Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Local Plan Climate Change and Natural Capital Study Stage 1 & 2 Draft report Final report Prepared by LUC in association with the Energy Saving Trust January 2021 Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Local Plan Climate Change and Natural Capital Study Stage 1 & 2 Draft report Project Number 11238 Version Status Prepared Checked Approved Date 1. Draft Nick James Nick James Nick James 05.11.2020 Julie Hyslop Laura McGowan Joanna O'Loan Susanne Underwood nd 2. 2 Draft Nick James Nick James Nick James 27.11.2020 Julie Hyslop Laura McGowan Joanna O'Loan Verity Roberts Susanne Underwood rd 3. 3 Draft incorporating chapter 9 Sofie 14.12.2020 Swindlehurst 4. Final Nick James Nick James Nick James 06.01.2021 Julie Hyslop Laura McGowan Susanne Underwood Bristol Land Use Consultants Ltd Landscape Design Edinburgh Registered in England Strategic Planning & Assessment Glasgow Registered number 2549296 Development Planning London Registered office: Urban Design & Masterplanning Manchester 250 Waterloo Road Environmental Impact Assessment London SE1 8RD Landscape Planning & Assessment landuse.co.uk Landscape Management 100% recycled paper Ecology Historic Environment GIS & Visualisation Contents Local Plan Climate Change and Natural Capital Study January 2021 Contents Offsetting and insetting 34 Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 5 Introduction 1 Climate impacts framework 37 Project aims and objectives 2 Report structure 2 Introduction 37 Context 37 Chapter 2 Legislation, policy, guidance and key Chapter 6 climate issues 4 SMART monitoring indicators 39 Introduction 4 Introduction 39 Legislation, policy and guidance 4 Subnational 9 Chapter 7 Review of policies of Blackburn with Darwen‘s Duty to Co-operate partners 13 Natural capital and ecosystem services 42 Key climate issues 19 Introduction 42 Past climate trends, future climate projections 20 Natural capital 42 Ecosystem services 43 Chapter 3 Assessing the role of natural capital in delivering Carbon emissions – review of draft ecosystem services 43 Local Plan policies 24 Supporting services 44 Provisioning services 45 Introduction 24 Regulating services 46 Context for SCATTER 24 Cultural services 48 Agriculture and land use 25 Domestic Buildings 26 Energy supply 26 Chapter 8 Green infrastructure mapping 50 Industry and commercial 27 Transport 27 Definitions 50 Waste 28 Overview 51 Achieving net zero 28 Methodology 51 Theme 1: Important Habitats 52 Chapter 4 Theme 2: Carbon Management 56 Potential policy interventions 31 Theme 3: Flood risk 60 Conclusion – Priority GI Opportunities 64 Introduction 31 Next Steps 66 Agriculture and land use 32 Domestic Buildings 32 Energy supply 33 Chapter 9 Habitat mapping, connectivity and Industry and commercial 33 biodiversity net gain 67 Transport 33 Waste 34 Introduction 67 LUC I i Contents Local Plan Climate Change and Natural Capital Study January 2021 Contents National Conservation Objectives 68 Appendix F Conservation Priorities of BwD 68 Natural Capital and Ecosystem Strategic Delivery of BNG 77 Services: Figures F-1 Opportunities for the Emerging Nature Network 94 Appendix G Chapter 10 Green Infrastructure: Figures G-1 Tree planting and the local plan 96 The role of the Local Plan 96 Appendix H Habitat mapping, connectivity and biodiversity net gain: Figures H-1 Chapter 11 Carbon sequestration and flood management opportunities 99 Appendix I Tree planting and the local plan: Figure I-1 Introduction 99 Carbon sequestration 99 Sustainable flood management 102 Appendix J Carbon sequestration and flood management: Figures J-1 Chapter 12 Land management implications 106 Appendix K Land management in Blackburn with Darwen 106 Glossary K-1 Committee on Climate Change land use recommendations 107 Implications for Blackburn with Darwen 109 Appendix A Policy Rating A-1 Appendix B SCATTER baseline B-1 Appendix C Policy recommendations C-1 Appendix D Climate Impacts Framework and Carbon Assessment Tools D-1 Appendix E SMART monitoring indicators E-1 LUC I ii Executive Summary Local Plan Climate Change and Natural Capital Study January 2021 Executive Summary Introduction LUC, in association with Energy Saving Trust, was appointed in September 2020 by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council to undertake a Local Plan Climate Change and Natural Capital Study. The purpose of the study is to provide an innovative approach to combining climate change, biodiversity and green infrastructure policy evidence into a single body of work. Central to the purpose of this study is: the need to identify the potential contribution that the Local Plan can make towards the Council’s goal of achieving net zero carbon status by 2030; and to address policy requirements of the forthcoming Environment Bill around biodiversity net gain using a Natural Capital approach. The report will directly inform the preparation of the new Local Plan (2018-2037) and its associated planning policies, providing the underpinning evidence to shape policy objectives and the policy outcomes being sought. This Executive Summary highlights the key points from the report, which includes a more detailed summary at the end of each chapter. Part 1 – Climate Change Emissions sources for Blackburn with Darwen (BwD) are highest from greenhouse gases (GHGs) associated with the combustion of fuel in buildings, manufacturing industries, construction processes and power plants (60.1%). The greatest contributor of emissions within this sector is residential and institutional buildings and facilities. The second highest contribution to carbon emissions in Blackburn with Darwen is transportation at 28.7% which includes the GHGs associated with the combustion of fuel or use of electricity during journeys travelled by road, rail, air or water for inter-city and international travel. On-road emissions are the largest contributor to this sector. Achieving emissions reduction (Chapter 3) Using the local authority emissions tool SCATTER1 a variety of interventions are identified which seek reductions for emissions from across the different sectors of agriculture and land use, domestic buildings, energy supply, industry and commercial, transport and waste. Some of the key interventions to promote reductions in these areas include: ◼ increasing trees and productive forest cover. ◼ reducing domestic energy demand for heating, cooking, hot water. ◼ increased energy efficiency, including retrofitting2. ◼ increased heating from air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and community heat and power. ◼ promotion of significant growth across all renewable energy sources. ◼ heat network maps, low carbon energy policies and use of previously developed land. ◼ promoting reductions in distance travelled, modal shift from private vehicles, electrification of cars, buses and rail and increased passenger use of public transport. ◼ provision of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, active travel routes and cycle parking, reducing car parking provision and promoting the concept of the 20 minute neighbourhood which ensures accessibility of all household requirements within 20 minutes active travel. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 https://scattercities.com/. SCATTER is a local authority focussed emissions tool which provides local authorities and city regions with the opportunity to standardise their greenhouse gas reporting and align with international frameworks. 2 The Local Plan can play a limited role in relation to retrofitting but can support an area based approach to heat planning. LUC I iii Executive Summary Local Plan Climate Change and Natural Capital Study January 2021 ◼ reductions for waste include increased levels of recycling, incineration and overall waste reduction. Local Plan Policy Recommendations (Chapter 4) This report identifies a number of policy recommendations which will direct BwD towards emissions reductions through the Local Plan. These policy recommendations include: ◼ Creation of a new forestry, woodlands and tree policy, which will support woodland expansion and landscaping requirements, and increase efficient use of land. ◼ Creation of a new policy on sustainable construction and design, and the incorporation of heat network masterplanning. ◼ Creation of a renewable energy chapter to cover all scales of development and renewable and low carbon technologies. ◼ Stronger emphasis on the re-use of brownfield and vacant land. ◼ Creation of a new policy on walking and cycling and the inclusion of the 20 minute neighbourhood concept as part of the vision and as a Strategic Objective. Non-Local Plan Recommendations The report also identifies non-Local Plan mechanisms which could be advanced to reduce emissions, and these include consideration of: ◼ The role of agri-environment schemes to support woodland expansion and peatland restoration. ◼ Development of a housing strategy to implement energy efficiency measures in existing housing stock. ◼ Combining retrofitting activities for energy efficiency as an opportunity for also retrofitting renewable energy technologies. ◼ Cycling education and skills training, car clubs, reducing parking provision, hubs for HGV deliveries and using technology to improve access to all modes of public and shared transport. The SCATTER tool indicates that even with these interventions, emissions are likely to remain higher than required to achieve net zero on the required timescale. The report identifies that cutting carbon emissions should be the main priority, however,