As part of the Climate Change Skills Fund the Town and Country Planning Association have delivered a training programme for elected Members with planning responsibilities on planning and climate change issues. The programme provided an understanding of the cause, effects and impacts of climate change and how to tackle it locally in planning decision-making situations.

The overall training programme comprised of three training modules and two site visits. Each training module was delivered once in each of the four sub regions - providing access to events close each local authoritiy area.

Background

The town and country planning system has just been significantly reformed. Part 6 of the Localism Act 2011 introduced new structural changes to the planning system and the newly published National Planning Policy Framework has replaced and consolidated previous national planning guidance into some 50-off pages.Recent announcements in September for further planning deregulation and simplification include proposals to change the definition of infrastructure to include housing, end-to-end review of building standards to include the Code for Sustainable Homes and the definition of zero carbon.

These changes pose great policy and institutional challenges and opportunities for you as the key decision-making authority for your locality and communities, current and future. This series of events will help you clarify a pathway forward in effective and proactive planning for climate change as appropriate for your council and to your local area.

Events focused on:

1. Introduction to Planning Reform and Climate Change
2. Local Policy Responses to Climate Change
3. Implementing Local Responses to Climate Change
4. Study visit to Park Dale development in Castleford
5. Study visit to Barnsley Think Low Carbon Centre