Countryside support the inclusion of a policy to control energy usage, utilise renewable energy sources and account for whole-life carbon emissions in new developments. Such a policy will be an important tool in ensuring energy efficient developments are delivered and that objectives regarding the mitigation of climate change impacts can be realised.

Whilst the policy should set clear and evidenced based requirements it should also provide flexibility to include for site-specific circumstances and changing standards, legislation and technology. This can ensure that the most suitable approach can be taken for each site at the point in time that it comes forward, supporting delivery but also climate change objectives. The policy should also recognise the important contribution that a ‘fabric first’ approach to the design of new buildings can make to achieving energy efficiency.

Countryside has recently committed to becoming a net zero company by 2030 and have released a report ‘Pathfinder: Marking out the route to Net Zero’3 which sets out the principles that Countryside will follow to respond to the global call to arms for climate action. Land to the west of Cambridge Road, Melbourn will benefit from Countryside’s action plan set out in the Pathfinder report to deliver its commitments. To achieve their targets Countryside are examining their construction and manufacturing operations and also the design of their homes and development. Measures include improving fabric efficiency, installing renewable energy and recovery systems, switching from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil for on-site plant machinery, using suppliers with similar climate change targets, increasing tree planting and reducing embodied carbon by using timber frame homes. Such measures can be incorporated into the proposals at the site to satisfy the direction of this policy.

3 https://www.countrysideproperties.com/sites/default/files/2021-11/Pathfinder%20-%20Marking%20out%20the%20route%20to%20net%20zero.pdf