Future ecological planning
Carolyn Harrison
Emeritus Professor,
Department of Geography
University College London
Ecological planning
The purpose of ecological planning is to:
“ make collective choices about the states
of the environment we want, prevent
breaches of environmental constraints
and make adaptations possible when
such constraints have been breached”
Lecture outline
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Briefly review the environmental and ecological
consequences of London’s ‘muddled growth’
Introduce the RCEP’s 23rd Report 2002 on
Environmental Planning as a framework
Review ‘The London Plan’ in terms of the
RCEP’s recommendations
Speculate tentatively about future ecological
planning
Metropolitan Green Belt
The environmental and ecological
consequences of ‘muddled growth’
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A distinctive urban environment: polluted land,
air and water, with a heat island, flash floods…
A substantial green estate – quality and
character reflect urban density and disturbance
A fragmented green matrix of semi-natural and
largely artificial habitats – garden escapes abound
Poor quality inner city environments
A global ‘ecological footprint’ far exceeding its
fair share
Brent reservoir: urbanisation and
disturbance effects (Batten)
1833
1970
1980
72 bird species Reservoir
beyond the
urban edge
47 species
65% of
catchment
urbanised
20 species
100% urbanised
( only birds tolerant of
disturbance survive)
London: Index of Deprivation
London’s ecological footprint
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The area of resource use, on a per capita basis,
required to support the city
293 times the size of the city itself- an area the
size of Spain!
Per capita footprint in terms of global resources is
c. 6.3 global hectares: our ‘earth share’ is only
2.18 global hectares
London’s profligate use of resources in
comparison to its fair share is unsustainable
RCEP Environmental Planning
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Found a proliferation of plans on different
topics and spatial scales
Absence of an integrated, holistic approach
to planning
A ‘predict and provide' approach that
marginalized the environment
In the context of sustainable development a
system that was not fit for purpose
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
Recommendations
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Clearer policies and objectives for the environment
Statutory recognition of planning in protecting and
enhancing the environment: goals and targets
The introduction of holistic spatial planning covering
all aspects of sustainable development
Much improved availability of environmental
information
Engage a wider range of people in decisions about
setting and achieving environmental goals so that the
public trust the planning process.
The purpose of town and country planning
and its statutory role
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‘to facilitate the achievement of legitimate
economic and social goals whilst ensuring that
the quality of the environment is safeguarded and,
whenever appropriate, enhanced.’
(RCEP 23rd Report para 8.33)
Statutory role of planning is to develop and set
agreed environmental goals and targets
Spatial strategies
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Integrated Spatial strategies should be four
dimensional addressing environmental
capacity:
the atmosphere
ground water
the land surface and
should look into the future 20-30 years
Recommendations continued
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All aspects of land use should be included – for
example, proposed development should take
account of pressures placed on environmental
resources – aggregates and water supply, waste
disposal, biodiversity,energy requirements etc.
Improved accessibility of information to assist
in target setting and achievement
Greater public participation as a means of
gaining public confidence in the planning process
The London Plan 2004
Is consistent with many of these recommendations
 Takes a long term perspective – 25+ years
 A spatial plan – addressing all land uses
 Sets clear targets for environmental policies
 Establishes base line information against which
progress can be made
 Involved many groups in consultation and was
scrutinised in public
Five main environmental strategies in the
London Plan
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Waste: EU requires alternatives to landfill by 2010; a
recycling target of 25%; plus re-use and waste reduction
 Air quality: congestion charge; vehicular emission
standards to be met; increase public transport; proposed
central Low Emission Zone
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Biodiversity: key species and site protection
Energy: reduce CO2 by 20% relative to 1990 level by
2010; introduce zero-carbon developments; sustainable
construction practices
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Noise: reducing ambient levels
Ecological assumptions underpinning the
environmental strategies
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Efficiency of resource use – including
land recycling, high density development,
re-use of waste
Greater self-sufficiency - in energy
production, consuming more of its own
waste
Reducing levels of waste, pollution, and
environmental degradation
‘An exemplary, sustainable world city’?
The basic assumptions of The London Plan
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Has to welcome all expected growth in
GDP and in population
Has to concentrate incremental
employment in the central area
Has to expand transport networks to
support this structure
All growth has to fit within the Green Belt
– a compact city
Necessary powers for implementation or
‘patronage, persuasion, and publicity ?’
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The Mayor has limited powers – no significant
tax raising powers
Has to work in partnership with London’s
functional bodies: London Development Agency;
Transport for London,
The 32 London Boroughs: responsible for their
own local plans that should conform to the
London Plan,
Plus a host of other statutory organisations,NGOs
and the voluntary sector
Connecting with London’s Nature
Thinking ecologically ….the SINC
approach
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Maintaining and enhancing biodiversity
conservation – the intrinsic value of nature and
nature that is distinctively urban
Valuing nature for all the benefits it affords
society – the multiple values approach
Access to high quality natural areas as a matter of
social equality – Areas of deficiency in access to
wildspace
A robust system fit for purpose - SINCs are
recognised in the London Plan
Biodiversity Targets
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There is no net loss of important wildlife habitat
That a net reduction is achieved in the Area of
Deficiency of accessible wildlife sites
No net loss - losses have occurred and will
continue to occur but will new sites be added of
equivalent quality and accessibility?
Reduction in Areas of Deficiency? are being
monitored and a base line has been established,
but how to deliver in practice?
Section 106 Agreements or Planning Gain
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Entered into by LPA and a developer to deliver
public benefit were development to go ahead.
No third party enters negotiations so the process
lacks transparency and fairness
National studies show 106s little used for
biodiversity benefits off site
In London they are routinely used for social
housing benefits and occasionally for green roofs
Inadequate for delivering larger scale
environmental benefits
Conclusions
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A market led Planning System prevails – not
driven by a central concern for the environment
‘Predict and provide’ continues - pressures put
on natural resources are not fully counted
A stronger planning system is needed: habitat
fragmentation will increase; areas deficient in
access to greenspace are unlikely to be reduced;
sustainable construction practices will
marginalize biodiversity; ‘collective needs’ reliant
on Section 106s will be insufficiently funded…..
Who is leading on ecological planning?
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The EU - on air and water quality, carbon trading,
habitat conservation; sustainability assessment
The Mayor and his team - on congestion charging,
low emissions zone, energy efficient construction in
the public sector
Central Government - lagging behind on climate
change; on mandatory sustainable construction
practices; changes to the Planning System have not
been holistic or fundamental enough to put an
ecological approach at its centre.
The future ?
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We are already confronting the
consequences of breaching environmental
capacity manifest in global climate change
and rising sea levels.
To adapt we will require a stronger
planning system that puts environment and
ecology at its centre.