Climate (Local Plan Partial Update)

The impacts of climate change are already being felt. These impacts are likely to increase in the coming decades and will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable. In 2019, Reading Borough Council declared a Climate Emergency, setting a target for a net zero Reading by 2030. This target will not be met without the Local Plan playing its part, as buildings and transport are significant contributors to local emissions.  

Existing plan policies on climate change mitigation are already among the strongest in the country, but we want and need to do more.  Therefore, we are proposing strengthening the policies that deal with:

• Design and construction of buildings to decrease energy use and emissions, as well as reduce waste
• Provision of low and no carbon energy sources
• Adaptation measures to deal with extreme weather, such as flooding or heatwaves
• Making better use of land in accessible locations that will reduce the need for travel and encourage residents to walk, cycle or use public transport
• Reducing water use
• Increasing biodiversity

Additionally, each policy and site within the plan has been assessed for its environmental impacts to ensure that all development is fit to exist in a zero carbon Reading.

Sustainable appraisal of the Local Plan Partial Update Consultation on Scope and Content