Agenda item

A Supplementary Planning Document for Sustainable Construction and Retrofitting was adopted by the Cabinet on 13 February 2013. The Cabinet agreed to support the future adoption of local Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Guidance for listed buildings in the next 6 months, following a review of the draft document.  The Guidance is now being brought forward to the Cabinet for final adoption, and the Cabinet member with responsibility for Homes and Planning has requested that the document be considered by the Panel.

The Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning, Councillor Tim Ball introduced the item to the Panel. He explained that he was seeking their advice on the matter prior to the Cabinet making a decision on 11^th September. He also placed before them two additional recommendations;

(i)  To test the balance between sustainability and the conservation agenda by looking at pilot projects especially in the Council’s property portfolio and in association with Curo and other partnerships to prove the capacity of Bath and North East Somerset to demonstrate exemplar projects in a World Heritage Site.

(ii)  A further report to come to the Cabinet and this Panel in one years’ time to report on progress.

The Historic Environment Team Leader added that conservation lies at the heart of sustainability and that he felt that the additional recommendations were very positive. He also said that significant discussions had been held in the past with Curo and that he would be happy to work with them on future projects.

Councillor Will Sandry commented that he did not think it was too far-fetched to suggest that Listed Buildings should be allowed to have double glazing.

Councillor David Martin, the Member Champion for Climate Change asked the Cabinet to look carefully at the measures that can be implemented and called for them to be as wide reaching as possible. He added that he would like to seek a change in national guidance through work with the National Trust and English Heritage. He stated that he welcomed both of the additional recommendations.

Councillor Lisa Brett asked if anybody could confirm if York had given permission for its Listed Buildings with timber framed windows to be replaced with double glazing.

The Historic Environment Team Leader replied that he would find it difficult to believe that they would have made a block decision on such a matter. He added that historic buildings needed to breathe. He also reminded the Panel of the work carried out at St. John’s Hospital which involved the replacing of around 147 windows following incorrect mouldings and proportions from work carried out in the 1980s.

Councillor Douglas Nicol commented that he had met with Curo recently and was confident that they would like to be involved in this work area.

Councillor Liz Richardson suggested that if the guidance was to be modified in the future then conservation areas should become included.

Peter Andrews, Transition Bath addressed the Panel. He said that he had been asked to be part of a similar project several years ago and had thought that an SPD had been agreed but when the documentation was finally produced it had been heavily edited. He stated that felt around 400 – 500 jobs could be created through retro-fitting.

He said that he applauded the existence of the current document as the buildings concerned should be considered as places to live and work, not museums.

He agreed strongly with the part of the Cabinet recommendation that states to ‘Progress the work through the Sustainability Team and engagement with the key Stakeholders and other Authorities’.

The Chair summed up the debate and stated clearly that the Panel supports the report that is going to Cabinet including the two additional recommendations.