Energy Statements for Planning Applications, EPCs and SAPS for Building Regs
Renewable Energy Needs & Energy Efficiency Calculations
Required for: Residential, Commercial, most other new buildings and extensions
Recent legislation changes and new Local Plan policies mean that Energy Statements are now required for many planning applications, particularly if new buildings are proposed.
This includes assessing a site's energy requirements (how much power it will require and consume) and how this can be mitigated through improved build standards and renewable energy generation.
In some areas, such as Central Lincolnshire, Energy Statements are a mandatory requirement for planning applications and this is likely to extend to the rest of the UK by 2025 (more info below).
Our Design Manager, Matt Carter, is a qualified and accredited New Build Domestic Energy Assessor, certified by Elmhurst Energy (Cert no. EES/030949).
This enables us to offer our clients a reliable, accurate and professional service to support your planning application, including for EPCs, SAP calculations for Building Regulations and Energy Statements. The high quality and full policy compliance of our documents has been widely praised by local planning authorities.
Your local planning application requirements should always be carefully checked before finalising your plans or site design, and prior to submitting your application. In nearly all cases, it's better to do this check before drawing up any plans at all!
Get the best advice – When a planning application is delayed or refused it can be very costly, both in fees and time. Our team of planning experts have significant local authority experience, including working on the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, and an exemplary track record of success with making planning applications. We are frequently brought in by other local practices that have either been caught out by the new requirements, or were not aware of them at all - that doesn't happen to our clients!
If you need an Energy Statement to accompany your planning application, get in touch: [email protected] or 01522 581383
Central Lincolnshire Energy Statements for planning applications
In Central Lincolnshire for example, the new Local Plan policy adopted in 2023 seeks to deliver an increased standard of design considerations aimed specifically at ensuring delivery of efficient buildings. This is part of the local council's commitment to improve energy security and the need reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of tackling climate change. The Local Plan sets highly ambitious targets for build standards and efficiency (higher than Building Regulations standards!) and these must be demonstrated in both the design and within an Energy Statement report.
Chapter 3 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan (CLLP) states "No longer will planning decision makers in Central Lincolnshire merely ‘encourage’ development proposals to achieve certain standards, or only ‘welcome’ development that goes a little beyond certain building regulation basic minimums. Development in Central Lincolnshire must do, and can do, far better than that".
Policies S6, S7 and S8 set out how future development in Central Lincolnshire will meet the above challenge. These policies include a requirement for an ‘Energy Statement’ for all new developments and also set specific energy efficiency standards that all new buildings must achieve.
Rest of the UK - what do the changes to Building Regulations mean?
Starting in 2022 – Changes to the Building Regulations come into force
Major changes to Approved Document F come into force, with new homes in England now required to produce around 30% less emissions, along with a host of other guidance and recommended installation specifications
2023 – Technical specification to be consulted by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
This second consultation will also consider requirements to be enforced regarding existing homes and home renovations, including changes in ventilation requirements as well as stipulations regarding building materials and low carbon heating.
2024 – Necessary legislation to be introduced
Following consultation in 2023, the Government intends to publish the Future Homes and Building Standard (FHS) in 2024. The legislation will be introduced before its implementation in 2025.
2025 – Implementation of the new Future Homes and Building Standard
Once legislation is passed, all new homes built after 2025 will be required to comply with the new standard. Among the requirements, there will be a stipulation that new homes must be “zero carbon ready”. CO2 emissions will be 75-80% lower than those built to current standards.
Energy Statements - Reports for Planning Applications: Chapter 2 of the NPPF sets out national policy for achieving sustainable development, and separates it out into three objectives – economic, social and environmental. Within the environmental objective, “mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy” forms a key part of achieving sustainable development – a key goal of the planning system.
Paragraph 20 of the NPPF sets out the strategic matters that should be addressed through strategic policies, including “planning measures to address climate change mitigation and adaptation.”
Planning applications will therefore require Energy Statements to assess the energy needs of sites and set out the methods for mitigating and meeting those needs through on-site generation using renewable sources. We can assist with this and Fytche-Taylor Planning are introducing new technical reports to address these policy requirements.
Be ready! - For clients in Central Lincolnshire and some parts of the UK with recently adopted Local Plans, this requirement is already in place and if an Energy Statement is not submitted as part of your planning application, it can be a reason to refuse it.
