such as diabetes and lung disease, priorities, including the need to develop a Low Emissions Strategy to tackle air pollution both of which can be exacerbated by fuel poverty and air pollution. The STP also calls and its associated health impacts. Since KES was updated, it has been recognised that for improved care for children and young people with mental health and emotional actions to address energy demand and resulting emissions were common to those wellbeing issues, which again can be impacted by living in a cold home. The STP impacting on air quality and should be brought together in a single Energy and Low includes a prevention workstream aimed at empowering and engaging individuals and Emissions Strategy. communities to stay healthier for longer. An important part of this could be the actions Page 109 Page that individuals can take to mitigate the impact of poor air quality and fuel poverty on their health, alongside training frontline staff to recognise and support vulnerable 2. Air Quality residents. These areas are now being added into the work plans for the prevention workstream.
Action on air quality by district councils across Kent and Medway is primarily driven by The STP also has an energy sub-group aimed at reducing energy demands and emissions a legal requirement to assess air quality in their area. The results of these assessments from the NHS estate, primarily working with the acute Trusts whose hospitals are a are updated annually, with an Annual Status Report submitted to Defra. Where there is significant user of energy. This further demonstrates the cross-cutting nature of energy or is likely to be a breach of the national air quality objectives, the council must declare and low emissions across the public sector with services being both a contributor to the an Air Quality Management Area and develop an Air Quality Action Plan. Currently, only cause of air pollution and also the provider of solutions. two councils in Kent and Medway – Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe – have not declared
Appendix B AQMAs, although they monitor air quality and have adopted actions aimed at improving Public Health departments sit within Kent County Council and Medway unitary authority. air quality. In addition to these requirements, the District authorities have formed the Kent Both are represented on the STP sub-group and on the Kent and Medway Air Quality and Medway Air Quality Partnership, which allows them to share experience, expertise Partnership. The role in addressing the health impacts of air quality is relatively new and resources. They also jointly fund a network of air quality monitoring, with results 25 and still being established. One of the most significant roles will be to raise awareness shown online on the KentAir website alongside the “Care for Air” information resource. amongst the public and across more vulnerable groups of how air pollution can impact
health and the simple actions that can be taken to protect health or reduce impacts The Partnership has also prepared Air Quality Planning Guidance aimed at local during periods of high levels of pollution. Public Health will also be a key enabler in authorities, developers and consultants. The guidance was produced following an engaging with health practitioners to put this relatively new topic at the heart of the extensive review of the partnership guidance published in 2011 and made in response prevention agenda. to changes in national planning policy, through the National Planning Policy Framework.
The guidance uses a method for assessing the air quality impacts of a development which
includes the quantification of impacts, calculation of damage costs, and the identification 24 https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/information-and-data/Facts-and-figures-about-Kent/environ-
mental-policies/kent-environment-strategy 25 http://www.kentair.org.uk/ 26 https://kentandmedway.nhs.uk/stp/stp/
51 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE 4. Fuel Poverty 5. Renewable Energy
Delivering Affordable Warmth: A Fuel Poverty Strategy for Kent (2016)27 sets out four Renewable Energy for Kent: An Action Plan for Delivering Opportunities (2013)28 was objectives to help people in Kent and Medway out of fuel poverty and into affordable commissioned by KCC to AECOM and published in 2012. It summarised the current warmth. This provides a focus on: uptake of renewable energy technologies and outlined the key actions required to increase this in the short, medium and long term. 1. Information gathering and sharing Kent County Council further commissioned AECOM in 2017 to update key components 2. Reducing energy demand by improving energy efficiency, working towards achieving of the Kent Renewable Energy Action Plan (REAP) 29. As reflected in section 3.6 of this the national target of ensuring that as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably report, the update assesses renewable energy capacity and trajectories across the county. practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency rating of Band C by 2030 Renewable and combined heat and power (CHP) capacity across Kent has increased significantly in the last five years. The capacity of solar, wind, waste and CHP combined 3. Reducing fuel costs by encouraging fuel switching, oil buying clubs and a switch to that was active, agreed or under construction was reported as over 1,900 MW (including mains gas where practicable offshore wind farms), compared with approximately 230 MW in 2012. The majority of this increase has been delivered through solar and wind installations, with wind contributing 4. Increasing household income by maximising take up of eligible benefits and working over 1,100 MW and solar over 550 MW. The switch to low carbon heat technologies had with partners to support people into employment been lower than expected, this being confirmed by the conclusions drawn by the Energy
South2East Local Energy Strategy. There is a strong emphasis on partnership working, as demonstrated in the
accompanying Action Plan. Page 110 Page The updated Renewable Energy Action Plan identifies the following as key factors, which are likely to affect the uptake of each renewable technology, as well as how each of the delivery partners will impact the renewable energy sector in Kent in the future:
• grid decarbonisation • reducing costs of renewable technologies • electricity grid capacity limits • electric vehicle uptake • increasing technology efficiency • the phasing out of incentive schemes.
Appendix B An improving financial case is expected to promote the installation of renewable technologies in future with the improved economics of various technologies offsetting the loss of incentive schemes.
https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/information-and-data/Facts-and-figures-about-Kent/environ- mental-policies/renewable-energy 29 https://www.kent.gov.uk/ data/assets/pdf_file/0011/89498/Renewable-energy-for-Kent-2017-ac-
27 https://www.gravesham.gov.uk/ data/assets/pdf_file/0003/212088/Fuel-Poverty-Strategy-for-Kent.pdf tion-plan-update.pdf 28 52 KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY EVIDENCE BASE
KENT AND MEDWAY ENERGY AND LOW EMISSIONS STRATEGY
Page 111 Page
Appendix B
This document is available in alternative formats and can be explained in a range of languages. Please contact [email protected]
This page is intentionally left blank Appendix C Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Draft Strategy
Consultation Questionnaire
2nd July 2019 to 23rd September 2019
Kent County Council, on behalf of all councils in Kent and Medway, are seeking your views on the draft Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions (ELES) Strategy.
What information do you need before completing the questionnaire? We recommend that you read the draft ELES before filling in this questionnaire. All consultation material, including a detailed evidence base is available on our website www.kent.gov.uk/energyandlowemissionsconsultation or hard copy on request.
This questionnaire can be completed on our website. Alternatively, you can print and fill in this paper copy and return it via: ELES Consultation, Sustainable Business and Communities, 1st Floor Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XX.
Please ensure your response reaches us by Monday 23rd September 2019.
Alternative Formats: If you need this questionnaire or any of the consultation documents in an alternative format, including hard copy, please email [email protected] or call 03000 421553 (text relay service number: 18001 03000 421553). This number goes to an answering machine which is monitored during office hours.
Privacy: Kent County Council collects and processes personal information in order to provide a range of public services. Kent County Council respects the privacy of individuals and endeavours to ensure personal information is collected fairly, lawfully, and in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.
Page 113 Appendix C
Section 1 – About you
Q1. Are you responding on behalf of…? Please select the option from the list below that most closely represents how you will be responding to this consultation. Select one option only
☐ Yourself as individual
☐ Yourself in your professional capacity
☒ A local authority or council
☐ On behalf of an educational establishment, such as a school or college
☐ A health organisation, such as a CCG, Hospital Trust or GP Practice
☐ A business
☐ On behalf of a charity, voluntary or community sector organisation (VCS)
☐ Any other group or in another capacity
Q1a. If you are responding on behalf of an organisation (business, community group, resident association, council or any other organisation), please tell us the name of the organisation. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Page 114 Appendix C
Q2. Please tell us the first five characters of your postcode: Please do not reveal your whole postcode. We use this to help us to analyse our data. It will not be used to identify who you are. TN1 1R
Q3. How did you find out about this consultation? Select all that apply
☐ Received an email from Kent County Council
☐ Received an email from another organisation or contact
☐ From a friend or relative
☐ Social Media (Facebook or Twitter)
☐ Event (such as the Kent County Show)
☐ Poster displayed on a community notice board/KCC building/country park
☐ Kent.gov.uk website
☒ Other
Partnership working with KCC
Page 115 Appendix C
Section 2 – Your response to the Strategy
Q4. Was the Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emission Strategy (ELES) easy to understand? Select one option
☒ Yes
☐ No
☐ Don’t know
Q4a. Please add any comments in the box below. Set out in a logical manner, with an initial introduction, scene setting and what the issues/challenges are.
Followed by the aims, which really are more steps to delivering the Vision, with the themes separated into the evidence base and delivery.
This is a high level document and draws on issues identified in various other county and local authority strategy documents making the link without duplication, but recognises the priorities that need to be addressed in partnership to achieve the aims of the Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emission strategy (ELES).
The evidence base is vital to develop the relevant priorities and support effective decision making.
Page 116 Appendix C
The draft ELES sets out the following Vision: By 2050 the county of Kent has reduced emissions to Net-Zero, and is benefiting from a competitive, innovative and resilient low carbon economy, where no deaths are associated with poor air quality.
Q5. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this vision for Kent and Medway? Select one option only
☐ Strongly agree
☐ Tend to agree
☐ Neither agree nor disagree
☒ Tend to disagree
☐ Strongly disagree
☐ Don’t know
Q5a. Please add any comments in the box below.
The ELES will be key to delivering on the climate emergency declarations made by that have been made by councils in Kent and Medway.
We recognise the challenges of meeting net zero carbon emissions, nevertheless Tunbridge Wells Borough Council recommends that a more ambitious target is set for Kent and Medway through the ELES in line with its own recent Full Council Motion to work with the wider community including businesses, organisations and individuals to encourage them to make their own contributions to meeting a goal to make the Borough carbon neutral by 2030.
The TWBC also agreed to an ambition to make the Council’s operations carbon neutral by 2030.
Page 117 Appendix C
Q6. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the ELES will help KCC and its partners achieve this vision? Select one option only
☐ Strongly agree
☒ Tend to agree
☐ Neither agree nor disagree
☐ Tend to disagree
☐ Strongly disagree
☐ Don’t know
Q6a. Please add any comments in the box below. By reporting to Kent Leaders and joint Chief Executives and agreeing a yearly implementation plan, the ELES can be the key strategy to enable the transition to a low carbon economy with clean growth and support action being taken by local authorities to deliver clean air.
This can only be achieved if the ELES is taken into account at all levels of decision making. Strong political support will be essential as some difficult decisions may need to be taken.
Key decisions made at both county and local level should demonstrate how they meet the objectives of the ELES.
Q7. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the challenges identified in the ELES are the most significant challenges in relation to energy and emissions in Kent and Medway? (pages 10-12 of the strategy) Select one option only for each row/challenge
Page 118 Appendix C
Strongly Tend to Neither Tend to Strongly Don’t Challenge agree agree agree nor disagree disagree know disagree
Embracing clean growth X (page 10)
Tackling hotspots of poor X air quality (page 10)
Protecting the vulnerable X (page 10)
Achieving a step change X in the reduction of carbon emissions (page 11)
Enabling integrated and X connected mobility (page 11)
Ensuring a sustainable, X secure and affordable energy supply (page 12)
Overcoming energy grid X constraints (page 12)
Page 119 Appendix C
Q7a. Please add any comments in the box below. Transition to low carbon economy and to meet net zero carbon requires action at all level, including lobbying central government to support this transition at the fastest rate possible. This is especially critical given the 2018 IPPC report setting out the impacts of global warming. The 7 challenges as set out identify the issues facing Kent and Medway.
Critically, it will be essential to identify priority measures such as ensuring energy efficiency is progressed to keep wastage to a minimum, as well as focusing on low carbon energy.
It is important to recognise technology alone will not achieve the end goal, but a suite of measures will be needed. For example a move to connected, automated and zero emission mobility has the potential, if poorly managed, to worsen congestion and public health. It will be essential to ensure it is well managed to help tackle congestion and air pollution.
It is also recognised that many measures have multiply benefits. For example active travel/sustainable travel cuts carbon emissions, improve air quality and also reverses the trend towards sedentary lifestyles and tackles health inequalities.
It is positive to note that grid constraint is being considered.
Specific comments:
Page 10 Clean growth is inherent to sustainable growth and therefore the following sentence contradicts itself. ‘Principles of Clean Growth must be mainstreamed into planning and development, whilst not becoming a barrier to sustainable growth.
Page 11 Concern is expressed at this following sentence. ‘With severe congestion on the highway network, particularly in major town centres, growth across the county will be constrained without investment and increased capacity.’ Replace reference to ‘increase capacity’ and instead recognise that increasing vehicle capacity does not resolve the issue of a reduction in energy usage, congestion, clean air or physical health, with many town centres already at capacity. Instead this should reference the need for modal shift away from car use, particularly for short journeys.
Page 11 Similarly, the following sentence should instead focus on: ‘ providing better infrastructure provisions for walking and cycling’, instead of ( ‘maximise integration of alternative forms of transport such as walking and cycling; …)’
Page 120 Appendix C
Q8. Do you have any alternative ideas or areas you think the strategy should cover that it does not currently? Please add any comments in the box below. It is recognised this strategy is informed by, but does not duplicate, other strategies related to energy and the environment. However, reference to biodiversity should be incorporated within this strategy. Not necessarily as a separate challenge but more detailed reference under air quality, with links to relevant biodiversity strategies, including the protection of ancient woodlands, priority habitats and designated sites. Equally, biodiversity plays a key role in the resilience to climate change.
The Energy and Low Emissions draft strategy takes an evidence-based approach to sustainable economic growth across Kent and Medway. It identifies high level priorities for action in the short, medium and long term. All actions are partnership- based and will be integrated into the Kent Environment Strategy Implementation Plan. Page 16 and onwards outlines the priorities and high-level activities set out under each theme.
Q9. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the priorities and high-level activities in Theme 1: Building the foundations for delivery (page 17-18)? Select one option only
☒ Strongly agree
☐ Tend to agree
☐ Neither agree nor disagree
☐ Tend to disagree
☐ Strongly disagree
☐ Don’t know
Page 121 Appendix C
Q9a. Please add any comments in the box below. Good quality evidence base is vital to inform future policy and strategies and to enable limited resources to be directed to achieve effective results.
2.1 (page 18) this should reference energy reduction in new builds as this is still an area that has not yet been fully addressed.
Q10. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the priorities and high-level activities in Theme 2: Making the best use of resources, avoiding or minimising negative impacts (page 21-22)? Select one option only
☐ Strongly agree ☐ Tend to agree
☐ Neither agree nor disagree
☒ Tend to disagree
☐ Strongly disagree
☐ Don’t know
Page 122 Appendix C
Q10a. Please add any comments in the box below. 5.1 Query do the climate emergency declarations supersede the BEIS emissions pledge?
5.2 This action requires stronger wording; replace ‘can’ with ‘will’ take action.
5.3 Instead of ‘develop’ use ‘publish’ tailored Kent and Medway ….
6.1 This activity is not clear enough, what does ‘traffic free routes entail’. For example; urban/inter urban routes or segregated routes on the existing highways? This activity gives the impression that the intention is to get bikes out of the way of cars.
Evidence indicates use of cycle ways increases when these are direct routes to destination.
6.2 Promote is not strong enough. It requires infrastructure and not facilities. Is this a ‘campaign action’ or infrastructure requirement?
6.3 Could this priority be clarified? One option refer to; ‘high speed broadband to enable greater remote working’.
6.4 This isn’t strong enough, what does support mean. To shift to low emission vehicles requires fiscal incentives or penalties. More fundamentally it requires improved sustainable public transport to enable modal shift.
6.5 support the development of a county wide policy specifically relating to on-street charging.
Additional action suggested; All new developments to prioritise walking, cycling and public transport, including linking to the surrounding area and destinations.
Q11. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the priorities and high-level activities in Theme 3: Towards a sustainable future (page 25-26)?
Select one option only
☐ Strongly agree
☒ Tend to agree
☐ Neither agree nor disagree
Page 123 Appendix C
☐ Tend to disagree
☐ Strongly disagree
☐ Don’t know
Q11a. Please add any comments in the box below. Include an action that requires; All infrastructure developments to set out how low carbon/low emission has been incorporated within the development/ project and clearly set out its decision making.
7.2 Reference to electric vehicles not required.
7.4 Add an example such as mechanical ventilation and heat recovery for new builds in well insulated buildings.
7.6 Instead of ‘supporting renewable energy projects on former landfill sites’. ‘Support the development of renewable energy projects, for example on former landfill sites and potential solar car parks.’
Page 124 Appendix C
Q12. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed indicators to measure success? (page 30)
Select one option only.
☐ Strongly agree ☐ Tend to agree
☒ Neither agree nor disagree
☐ Tend to disagree
☐ Strongly disagree
☐ Don’t know Q12a. Please add any comments in the box below, including any alternative indicators you would like to suggest for measuring success. Emissions: The number of authorities signed up to the ‘Emissions Reduction Pledge’ has this been superseded by the climate emergency declaration? Instead of signed up should read: Number of authorities reporting and delivering on there pledges, with targets on how actions are being incentivised.
Equally, reporting should include whether emission reduction targets are being met are on track or significantly below target expectations.
Air quality: Focus should be on particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone as measured by local authorities.
Number of days of moderate or high/very high air pollution episodes as set out in the DAQI.
Transport: Should include two separate indicators on: - % modal shift to sustainable public transport (bus travel) % modal shift to cycling and walking A further indicator on: Number of car share and car clubs in operation and membership numbers.
Targets for modal shift should be set with the indicators being able to highlight whether these targets are being achieved. Critical, to measuring success will be the supporting action plan as integrated into the Kent Environment Strategy. Page 125 Appendix C
Q13. We have completed initial Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) on the draft Kent and Medway Energy and Low Emissions Strategy.
An EqIA is a tool to assess the impact any service change, policy or strategy would have on age, sex, gender identity, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, marriage and civil partnership and Carer’s responsibilities. The EqIA is available online at www.kent.gov.uk/energyandlowemissionsconsultation or on request. If you have any comments about equalities and / or the Equality Impact Assessment, please provide them here: No observations
Q14. Finally, do you have any other comments to make about the draft Energy and Low Emission Strategy? The ELES should make reference to the climate emergency declarations made by County, Medway unitary and some Kent local authorities.
Equally, in the policy drivers (page 7) and page 14 of the ‘Evidence base’ it is critical reference is made to the ‘The Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019. Similarly, the 2018 IPPC and the 2019 Committee on Climate Change report should be referenced.
The Evidence base can provide some further details on the extensive evidence provided on the impact of global warming of 1.5º.
Observations on the evidence base: Page 4 wording alteration: ‘To do this, new homes, buildings and associated infrastructure need to be built to sustainable design standards. A sustainable approach to development will bring benefits including healthier living and working environments; improved efficiency and productivity in use; an increase in active travel, including sustainable public transport, the reduction of fuel costs and the costs of vehicle ownership2.’
-End-
Page 126 Agenda Item 7
Communities and Economic 21 August 2019 Development Cabinet Advisory Board
Urgent Business
Procedural Item:
To consider any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.
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Communities and Economic 21 August 2019 Development Cabinet Advisory Board
Date of Next Meeting
Procedural Item:
To note that the date of the next scheduled meeting is Wednesday 02 October 2019 at 6.30pm.
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