The Opportunity at Ely Bridge

Pooran Desai, BioRegional Development Group Haf Roberts, WWF Cymru July 2005

BioRegional Development Group is an independent environmental organisation working with industry partners to implement real- life, commercially viable solutions for sustainable living – bringing local sustainability into the mainstream.

The Group has recently been a key partner in initiating, designing and constructing an urban eco-village in South London, Beddington Zero (fossil) Energy Development, or BedZED. The project was developed in partnership with the Peabody Trust. The development demonstrates that green living is a real, attractive and affordable option. This is created by integrating energy efficiency, renewable energy, water efficiency with services like car clubs and local organic food deliveries, and facilities to support recycling, composting and cycling.

BedZED was designed to provide 82 homes, office space and live-work units, making it the UK’s largest eco-village. The village has a mix of affordable housing for people on low incomes and private homes for sale at prices comparable to more conventional homes in the area. It is designed for a comfortable and highly resource-efficient way of life.

The Beddington Zero (fossil) Energy Development

Building on the lessons of BedZED, on what has worked and understanding what has been less successful, BioRegional are currently working with partners to develop sustainable communities around the world. In Portugal we are working with Pelicano and their design team on proposals for a 6,000 unit eco-tourism project in Mata de Sesimbra, near Lisbon. The project will be developed and managed following the One Planet Living Principles (detailed later in this document). It is a pioneering project integrating sustainable building, tourism, nature conservation and reforestation programmes.

BioRegional is also working on a design for a 2000 home zero waste and zero carbon One Planet Living community for up to 5000 people in the Thames Gateway regeneration area east of central London. The energy, water and waste strategies for the Z-squared project have been completed and designs have been produced in partnership with Foster and Partners, KBR, Fulcrum Consulting and Cyril Sweett. BioRegional has worked as consultant to local authorities and developers throughout the UK.

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Contents

Introduction to the Report 3

Vision for One Planet Living 4

Ely Bridge and the Challenge of One Planet Living 6

Zero Carbon 8

Zero Waste 12

Sustainable Transport 13

Sustainable Construction Material 14

Local and Sustainable Food 16

Sustainable Water 17

Natural Habitats and Wildlife 18

Cultural and Heritage 19

Equity and Fair Trade 19

Health and Happiness 21

Summary Table 24

Appendix: The Three Planet Challenge Ecological Footprint of Wales Cardiff’s Ecological Footprint

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Introduction to the report

This report summarises the scope for the proposed re-development of Ely Bridge to become a “One Planet Living” community. Key source documents are the Outline Planning Application submitted by the Welsh Development Agency (WDA) dated November 2004 and the Urban Design Principles and Design Code for the site, along with Cardiff Council’s strategic documents.1

Creating a “One Planet Living” community is as much about how the development will be managed in the long term as what is designed at the outset and long term sustainable management issues should inform initial design. The nature of the site and the masterplan scheme as proposed has key elements of sustainability incorporated into it, such proximity to public transport, relatively high densities and a mix of uses. This report looks at the opportunities to build on the proposed masterplan to create a One Planet Living community for Wales. The report draws heavily on more detailed studies carried out BioRegional for other sites in the UK, but the principles apply to the Ely Bridge proposal. We have concluded that it is entirely possible for the WDA to develop the site as a “One Planet Living” community, a significant regeneration opportunity – and a place where it is easy, attractive and affordable for people to live within a fair share of the Earth’s resources. The WDA itself has produced guidelines for sustainable communities and these fit in with the OPL opportunities.2 Cardiff also aspires to raise awareness of sustainable lifestyles and we believe establishing a One Planet Living community at Ely Bridge is one way of achieving the Council’s long-term vision to become one of Europe’s most sustainable cities.

The Summary Table at the end of this report shows how each of the OPL principles can help achieve Cardiff Council’s Strategic Aims.

This approach clarifies in detail how we believe the setting up of the OPL community will help achieve some of the Council’s aims as laid out in the Council’s three strategic documents mentioned below.

Further information on the Ecological Footprint methodology and the Wales and Cardiff footprint projects are provided in the Appendix.

1 Cardiff Council’s Policy Action Plan 2005/08 (7 April 2005); Local Sustainability Strategy for Cardiff (November 2000) and Better Communities Brighter Lives Community Strategy Action Plan (2004 – 2014) “Making the vision a Reality” (March 2004) 2 ‘Creating Sustainable Places: Sustaining a Prosperous Wales’ WDA March 2005.

Vision for One Planet Living

To help communicate the challenge we all face in reducing our environmental impact, and to facilitate change at local and global levels by working with partners, BioRegional and WWF have recently launched a new initiative – One Planet Living. The initiative aims to build on the work of both organisations, including WWF’s One Million Sustainable Homes campaign and the Living Planet Report, and BioRegional’s work on BedZED and products and services to reduce environmental impact, to promote the concepts of sustainable development and Ecological Footprinting (see Appendix).

The vision of One Planet Living (OPL) is a world in which people everywhere can lead happy, healthy lives within their fair share of the earth’s resources.

The aims of the One Planet Living initiative are to:

1 Bring together partners to build a world-wide network of One Planet Living Communities to demonstrate how people everywhere can improve their quality of life whilst living within a fair share of the earth’s resources 2 Establish One Planet Living Centres in each OPL community as a focus for education and continuous professional development 3 Promote a range of One Planet Living Products and Services that will help people to reduce their ecological footprint, such as local paper cycles 4 Promote the imperative for One Planet Living and its guiding principles to catalyse change with governments, business and individuals.

One Planet Living Communities

One Planet Living Communities will be on such a scale that they encompass not just homes and workspace as at BedZED, but also the shared infrastructure such as schools, factories, health and leisure facilities, transport services and food links to show that people everywhere can live within their fair share of the earth’s resources.

OPL will facilitate the development of these Communities, by forming professional partnerships with sufficient capacity and expertise to deliver them. Typically partners may include the relevant local or regional government authority, local community representatives, one or more developers, architects, engineers, valuers, financiers, and providers of key infrastructure and services related to transport, energy, waste and food. OPL will bring together key competencies, skills and know-how. OPL will be the catalyst and provide the inspiration to make One Planet Living Communities a reality, whether they are new developments or major regeneration and refurbishment projects.

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One Planet Living Communities will adopt the following Principles:

One Planet Living Principles

Zero Carbon Sustainable Water The scope of these Principles extends beyond the use of the Ecological Foot printing to include issues relating to social and economic Zero Waste Natural Habitats and Wildlife sustainability such as equity and wellbeing. Sustainable Transport Culture and Heritage

Local and Sustainable Materials Equity and Fair Trade

Local and Sustainable Food Health and Happiness

As part of the design, development and operation processes associated with each OPL Community, a Plan is produced for each of the 10 Principles, as part of an overall Sustainability Action Plan, detailing the infrastructure and services provided and ongoing strategies to ensure long-term sustainability.

The challenge that faces us all is: how can people everywhere enjoy a high quality of life, within the carrying capacity of one planet? If we are to achieve One Planet Living, we need to rise to the challenge as individuals, as communities and organisations. We need to consider every aspect of how we live and build to enable us to make lifestyle choices which will reduce our environmental impact. A development, such as that proposed on the former paper mill site at Ely Bridge, provides an unprecedented opportunity to respond to this challenge, to demonstrate an exemplar of sustainable development in a One Planet Living community in Wales.

Such an exemplar project also offers the opportunity to Government to help anchor the idea of sustainability in people’s everyday lives. Global threats, like climate change, often appear to be intangible concepts of little direct relevance and about which people feel they can do very little. Addressing sustainable development therefore requires not only education and explanation, but the provision of relevant, inspiring and practical solutions with which people can engage in a meaningful way. A One Planet Living community in Wales could do more to demonstrate the practicability of sustainable living than any number of strategies and seminars.

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Ely Bridge and the Challenge of One Planet Living

Wales has shown leadership by being the one of the first government’s anywhere in the world to adopt ecological footprinting as a key sustainability indicator. Wales has led the UK in other areas as well such as the development of renewable wood energy systems, using wood pellet to heat the National Assembly for Wales, new Debating Chamber, and the Pontypridd & Rhondda NHS Trust’s new hospital at Llwynypia3. There is now an opportunity for Wales to show leadership again and adopt “One Planet Living” as the framework for developing Ely Bridge.

BioRegional were appointed by WWF Cymru to explore the opportunities for Ely Bridge becoming a One Planet Living Community. BioRegional have read the Welsh Development Agency’s Outline Planning Application for the site as well as the Urban Village Design Code and Principles produced for the proposed re-development. This report represents BioRegional and WWF Cymru’s response to the current proposals being developed by the Welsh Development Agency and their design team, from an OPL perspective. The proposals are currently at a masterplan level, and this is a critical stage as many OPL Principles can be applied most effectively if ‘designed in’ from the start. As highlighted in the earlier charts and table, some of the greatest environmental benefits can be delivered via the composition and form of the community, determining long term management and the performance of the infrastructure put in place to support the residents and users in adopting a One Planet Lifestyle.

It is important to understand that, whilst the physical elements of such a development can make a significant contribution to a reduction in Ecological Footprint, still greater gains will be delivered as a result of considering the way in which people live within these communities. This report highlights some of the strategies which could be implemented at Ely Bridge to facilitate beneficial lifestyle changes which residents can easily adopt. The scope of this report is to provide some background context to the work and to highlight preliminary thoughts on the opportunities for the 10 One Planet Living Principles to influence the proposals for the redevelopment at Ely Bridge.

Vision for OPL at Ely Bridge

The Ely Bridge site is 19.58 hectares and lies northwest of Cardiff City Centre. The WDA have submitted plans for a “mixed use development for up to 900 dwellings, employment and associated commercial uses, new highway access, a pedestrian footbridge across the Ely River and publicly accessible new green space”. The vision for Ely Bridge should be as much about long term management of the estate as what is designed at the start.

In compact sustainable communities, homes are located within walking distance of local facilities and work opportunities. Such mixed-use communities are centred on transport nodes with accommodation built to higher densities near to the core of the settlement. Energy is generated from renewable sources, locally if possible, and waste water and rainwater are managed within the landscape. Opportunities to provide valuable open space within the developed areas are exploited and the community provides amenity space, areas for wildlife and opportunities for the growing of food and biomass.

The existing masterplan submitted by the WDA can be adapted to enable the site to achieve OPL goals. It already promotes mixed use. There exists the opportunity to create a new railway stop to serve the development, which is acknowledged by the Design Commission for Wales’ design review report as being critically important for the overall sustainability of the site4. It represents a relatively compact urban form on a brownfield site and near to an existing transport node, and hence is in-line with the sustainable ‘compact city’ concept outlined above. Locating homes near to employment and amenities can

3 ‘Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda’ - the second Rhondda Hospital project at Llwynypia is an exciting new venture which will be the first new build hospital in the UK to be biomass-powered. 4 Design Commission for Wales Review Report for Ely Bridge, DCfW February 2005. 6 greatly reduce the need to travel (which represents around 15% of an average Welsh resident’s ecological footprint). The current proposals include providing up to 900 residential units, 4000 m2 of office, 500 m2 of commercial space including local shops and 500-1000 m2 of community support facilities.

Offering a range of activities and services on site will stimulate the vibrancy of the community. It is worth exploring the scope to which flexible shared facilities can be provided to meet the needs of several user groups, enabling a range of activities. This could include community centre, community based shops (food, local and fair trade goods), organic café providing local farm produce, meeting space (to be used by home-workers for business meetings and presentations, and as a community cinema in the evenings. This approach of providing shared, flexible multi-purpose facilities can also help secure higher utilisation rates and hence financial sustainability.

Most environmental benefits will accrue from how the estate is managed long term. These long term issues should inform the initial design as well as the structures that need to be put in place by the developer. One strategy to address the challenges of establishing and maintaining a sense of community across the broad range of users, and ensure effective management of facilities and services in the long-term, could be to establish a Community Trust or similar structure. A Trust could become the land owner and management operator responsible for the ongoing management of the communal open spaces, buildings maintenance and operation of services such as a car sharing scheme.

BRE EcoHomes

The Building Research Establishment’s EcoHomes5 is the most comprehensive and successful sustainability assessment tool for housing currently available. It considers the broad environmental concerns of climate change, resource use and impact on wildlife, and balances these against the need for a high quality of life, and a safe and healthy internal environment. The tool addresses the environmental sustainability of new developments and refurbishments under seven criteria (Energy, Water, Land Use and Ecology, Transport, Health and Wellbeing, Pollution, and Materials) with the aim of providing an indication of the sustainability of a home. Credits are awarded for the home’s environmental performance under each criteria, the resulting score expressed as a rating on a scale of Pass, Good, Very Good and Excellent.

EcoHomes is a reasonably straightforward, flexible and independently verified environmental assessment method. It is an easily understood, credible label for new and renovated homes, acknowledging developers and homeowners who improve environmental performance through good design, rather than high capital cost solutions. Some Local Authorities are beginning to investigate the potential EcoHomes offers as both a measure of sustainability and a straightforward way to state and specify their sustainable aspirations for their authorities. The WDA have committed to BREEAM Excellent for Ely Bridge within their Design Code, which we presume also means a commitment to BRE EcoHomes Excellent. This is a good starting point in the development process.

5 EcoHomes is the homes version of BREEAM (the BRE Environmental Assessment Method). BREEAM is a leading benchmark for the environmental performance of buildings. 7

Zero Carbon

Woodfuel boiler – a similar one is installed Wales can move toward zero carbon production with its in the new Assembly chamber building. rich wind resource © Ian Homer

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An approach to sustainable energy is to initially focus on reducing demand, and then meeting this reduced demand from low-carbon and renewable sources. In environmental terms, the residential sector contributes 27% of total UK CO2 emissions, and domestic energy use is projected to rise by 6% by 2010. There is a clear need to reduce domestic emissions from new developments, as well as from existing homes. Reducing Wales’ Ecological Footprint reports that the supply of domestic energy represents around 18% of the Ecological Footprint of an average Welsh resident.

The energy demands at Ely Bridge will come from the heating (and cooling) and electrical demands of the residential, commercial and community buildings. These demands can be minimised through the use of efficient building fabric, efficient lights and appliances, as well as exploiting the benefits of passive gains from body heat, cooking and the sun, where appropriate.

There are a range of energy supply options which may be appropriate at Ely Bridge. These include solar (photovoltaics and solar hot water heating), wind turbines, combined heat and power plants, ground source heat pumps, communal or individual boilers etc. The suitability of each of these supply solutions is a matter for more detailed investigation, and the client/developer should consider commissioning a feasibility study to support their decision-making. One likely solution is to have a communal wood pellet or woodchip boiler supplying domestic hot water and hot water for space heating; this would be distributed via a district heating system of buried insulated pipes. Wales leads the UK in biomass technology expertise and supply chains, with companies such as BioEnergy Energy Devices and Welsh Biofuels located in Wales – this Welsh expertise could be capitalised upon to the benefit of the local economy. At BedZED a wood-fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant was installed, but this has not yet run reliably for extended periods. More straight-forward wood heating only systems are recommended until the CHP systems are available commercially with full performance guarantees.

On-site generation of electricity via photovoltaic panels and small wind turbines is possible, but both, particularly the former, remain relatively expensive. These forms of micro-generation however might be incorporated for educational purposes. The community would be connected to the grid for electricity supply. The community could however have a “dedicated” array of off-site large wind turbines sufficient to generate enough electricity over each year to match the total annual demand of the community. The large wind turbines could be installed in partnership with Welsh hill farmers, some of whom are diversifying into establishing wind farms – again a way of supporting the local economy.

Opportunities for working in partnership with an Energy Services Company (ESCo) should be explored at Ely Bridge, a rapidly emerging commercial structure for on-site energy supply. An ESCo could be involved in the design and specification of a sustainable community energy system, and (maybe more importantly) the ongoing maintenance and management of the system in the future.

It should be noted that credits are available under EcoHomes for the specification of lighting, appliances and low-carbon, renewable energy supply systems.

From analysis at BedZED, we have estimated the carbon savings from various interventions and these are reported below.

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A person in the UK has a carbon footprint of around 12 tonnes per year. The relative amounts of carbon dioxide released to support a person depend on their lifestyle. The figures below give an indication based on an average UK lifestyle for a person living in a home built to current Building Regulations6

UK Average % of total CO2 emissions Space heating in the home 4 % Hot water 4 % Appliances in the home 3 % Personal transport 18 % Embodied energy in home infrastructure 3 % Waste and consumer items 13 % Food 23 % Shared services 12 % (total energy for running schools, hospitals, financial services, etc) Shared infrastructure 20 % (energy for constructing schools, hospitals, roads, airports, etc) Total 100%

6 BioRegional, 2003, “One Planet Living in the Thames Gateway” – report for WWF 10

BioRegional have undertaken analysis of the carbon savings achieved by residents at BedZED. The research is based on both monitored consumption figures and consultation with residents. The findings suggest the following:7,8

Tonnes CO2 saved % contribution to reducing CO2 footprint over SE per resident per year average Woodfired CHP (when operating fully) 1.94 16 % * Green Transport Plan/Car Club 1.30 11 % ** Food (assuming increase in local seasonal 0.48 4 % *** produce and lower animal protein diet) Waste and recycling (assuming 30% increase in 0.36 3 % *** recycling) Super-insulation 0.32 3 % South-facing conservatories 0.16 1 % Water efficient appliances reducing hot water use 0.17 1 % Energy efficient appliances 0.17 1 % Photovoltaics 0.17 1 % Low embodied energy materials 0 0 % **** Total Saving 41 %

* Separating the benefits achieved through a carbon-neutral energy supply from the steps taken to reduce energy demand (e.g. super-insulation) should be viewed with care. The thermal performance of the built form at BedZED and the use of efficient appliances and fittings have helped to reduce energy demand, this reduces the size of plant required and has contributed towards financial viability ** Resident questionnaires were used to gather information on travel habits at BedZED. *** These have not been monitored, but are an indication of what BedZED might be achieving through design for recycling and simple education on lower impact diets; however, it does illustrate where major savings may be made in future. *** Although low embodied energy materials were used, a greater volume of material was needed to create the thermal * mass for the energy efficient design An important conclusion is that transport, waste, food and renewable energy infrastructure made the major contributions. Design for passive solar gain for instance has made a relatively very small contribution. Therefore, although solar orientation is worth considering, it should not drive urban design where this comprises successful urban form.

7 BioRegional, 2003, “Carbon Neutral Toolkit – part I – construction materials report 8 BioRegional, 2003, “Carbon Neutral Toolkit – part II – energy and water 11

Zero Waste

Across Wales as whole, only approximately 16 % of municipal solid waste (MSW) is recycled, reused or composted, with the remainder being sent to landfill. For a community the size of Ely, a sustainable waste strategy will need to involve and work closely with the local authority collection and disposal processes. A strategy should focus on three key areas; reducing the amount of waste produced, ensuring high levels of segregation to coordinate with the local authority service, and removing putrescible (compostable) waste from the waste stream to be processed, preferably, on-site. The use of local food box schemes, as referred to in the Local and Sustainable Food section of this report, can help to address the amount of waste being produced. A significant proportion of MSW is food packaging, and produce from box schemes and farmers’ markets usually has less packaging due to the lower transport distances involved and the reduced need for enticing point of sale packaging.

Waste sorters at BedZED

Cardiff Council’s Green Bag kerbside recycling collection scheme

As part of a Zero Waste strategy for Ely Bridge, all of the residential units, businesses and community facilities could be provided with divided internal bins, and comparable communal external bins for segregating waste. This strategy approach has been integrated at BedZED, and also attracts credits under EcoHomes.

Around 40% of domestic waste is compostable, and although such waste will biodegrade in landfill sites, this option has obvious spatial impacts and problems in terms of the production of methane (a gas which is more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of global warming potential). Suitable waste,

12 including green waste from landscaping maintenance and potentially food wastes, could be segregated and composted on-site. The composted product could then be used as part of the on-site food growing scheme or by local farms to create a ‘closed-loop’ in exchange for their local food. As the legislation and health & safety requirements associated with the segregation and composting of food wastes have become tighter in recent years, it is worth considering in-vessel composting systems or even an anaerobic digestor. Space for this should be designed into the masterplan.

Estate wide waste management should be boosted with the support of a green caretaker on site. Residents should be introduced to the recycling facilities as part of their welcome onto site. The target should be to for 70% of waste to be diverted for recycling, and for the OPL community at Ely Bridge to work with the council to ensure that the bulk of the residual waste is send for clean waste to energy power plants.

As part of the One Planet Living approach, local artists could be commissioned to produce art works from local reclaimed or recycled materials, promoting a culture of valuing waste.

Sustainable Transport

Wheel power at BedZED WWF Stop Climate Chaos event at Cardiff © Ian Homer

As highlighted earlier in this report, the first step in reducing the environmental impact associated with an individual’s transport pattern is to reduce their need to travel. This strategy can manifest itself through the provision of local employment and amenities, providing facilities to enable working from home (as described in the references to e-towns previously), and also through providing ordering and collection facilities for local food box schemes and supermarket deliveries. At Ely Bridge, food could be ordered via the internet and delivered in bulk to a community centre (or similar) for collection by residents at their convenience, this service could help to reduce/negate the need to travel to a supermarket regularly. Furthermore, such a scheme could be extended to the delivery and collection of non-food items.

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BRE EcoHomes awards credits to homes which have safe access to local key services and transport nodes, as well as those which have appropriate levels of space and ICT infrastructure to enable home-working.

Ely Bridge has the opportunity to create a new train station stop and this should be encouraged strongly as this will probably bring the greatest opportunities to reduce carbon emissions. This should be seen as an important part of any Green Transport Strategy which seeks to reduce reliance on the private motor car.

Through the provision of good local amenities and high levels of safe access provided by a network of foot paths and cycle routes, the Ely Bridge community could become a very ‘low car use’ community, with few private vehicles. It is acknowledged that some journeys, driving may be the best/only solution. Therefore Ely Bridge should offer a car sharing scheme under which residents could have access to a pool vehicle when required. Members would be able to hire cars by the hour/mile on an all-inclusive ‘pay as you go’ basis. The scheme could serve business users as well as residents, offering them a fleet of LPG-fuelled, electric (charged from on-site charging points), hybrid or bio-diesel powered vehicles. More details are provided in the summary table.

Sustainable Construction Materials

Timber cladding FSC- certified timber

It has been estimated that the materials used in constructing and maintaining our buildings and infrastructure globally make up over half of all of our resource use by weight. The impacts of this predominantly linear flow of resources (extraction, manufacturing, use, and disposal) in terms of environmental, financial and societal sustainability are considerable.

The Construction Industry Mass Balance report9 concludes that of the 420 million tonnes of material resources used for construction each year in the UK, about 10% are recycled materials, approximately 5% are from secondary sources (e.g. industrial by-products) and less than 1% are reclaimed materials.

9 The Construction Industry Mass Balance Report, Viridis, 2002 14

Furthermore, government figures indicate that construction and demolition industry produces over four times more waste than the domestic sector, and that the transportation of construction materials accounts for 30% of all road freight in the UK.

From an Ecological Footprinting perspective, the majority of the total impact associated with construction materials arises from the energy required to extract, process and transport them (the embodied energy), and hence the amount of land required to sequester the carbon dioxide emissions associated with meeting that energy demand. The amount of embodied energy associated with a particular product can be reduced by using materials which require less energy to extract and (re)process, designing to require less energy to manufacture, as well as reducing the transportation distances involved by maximising local-sourcing opportunities.

The specification of appropriate construction materials is vital to achieve long-term sustainability in any development. The choice of building materials governs heat loss, potential for re-use/recycling, durability and aesthetics. Some modern building products are energy intensive in their manufacture whilst others can reduce overall carbon emissions during a building’s lifetime. When considering material selection it is important to note that the use of any material will impact on those environments from which the material is sourced and places where products are manufactured, in addition to where they are incorporated into a building.

The objective for material selection at Ely Bridge should be to choose materials for the buildings and infrastructure that provide high performance in use with minimised impact in manufacture and delivery. This approach could translate into setting targets for the total embodied energy of the development per m2, the percentages of recycled and reclaimed materials used, as well as those sourced locally. Recycled materials can include aggregates such as crushed green glass sand. Additionally, best practice could be followed in terms of minimising construction waste and recovering materials arising from any demolition work. EcoHomes acknowledges homes which are constructed using low impact materials, such as FSC timber and those scoring ‘A’ ratings on the BRE Guide for Housing Specification.

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Local and Sustainable Food

First Minister Rhodri Morgan at Cardiff Welsh Produce on show Farmer’s Market, Fitzhamon Embankemnt © Ian Homer

Around one-fifth to one-quarter of an individual’s carbon emissions in the UK are due to the production and supply of food, this is greater than the figure associated with meeting the energy requirements (per person) to heat and power a modern home. The carbon emissions associated with food can be reduced by choosing to eat a greater quantity of food produced in low input ways such as organic farming, choosing more local and seasonal produce, reducing the amount of animal protein (such as meat, fish, eggs and diary) in our diets, and choosing food supplied with reduced packaging, as mentioned in the Zero Waste section above. The Reducing Wales’ Ecological Footprint report states that the environmental impact of food and drink consumption comprises 25% of the Ecological Footprint of a typical resident in Wales.

The objective for Ely Bridge should be to enable residents to reduce the environmental impact arising from their consumption of food through the provision of sustainable choices. As part of this, a Local and Sustainable Food Plan could be produced exploring the facilities and services implemented, as well as the ongoing proposals for longer-term management to ensure that the community continues to consume sustainable food into the future. The Plan could cover such issues as:

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Promotion of local seasonal organic and low-input produce to new residents through the provision of information in residents’ packs the provision of community space to incorporate a communal ordering and collection point for local food box schemes. A local food box could be included as part of the holiday package for self-catering units. A preferential purchasing scheme for local, seasonal and organic food could be established in cooperation with local organic food producers
The provision for full-size and mini-allotments on site to enable residents to grow their own food. This could be supported by the on-site composting arrangement discussed above in the waste section
Adaption of the masterplan to create a village square which can host a regular Farmers’ Market
The opportunities for edible landscaping could be considered, including planting fruit-bearing trees
Retail concessions for shops selling local produce and organic cafes and restaurants could be considered
The long-term land management issues associated with food growing will need to be considered. Maintenance of communal areas could become one of the responsibilities of the Community Trust, and a residents’ association could be formed to manage any allotments on or near the site.

Sustainable Water

Although the amount of energy expended in treating and pumping water is fairly low, the environmental impacts of providing our potable water, disposing of our waste water, and managing rainfall and flooding are considerable.

The design strategy for reducing the environmental impact due to water consumption and waste water disposal at Ely Bridge should be divided into two elements; firstly to reduce demand through the specification of efficient appliances and fittings (this should be an essential requirement), and secondly to consider opportunities to exploit the treatment of rainwater and waste water on-site, as well as the subsequent reuse of it within the development or in the landscape to reduce mains water usage.

It is proposed that water demand reductions at Ely Bridge could be achieved primarily through the specification of water-efficient appliances and fittings in the homes, workspaces and community buildings, reducing water consumption by 50%. These would include 2/4 litre dual-flush low-flush WCs, aerated taps, flow restricted showers and A-rated+ white goods. Features and fixtures of the home which address reducing mains water consumption are acknowledged under BRE EcoHomes.

The management of rain water and waste water could be addressed within the environment through the use of reed and gravel beds. These features could be creatively integrated into the as well as being used to grow harvestable plants and flowers. Subject to identifying a long term commercial operating partner, on-site sewage treatment should be considered, employing for example an anaerobic digestor (which then could also treat compostable waste. One example of an integrated system has been proposed by BioRegional and its engineering partners as part of the concept “Z-squared” (zero carbon zero waste) community. Although space constraints mean that the same overall system may not be appropriate at Ely Bridge, the principles of this “circular metabolism” remain applicable.

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Natural Habitats and Wildlife

Wildflower meadow

As well as their intrinsic importance, these elements will contribute significantly to the quality of life and to the wellbeing of the new communities. A Natural Habitats and Wildlife Plan for Ely Bridge will need to be developed to address issues of conservation, enhancement and management. The importance of the Ely River is described by the Welsh Development Agency proposals and the opportunities to enhance biodiversity value for example to key species like the otter. In addition to this, it is worth considering the following:
Exploring opportunities for building to enhance ecological value, e.g. habitat creation, building-integrated nest boxes, green/brown roofs etc
Developing a palette of native planting to encourage local biodiversity
Strategies for long-term management to ensure a balance between different land uses and demands e.g. ecology and recreation

EcoHomes awards credits for schemes which protect existing ecological features and increase the net biodiversity of sites.

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Culture and Heritage

Redeveloping communities which maintain a respect for local cultural heritage is an important sustainability issue. With particular relevance to social sustainability, making reference to the past can help promote a sense of place and engender a sense of community. Considering former and current local industries and land uses can both inspire future proposals for an area and also potentially revive or re-interpret local traditions and offer new employment opportunities.

Acknowledging and representing culture and heritage can also have an educational value. Developing bilingual interpretation materials, ranging from boards to preserved building/landscape and museums, can also have financial value in terms of generating employment and attracting visitors.

The role of our buildings, land uses and communities of today in contributing towards the heritage of the future is also an important issue. The cultural diversity (e.g. ethnicity, religious inclination, social mix, employment sectors etc.) of any community will need to be reflected in the built form and this should be acknowledged by the development proposals.

The objectives of a Culture and Heritage Plan for Ely Bridge could be to:
Develop proposals with the local community which acknowledge and respect the cultural heritage and archaeology of the locality and explore the opportunities to both promote it and contribute towards the heritage of the future, including its recent history as a paper mill
Incorporation of a “One Planet Living” centre, required in all OPL communities
Establishing a sense of place to help develop a sense of community and local pride. This approach could play an important role in sustaining the community and maintaining the long-term value of the development. One method of reinforcing a sense of community and identity for the regenerated Ely Bridge might be to design and implement an events programme running throughout the year which capitalises on the facilities being proposed. This could even be part of the role of the green caretaker on site.

Equity and Fair Trade

Issues of equity and fairness are inherently synergistic to the principles of sustainability - how we live today should not compromise the quality of life of our current global neighbours or future generations. Furthermore, Ecological Footprinting methodology quantifies sustainability by dividing the total global area of biologically productive land by the total population. This not only tells us whether we are over-consuming as a society, and eating into the natural capital of our planet, but it also introduces the concept of ‘earthshare’ - an equitable representation of how much of the Earth’s resources we can use as individuals. On this basis, the promotion of equity and fair trade should form an integral element of the sustainability agenda for Ely Bridge.

Addressing equity and trade could also cover ‘economic’ issues. Economic sustainability forms one of the three key inter-related sustainability factors – alongside environmental and societal. Their inter-relationship can be viewed in two ways – firstly, that commerce cannot exist outside of society, which in turn cannot exist outside the environment; and secondly that no project of any scope or scale can be truly sustainable unless it provides demonstrably acceptable returns – economic, environmental and societal.

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From an equity and fair trade perspective, the objective at Ely Bridge should be to create a sense of community, provide accessible, inclusive and affordable facilities and services, and promote equity and fair trade in the construction and occupancy of the community. As part of this approach, the buildings and landscaping could be developed with high levels of physical accessibility.

Sizes and the nature of homes built need to be carefully considered from the perspective of ensuring affordability and a diverse integrated community. Providing a range of home sizes, as well as those which are designed to be easily adaptable over time, can also contribute towards achieving higher levels of ‘continuity’ in a community. In constructing the buildings and infrastructure associated with the new community, the use of local labour and contractors who have a commitment to training could be considered.

An OPL community should promote the ethos of the Fair Trade movement following Cardiff’s lead as first Fairtrade capital. This could include stocking and serving fair trade goods in the community buildings, and offering concessions for fair trade retailers on the site etc.

A study into different types of community structure and occupancy models could be undertaken as part of the design development process for Ely Bridge. This could include investigation of the feasibility of building some co-housing units on the site, where some homes share some communal facilities. These can have benefits from a sustainability (an ethos of sharing can lead to increased efficiencies) and affordability perspective (increased shared areas can lead to smaller private units and costs), as well as helping to address issues of social isolation. Smaller “eco-studios” or microflats could be considered as low cost ways to start on the property ladder.

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Health and Happiness

Planning workshop Local volunteers lend a valuable hand

This issue can, at first, seem challenging to link to the agenda of a development team designing and building a new community, but if the remit is viewed in terms of achieving wellbeing, then the links are perhaps clearer. At a fundamental level, there is a synergistic relationship which clearly links sustainability and wellbeing.

Firstly, there is a proven correlation between the state of our environment and our health; our buildings and our wellbeing
Secondly, the long-term health of the planet is fundamentally related to how we choose to live now; the sustainability of our lifestyles.

Living unsustainably will not only lead to a poor quality of life for some people today, but will also jeopardise the quality of life of all our descendents.

Although to some extent scientifically measurable, happiness is a personal and subjective emotion and it would be wrong to assert that all people who live and work in Ely Bridge will be “happy”. Different age groups, sexes, life stages and family circumstances mean that what is important for individual happiness to one person at a particular point in time is not necessarily important to another. An individual’s sense of happiness is often bound up with having life opportunities, meaningful employment, stable family circumstances, good health and their basic needs met.

A number of recent studies have shown that, while gross domestic product (GDP) has grown over the past few decades, social progress has become increasingly decoupled from economic growth. The NEF (New Economics Foundation) use a Measure of Domestic Progress (MDP) which adjusts the conventional measure of GDP so that the costs of crime, pollution and environmental degradation are subtracted to reflect the negative impact these have on quality of life. Their study shows that MDP has stalled completely in the past three decades. They argue that MDP comes out “much closer to measures of happiness and life satisfaction than GDP does” and ask the question “what is all that economic growth for, if it doesn’t improve our wellbeing?”

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Achieving communities that enable residents to live environmentally, socially and financially sustainable lives can positively impact on both individuals’ wellbeing and the wellbeing of the wider local and global communities. For Ely Bridge, promoting happy and healthy lifestyles could be expressed using the following three aspirations:

Design buildings which provide a healthy internal environment including adequate access to natural light, ventilation and private space, adequate sound insulation and the avoidance of construction materials that pose health risks during their installation or during the occupation of homes. All of these approaches are rewarded under EcoHomes
Consider other direct and indirect health and wellbeing benefits associated with the built environment and services offered including affordable warmth, improved fitness through walking and cycling, benefits of participation in an active community, access to affordable fresh food and well designed open space.
Support for residents in leading sustainable happy and healthy lifestyles through providing opportunities for meaningful employment/vocation, spiritual fulfilment and supporting the ongoing monitoring of environmental, social and financial issues affecting wellbeing. This could include the production of information for new residents and visitors, having a ‘green lifestyles officer’ for the first 12 months of occupancy, to support and engage residents in sustainability, a programme of ongoing monitoring of building performance and also resident satisfaction to help tailor the operation of the community in the future.

One possibility at Ely Bridge, which has been referred to numerous times in this report, is to set up a Community Trust or similar structure in which every householder has the opportunity to become a member. The Trust would aim to give members a say in the way the development is run and provide a collective vision for the community, as well as helping to protect everyone’s investment.

For example, a Community Trust has been established at a development by the Lifebuilding Company in the St James area of Northampton. Each resident is a member and contributes a monthly amount to the Trust, thereby reducing the costs of external maintenance and insurance which are shared. The play areas and open spaces are owned by the Trust and their maintenance, together with that of all communal spaces, is covered in the monthly contribution. A neighbourhood bulletin board and website are also provided to keep residents up to date and a Trust administrator is employed as a day- to-day first point of contact. The Lifebuilding Company suggest that there is evidence that house prices could rise at a slightly faster rate than similar properties in neighbourhoods without common interest in maintenance facilitated through a Trust10. Many mainstream developers are now investigating the best ways to integrate community management structures into their developments. This usually involves the site freehold is transferred to a trust or company which is jointly owned, with the long leaseholders having a proportional stake.

The Community Trust at Ely Bridge could evolve from a group comprising local residents, stakeholders and potential purchasers formed as part of any public consultation phase of the project. This approach could help achieve local ‘buy in’ to the development proposals and a sense of identity arising from the pursuit of a common vision and the formation of a group or trust to achieve and maintain it. The Community Trust could be involved in the long-term management of the site and the provision of ongoing services in partnership with any freeholders, facilities management organisations and other key stakeholders as appropriate. The sense of identity and community engendered by the Community Trust could also have a powerful role in the marketing of the development.

10 www.thelifebuildingcompany.co.uk 22

The ‘face’ of the Trust could be provided via a virtual community centre or extranet/intranet and by caretaker or concierge staff based on the community centre who could offer ‘green’ lifestyles support, as discussed in the Local and Sustainable Food section above. The extranet/intranet could be created at an early stage in the development process to provide information on the development proposals, the ‘green’ credentials, the timescale for delivery and information on how to secure a home there or take up business space.

Additionally, the Trust could play a critical role in the interface between the community of permanent residents and the visitors. The Trust could act (via a trading subsidiary) as the estate management company, managing the properties, taking bookings, organising the ‘green’ transport, food and waste initiatives described above. This service/company could provide a source of income and employment for the Trust.

Over time, the extranet/intranet could evolve into a community resource offering a range of features including:

Information on local transport provision and running times
Details on upcoming community events
Diagnostic information on the individual home’s energy and water use
Facilities to pay utility and accommodation bills ‘online’
A directory of ‘green’ local suppliers
Booking facilities for pool vehicles
Ability to order food on-line
Time bank or local currency11

Refer to: www.workingweb.co.uk/plan_build_dev/albioncasestudy.htm and www.gmvonline.com/GMVCW/

11 Time Banks are similar to LETS (Local Enterprise Trading Schemes) under which members are able to exchange their skilled time with the skilled time of other members, e.g. an hour of book-keeping in exchange for an hour of gardening. They can help to engender a mutually beneficial relationship between those people who are time-rich (generally, the elderly), and those who are time-poor (generally, the young and single). Such systems enable members of a community to exchange their varying skills and time with parity to their neighbours. 23

Summary table

OPL Principle/Cardiff Outline OPL Strategy Ely Bridge Issues/opportunities Council Aim

Zero Carbon Reducing energy demand
High thermal
Insulation levels in excess in Building Regulation minimums (EcoHomes 2003 credit Ene2 and meeting it from performance standards awards maximum credits for U-values 15% above min., other OPL communities have zero/low carbon and of built form committed to +25% min.); wall U values 0.2 W/m2/K renewable resources
High levels of airtightness To meet Cardiff Council’s Climate
High performance windows
High levels of thermal Change Action efficiency in built fabric
Energy efficient
A-rated+ washing machines, fridge-freezers, cookers etc. Plan and Carbon appliances
Efficient communal laundries for hotel, catering facilities, holiday lets and any co-housing units Management
Use of energy efficient appliances and fittings objectives and
Renewable energy on-
Feasibility study to be undertaken into the viability of a wood-fired district heating system aim to reduce
Local carbon neutral site: wood-fired (comparable in size to Llwynypia Hospital scheme) using wood residues from wood-working energy generation heating industry or tree surgery waste housing stock energy use and
District heating and
Renewable energy off-
Identity site in upland Wales and invest in community windfarm generating average annual CO2 emissions. cooling networks site electricity demand estimated at approximately 4 MW peak
Aquifer thermal energy Achieve Welsh storage considered
Renewable energy on-
PV possible especially to stimulate demand for factory components made in Wales despite long site: Solar payback costs Assembly
Use of orientation for Ecohomes target passive and active solar
Solar thermal possible as alternative to, or in conjunction with, wood pellet or wood chip for all new homes gain boilers e.g. Cardiff Council’s Angelina Street solar thermal project using Social
Energy on-site:
Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage consists of an aquifer, accessed via a field of boreholes, which Housing Grant consider ATES is used for store thermal energy. Cold water is passed through the heating/cooling system in the buildings in summer; this process cools the buildings and warms the water. The warm

water is then pumped into the aquifer to be accessed again in the winter when there is a space heating demand in the buildings. An annual cycle is hence established.
The suitability of ATES is dependent on appropriate geological conditions.

District heating and
Scheme suggests suitability for district network as it is all new-build ; consider wood-fired cooling cooling via absorption chillers

EcoHomes credits
Credit Ene1 rewards low overall carbon dioxide emissions
Credit Ene2 rewards specification of U-values above minimum
Credit Ene3 rewards the provision of appropriate drying space
Credit Ene4 rewards the use of A-rated white goods
Credit Ene5 rewards the use of efficient external lighting

Ongoing Facilities
Ongoing commitment to sustainable energy and a zero carbon target facilitated by the Management strategy appointment of an ESCo to manage supply, and the formation of a community trust or similar

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OPL Principle/Cardiff Outline OPL Strategy Ely Bridge Issues/opportunities Council Aim

Zero Waste Reducing waste arising,
Composting and
Approximately 40% of household waste is compostable. Some composting technologies then reclaiming, recycling consideration of anaerobic can deal with green ‘garden’ waste and kitchen waste and recovering digester facilities
An on-site facility could link to on-site food growing, equally compostable waste could be processed by local farms as part of a closed loop food supply chain Cardiff’s Municipal Waste Management
Low levels of packaging
Hard landscaping and art
This could link to Cultural Heritage and Equity and FairTrade principles through using Strategy commits to
Majority of products and installations could use local artists to reinterpret the past using relevant materials e.g. Cywaith Cymru promote maximum packaging made from waste materials reclaimed installations levels of recycling recycled materials from old works
Land art using reclaimed waste materials from reuse centres such as ReCreate and and waste
High levels of visible throughout the city minimisation and reclamation, recycling and composting with zero
Coordination with Local
Internal and external segregating bin provision coordinated with collection services with aims to exceed or only very small Authority waste services 70% recycling target statutory targets set amounts of waste to
Recycling boosted by on-site green caretaker such as Track 2000 by the Welsh landfill
Engagement with local authority to promote clean waste to energy strategy Assembly of 40%
‘Clean’ waste to energy recycling/composting recovery solutions
Ongoing Facilities
Formation of a community trust to provide ongoing implementation of zero waste beyond 2010. considered as outlined in Management strategy strategy Cardiff’s waste strategy
EcoHomes credits
Credit Mat3 rewards the provision of appropriately designed, sized and located bins

Design and operate
The design and operation of non-domestic facilities and those for non-resident users facilities to make should actively make waste minimisation easy recycling easy
Each business/operator obliged to make their own zero waste commitment / plan
Establish segregated white paper recycling for office users

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Sustainable Reducing the need to
Public transport
Promote on-site railway station by way of a new halt on the nearby line travel and providing Transport
Potential for transport by water could be explored as the ely river runs sustainable alternatives to alongside Cardiff’s private car use Transport
Local facilities and amenities
Maximise range of facilities and services on site Strategy aims to
Need to travel reduced
EcoHomes awards credits for the proximity of local services. develop a through provision of local
Local employment
For example, offices, catering, hotel, leisure, retail, studio etc sustainable, facilities, homes & employment
Initiatives highlighting the benefits of local employment to on-site fully integrated employers could be promoted transport
Need to travel reduced through provision of high
Consider links to local schools and colleges for training and work system to ease placements within this Communities First area road congestion, speed ICT network extending and
Need to travel reduced
E-community
These are communities comprising broadband-enabled homes with space improving cycle through opportunities to to work from home supported by some communal meeting facilities work from homes and pedestrian
Centralised ordering and drop-off point
Provided within community centre to support delivery of food boxes etc facilities and
Need to travel reduced promoting the through internet ordering
A low car community and designated
Target a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide from private car use over local and home delivery use of safe and Home Zones prioritising road safety benchmarks by reducing car parking spaces by 25% and promoting low services and zero emissions vehicles accessible public transport
Facilities and routes to
Designate Ely Bridge area a Home Zone location to improve road safety make walking and cycling
Introduce car club with an estimated 6 cars initially to be offered to Regional safe and convenient residential and commercial users Transport Plan
Facilities for electric,
Consider Introduction car charging permit scheme for residents and and the Wales hybrid, hydrogen and bio- businesses based on car engine size and using income to subsidise car Spatial Plan are diesel fuelled vehicles club membership relevant to
Excellent public transport
Offer special discounts on low and zero emissions cars as a package with transport provision using low-impact house sales fuels infrastructure
Install at least 6 electric vehicle charging points and offer free parking to
‘Mobility packages’ electric vehicles developed to include cycling, public transport,
Establish car sharing through community intranet, especially for journeys car club etc like the school run

Foot and cycle paths as the main mode
Provide a network of cycle and foot routes linking to existing Ely Trail and of transport investigate Ely/Caerau Safer Routes to School project (as in Cardiff’s Policy Action Plan 2005/08)

EcoHomes credits
Credits for home-working facilities, and proximity of transport hub and key amenities

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Sustainable Materials chosen for
Identifying local materials
Identification of local materials, possible sources and the viability of local supply chains buildings and infrastructure and the opportunities for could be investigated as part of a further study Construction to give high performance in sourcing them Materials use with minimised impact
Use reclaimed and
Targets set for the percentage of construction materials from reclaimed and recycled To innovate and in manufacture and delivery recycled construction sources (by weight) and at least 20% learn from best materials to encourage
Re-use all demolition concrete on-site practice, ensure recycling and reuse of sustainability is
Locally sourced (bulk) valuable materials rather
Buildings detailed to permit some flexibility to cope with disparate reclaimed materials considered in materials used than dispose to landfill
Study on local supply chain undertaken
Less processed and more procurement
Target for total embodied
Challenging target for embodied emissions per area of development for different use types ‘natural’ materials used process; CO2 could be committed to
High levels of reclaimed and consider
Commitment to monitor performance against targets and report results to inform future Constructing recycled materials used best practice Excellence,
Renewable materials used deliver from sustainably managed
Use of ‘healthy’, ‘natural’
Materials specification policy limiting the use of materials with Ozone Depleting Potential efficiency sources and non-toxic materials (CFC and HCFC), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), virgin PVC and formaldehyde savings to
Buildings designed on ‘long
Sustainable timber
Targets set for percentage of timber products from reclaimed sources and post- and pre- maximise use of life, loose fit’ and Lifetime sourcing to promote consumer waste, plus the amount of virgin timber sourced from sustainably managed resources; align Homes principles greater use of indigenous certified forests, such as those with FSC certification in the Assembly-owned Forestry with Design SPG
Compact city form and grown timber Commission estate transport strategy resulting and the
EcoHomes credits
EcoHomes sections Mat1 and Mat2 acknowledge the sustainable sourcing of timber, section in reduced infrastructure Assembly’s Mat4 rewards the specification of materials and construction build-ups achieving A-ratings built Sustainable in the BRE publication Green Guide for Housing Development
Welsh Housing Quality Standard to be met Action Plan

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Local and Consumption of local,
Opportunities for on-site
Allotments and mini-allotments for homes seasonal and organic food-growing Sustainable Food
Promote planting for fruit trees around the site, particularly local and traditional varieties produce, with reduced amount of animal protein
Restaurant/cafes serving
Catering facilities could promote local, organic and seasonal food Promote local organic box and packaging local and organic food scheme To raise
Establish local food outlet on site awareness of
Lower amount of animal
Promote vegetarian café on site sustainable protein in diet lifestyles within
Connections to existing
Create a village square and establish farmers market on-site echoing the one at
Increase local and local farmers networks Fitzhamond Embankment the wider seasonal produce community and and food box schemes
Mainly organic food and link to local food produce with low chemical
Low impact food issues
Part of the remit of the information centre could be to highlight sustainable food issues and and health intensity illustrated in OPL promote the range of local and seasonal food available in the region (and served in the strategy via the interpretation centre café)
Reduced levels of food Local Health wastage
Ongoing Facilities
A long-term commitment to sustainable food could be supported through the work of the Board and Management strategy community trust which could assist in fund-raising for, and facilitating, the day-to-day promote operation of the various initiatives by residents’ / users’ groups sustainable procurement

Sustainable Reduced water demand
Water efficient appliances
A-rated+ washing machines, aerated taps, flow restricted showers and low-flush dual-flush with rain and waste water WCs specified etc. Water managed sustainably
Employ water efficient appliances to reduce consumption per person by 50% to 80L per person per day Link to the
Use of water efficient
Efficient communal laundries for hotel, catering facilities and any co-housing units appliances and fittings Climate Change
Rainwater and consider
Rainwater to be collected off roofs to flush toilets in key buildings and to irrigate landscape Action Plan,
Rain and waste water waste water treated in managed locally for reuse
Subject to long term management issues ‘Grey’ and ‘black’ water could be sustainably water quality, landscape managed on-site and treated using reed beds and gravel bed hydroponics for re-use within flooding and
Flood management issues buildings or for irrigation. addressed groundwater;
The treatment facilities could be incorporated into the landscape as aesthetic features encourage
Water for amenity and sustainable recreation
Water for sport and leisure
Could a swimming pool be heated via surplus heat from biomass boiler? drainage systems
EcoHomes credits
Credit Wat1 acknowledges the reduction in domestic water consumption through the choice a community of fixtures and fittings, credit Wat2 rewards homes which use rainwater collection for strategy target irrigating gardens and landscaped areas

Ongoing Facilities
Ongoing commitment to water conservation facilitated by the appointment of a water Management strategy services company to design and operate facilities to ensure supply, The formation of a community trust could also support water conservation initiatives

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Natural Habitats Existing biodiversity
Flora and Fauna Plan
Maximise biodiversity value of river frontage with need to consider aquatic biodiversity conserved and developed in and Wildlife
Protected species include otters, kingfishers and slow worms, known to occupy site opportunities taken to acknowledgement of site periphery increase ecological value status and based on In accordance
Remedial work may be needed onsite to clear possible contamination from old paper mill with ‘Wild about conservation, enhancement and
Management of above species with site biodiversity Action Plan along Ely Trail Cardiff’ Cardiff’s
Development will support management Local Biodiversity a rich biodiversity and a
Provide ‘Access for All’ to address social, cultural and individual barriers to green spaces Action Plan aim varied landscape
Native planting used
To encourage native biodiversity to conserve and
Balanced throughout
To provide amenity space enhance recreational/ecological biodiversity in approach to avoid
Plan for managing the
Ongoing management of landscape undertaken by Trust in partnership with stakeholders city via the conflicts of use in areas of ongoing balance between
Ongoing monitoring of performance used to inform adaptation of Flora and Fauna Plan over recreation, energy Habitat and managed open space time generation and ecology Species Action
Native planting and Plans landscape strategy to
Wildlife habitat creation
’Wild About Cardiff’ the Local Biodiversity Action Plan adopted in 2001 and Cardiff’s increase biodiversity Countryside Strategy now under Review
Establish a dedicated management presence
EcoHomes credits
Credits Eco1, Eco2 and Eco3 rewards the choice of a site of low ecological value, the protection of existing features and ecological enhancement to increase biodiversity
Soil assessment required

Culture and Cultural heritage
History of site
Consult with local heritage groups and residents to inform heritage plan acknowledged and Heritage
Interpret industrial history of site interpreted. Sense of To protect and place and identity
Former industries revived
Possibility of revival and diversification in local farming related to closed-loop production enhance the engendered to contribute and/or current ones and an increase in the local and organic food markets towards future heritage augmented natural and built
Use village square to promote annual local crafts fair environment,
Future heritage
Establish One Planet Living centre promoting local sustainable foods and crafts to the including the
Developed with sensitivity considered development and wider community and in acknowledgement city’s park and
Encourage local economy by promoting the biomass industry open spaces, and of the history of the site preserve and
Opportunities for local
Develop ongoing events
Develop ongoing events programme to develop reputation as a destination promote the references and programme to develop
Ensure links to Ely and Caerau communities and promote links with history of area heritage of the interpretation of history reputation as a and heritage maximised destination
Establish interpretation centre of historical and cultural aspects of the area city. Enhance Cardiff’s standing
Revival of traditional
Development of a Cultural
Cardiff’s Public Art Strategy for the city industries as a local as a Centre of Heritage Plan employment generator
Link to Hearsay project at Ely enterprise Centre to provide ICT to local people Culture
Develop links with Communities First projects such as CLEC (Community Link Ely Caerau)
Link to established neighbourhood renewal and regeneration projects in the area (see next section)

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Equity & Fair Create a sense of
Buildings and landscaping
Reference made to any local accessibility strategies community. Provide developed to provide high Trade
Potential challenges relating to providing access to varied terrain accessible, inclusive and levels of physical ‘Access affordable facilities and for all’ services
Concession for Fair trade
One of the proposed retail units could have a concession for a Fair Trade retailer Equality of opportunity and retailer
Design to provide access access is at core to a range of facilities and
Fair trade products sold in
Reference could be made to the Fair Trade Town Initiative www.fairtrade.org.uk/towns.htm of Council opportunities for all cafes etc The principles can be applied to settlements of different sizes, including ‘villages’ which may be relevant in this example policies. Cardiff
Diverse and inclusive as the first community with a sense
It is currently understood that there are no ‘fair trade settlements’ in Northern Ireland capital to obtain of identity and of place
Community facilities
The layout of the community centre and the range of services offered could be developed in Fairtrade City
Fair trade retailers and acknowledgement of the diversity and needs of the future community. This could include a status has to goods promoted multi-faith hall, parenting classes, evening classes in association with local colleges etc. maintain and
Lifetime Homes principles promote this
Use of contractors who
Requirement could become a condition for contractors and their sub-contractors award retain local staff and
Establish links to Cowbridge Road East/Leckwith Road regeneration initiatives invest in training

Include a range of home
Designs developed in consultation with Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partner(s) and sizes and prices to Local Authority regarding affordable housing provision and community mix address issues of
Possibility of some of the homes being built as co-housing could be considered. This could community diversity, have benefits in terms of sustainability, affordability and tackling isolation (a growing continuity and problem, particularly in rural locations) with the help of Welsh Federation of Housing affordability Associations particularly for the Accessible Homes pilot with social housing providers

Range of employment
Employment strategy developed in consultation with Local Authority and other relevant opportunities within site local stakeholders
Establish local community currency through the community intranet with One Planet Points loyalty system redeemable against sustainable products and services

Virtual connections to
Ely Bridge could become part of a wider virtual community to facilitate the sharing of other OPL communities information and support around the world

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Health and Promote health and
Opportunities for ‘green
Promote outdoor activities like cycling, canoeing through community centre wellbeing. Establish long- recreation’ Happiness
Introduce sports facilities and “green gym” opportunities for residents to carry out nature term management and conservation work as part of a healthy living routine support strategies
implement Ely/Caerau Safer Routes to Schools and Walking the Way to Health initiatives

The Cardiff and a Healthy Living Programme for the area
Promote healthy lifestyles Health and Active including exercise,
Buildings and
Issues of noise pollution, access to daylight, and indoor air quality a driver in the building Lifestyles healthy food and infrastructure designed to design Strategy works community involvement promote wellbeing with Local Health
Engender a sense of
Establish a community
A Trust could have an important role in the ongoing facilities management and operation of Board and Local community and identity trust the community Health Alliance to via community structures
The Trust could own the land and/or the shared buildings and infrastructure promote the and networks benefits of an
The Trust could act as tour operator for the holiday lets to make arrangements relating to
Undertake ongoing sustainability (waste, transport, food etc.), and to provide a source of income for the active lifestyle monitoring of buildings community for people of all and support services to ages at every measure levels of resident
Establish a community
An intranet system could provide information to residents on upcoming events, transport opportunity. The satisfaction and happiness intranet/extranet issues, clubs etc as well as information on the performance of the individual homes Council want to
An extranet system could provide information on the community, information on visiting strengthen the using sustainable modes of transport and online facilities to book holidays role of culture,
Website could be established in early stages of design to generate interest in the scheme sport and tourism and answer FAQ, later it could fulfil a marketing role for the scheme, before morphing into in maintaining the community resource outlined above the economic,
Establish ongoing
Information on the performance of the building fabric, as well as the impact of the lifestyles social and monitoring and support of the users, and their contentment and wellbeing could be monitored and reported on a wellbeing of plan regular basis Cardiff
This information could be used to both inform changes to the running of the community in the future and inform future sustainable community best practice

Settlement promoting
The provision of healthy local food initiatives and the outdoor pursuit ethos could result in wellbeing the overall settlement having a ‘healthy living’ agenda. This could be exploited by the hotel and holiday homes offering ‘wellbeing’ breaks
Consider primary health care services as part of the community centre, accessible to wider community

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Checklists
BREEAM
BRE Environmental Assessment Method can be used to measure the design of a building against a range of environmental criteria and Assessments
Different assessment models exist for different building types including offices, schools, hospitals and home (called EcoHomes). A bespoke assessment procedure is also available for other building types
For each building type, a target for the highest rating of ‘Excellent’ could be set, although this is challenging in a rural location.

EcoHomes
EcoHomes covers all standard housing developments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, private and social housing schemes, flats/apartments and houses
Target of EcoHomes ‘Excellent’, although this is challenging in a rural location.
Assessment issues comprise: 1. Energy 2. Transport 3. Pollution 4. Materials 5. Water 6. Land use and ecology 7. Health and wellbeing

A Sustainability Checklist for
BRE checklist for assessing sustainability at the development-scale. Checklist questions are grouped into 8 sections Developments 1. Land use, urban form and design 2. Transport 3. Energy 4. Impact of individual buildings 5. Natural resources 6. Ecology 7. Community 8. Business

Welsh Housing Quality Standard sets physical standards for condition of housing in Wales

APPENDIX: The Three Planet Challenge

We are reliant on our planet for the resources we need to sustain our lives. In our modern lifestyles, we require energy for heat, cooling and mobility, materials to build shelter and make products, as well as food and water. We live on a bountiful planet, but not an inexhaustible one, and to live sustainably we need to ensure that we lead lifestyles which do not extract from, or pollute, our planet beyond its regenerative capacity.

It is widely acknowledged that we are currently living unsustainably. Our modern lifestyles result in ever-increasing rates of consumption, driven by the belief of a beneficial relationship between increased consumption and quality of life. This leads to the degradation of our environment and human wellbeing, the impacts of which may be felt far from our own shores.

Ecological Footprinting provides a valuable tool for measuring our consumption of renewable natural resources in a way that is easy to understand and communicate. The tool enables the measuring of the environmental impacts of a process, product, community, region, organisation or an individual’s lifestyle.

The methodology provides an accounting tool that represents environmental impact in terms of the area of biologically productive land required to produce a particular natural resource, absorb waste materials arising from consumption, and cope with the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the energy demands. The methodology can then be used to compare the calculated Footprint with the actual amount of biologically productive land available on Earth; this can be used to tell us if we are living within the Earth’s regenerative capacity. Ecological Footprinting can also help us to understand the relative contributions of different aspects of our lifestyles towards our total impact.

Footprinting figures from WWF’s Living Planet Report suggest that globally we are consuming 30% more than the planet can sustain into the long term, and that since the 1970s, we have been eating into the earth’s natural capital, instead of living off its interest. If everyone in the world lived as we do in Europe we would need three planets to support us.

The three-planet challenge

Therefore, in Europe, we need to reduce our impact - our Ecological Footprint – by two thirds to a sustainable and globally equitable level. Different countries however are consuming at different levels. For example, the North American lifestyle requires five planets. China, although currently at the one planet level, has such a large population that its rapid development will lead to a massively increased impact. The challenge that faces us all is: how can people everywhere enjoy a high quality of life, within the carrying capacity of one planet?

The diagram (left) illustrates one way of dividing up the Footprint of a UK individual into the component aspects of their lifestyle. The diagram highlights the relative importance of our lifestyle choices compared to the impact of our buildings (e.g. our Footprint associated with food consumption compared to the impact of the materials used in our home). The diagram also shows the importance of our shared infrastructure and services (e.g. the impact of airport buildings, hospital, financial services etc.) which are difficult to address as individuals, in terms of reducing their environmental impact.

Ecological Footprint of Wales

Reducing Wales’ Ecological Footprint was published in March 2005 by WWF and Stockholm Environment Institute. The report summarises information on the Ecological Footprint of Wales, i.e. the total area of productive land and sea required to produce all the crops, meat, seafood, wood and fibre used, to meet the energy needs and the spatial requirements of the infrastructure, and to absorb waste and emissions produced in the region. The report states that the Ecological Footprint of a typical resident of Wales has a footprint equal to 5.25 global hectares (gha), compared to 5.35 gha for a typical UK resident. However, the actual available productive area on Earth available per capita – a ‘fair earth share’ - equates to only 1.9 gha per person. The report describes the component lifestyle elements which contribute towards the 3-planet Welsh Footprint; a breakdown derived from the Reducing Wales’ Ecological Report is report is shown in the table below. These figures suggest that Wales needs to reduce its consumption of fossil fuels and virgin materials by two-thirds to be environmentally sustainable as part of a concept of living within a fair share of the Earth’s resources. To achieve this reduction in consumption, we need to develop lifestyles that are consistent with ‘one planet’ ways of living.

Cardiff’s Ecological Footprint

Ecological footprinting is tool which national, regional and local governments are beginning to use to measure their population's demand for resources against nature’s available supply. For local government, ecological footprinting can provide valuable insights into natural resource use and the effectiveness of policies to pursue sustainable development.

Between January 2003 and January 2005, a partnership including Cardiff Council, government agencies and academia undertook a collaborative project to measure Cardiff's Ecological Footprint. The study shows that in 2001, Cardiff’s citizens had an ecological footprint of 5.59 global hectares per resident 34

(1,717,807 global hectares for all 307,300 residents). The figure goes well beyond what could be regarded as a fair ‘earthshare’. If everyone on earth lived the same lifestyle, then we would need nearly three planets worth of resources to meet our needs.

As Cardiff grows, the footprint will grow. However, this study shows where Cardiff's ecological footprint is heaviest, and highlights areas of concern for the future. There is a fundamental challenge to slow down the growth of Cardiff's ecological footprint, even before we think of reducing it.

To maintain the footprint at its 2001 level (the year for the data on which this report is based) will require radical solutions. It will mean thinking about the City’s growth in a far more integrated manner than in the past. The growth in the key components in the Cardiff footprint since the base year of 2001 means that Cardiff may now need a land area the size of Wales to sustain its level of consumption.

The 'big hitters' ecologically are consumption of food and drink, passenger transport, energy use and production of municipal waste. For these activities and for others as well, this study shows that development trends in the City are exacerbating the problem of a large footprint. Cardiff’s role as a capital city and as an economic hub to a south east Wales 'City Region' are bringing economic prosperity to the city, but also an additional ecological burden to its citizens and the planet.

In order to slow down the growth of the city's ecological footprint, significant changes in forward planning and activities will be needed from the Council, and its partners in the public and private sectors. Cardiff's citizens and visitors also have a key role in minimising their own footprint and the city's overall ecological impact. There are a number of clear messages from the Ecological Footprint project related to the city's growth, and ways in which the footprint's growth can be limited:

• Food - consumption of food in the City should shift towards fresh unprocessed foods coupled with an increase in consumption of organic foods and reduction in food waste at source • Energy - there is a need for a dramatic shift away from non-fossil fuels towards renewable energy in the domestic housing sector and for large scale energy efficiency measures in existing stock. • Car travel car travel in the City needs to be significantly reduced via demand management and more sustainable alternatives provided. • Air travel - the massive ecological impacts of air travel should be acknowledged in the approach to economic development and tourism and methods sought to offset the associated carbon impacts • Physical developments - planning for large scale housing, retail, leisure and other infrastructural developments should consider their lifetime ecological costs as well as their immediate impact on the footprints of waste, infrastructure, energy and transport. • Waste - waste needs to be reduced significantly at source by householders and policies implemented specifically to reduce paper and card and manage compostables into the waste stream. • Tourism - there is a massive impact from the footprint of visitors to the city. The footprint of visitors is greater than that of Cardiff's residents, and impact on areas where the footprint is most stressed: food, transport, energy and waste.

This project has also demonstrated that the ecological footprint is a useful tool by which the city's partners can use to look at the longer term and global impacts of its growth and development and identify some of the 'crunch' issues that the city faces. It can help to contribute to more informed debates about a vision of a sustainable Cardiff by measuring some of the external ecological pressures that arise from those who use the City but do not live in it. 35

Ecological Footprinting also provides an innovative perspective on the environmental pressures arising from different policy options, and the beginnings of an evidence base by which to evaluate options.

EF component EF per capita (gha) % of total Footprint Food and Drink 1.33 24% Energy 0.99 18% Travel 0.99 18% Housing infrastructure 0.16 3% Consumables and Waste 0.64 11% Government and Shared Services 0.67 11% Holidays Abroad 0.10 2% Capital Investment and shared infrastructure 0.74 13% TOTAL 5.59 global hectares 100%

Figures for the Ecological Footprint of an average Cardiff resident

Pooran Desai Haf Roberts BioRegional Development Group WWF Cymru BedZED Centre Baltic House 24 Helios Road Mount Stuart Square Wallington Cardiff Surrey CF10 5FH SM6 7BZ T: 029 2045 4973 T: 020 8404 4883 F: 029 2045 1306 F: 020 8404 4893 [email protected] www.bioregional.com www.wwf.org.uk/cymru

Photos © WWF, BioRegional and Cardiff Council, except where indicated

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