黑洞社区

In a letter to Samantha George of Merton Council housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper claims that the government鈥檚 黑洞社区 a Greener Future policy 鈥渂uilds on PPS 22鈥�, and that the planning policy statement is 鈥榤ore ambitious about local renewable energy, not less鈥�.

One of the key changes Cooper outlined in the letter is for the inclusion of off-site generated renewable energy as part of a scheme鈥檚 compliance. 鈥淲e believe [Merton Rules] should be sufficiently flexible to allow for off site as well as on site renewable technologies and councils should also consider wider local low carbon opportunities.

Cooper states that councils will be able to 鈥榗ontinue with and adopt new Merton Rules鈥� although, clearly, they must be well-founded to ensure they are achieving their ultimate aims of cutting carbon鈥�.

The British Property Foundation has welcomed the change in policy. Liz Peace, chief executive of the BPF, said: 鈥淧olicy on energy supply has to move on and it is unrealistic to expect all developments to stick to a rule that may not be workable in their area. We are pleased that government has taken on board our recommendations and listened to advice of the industry.鈥�