Climate Change Adaptation Support Project

CLASP.

Context: Rossendale Borough Council

• Support focused on Planning Department

• Increase knowledge and skills of Planning Officers

• Better cross-departmental and corporate understanding

• Produce an action plan• Facilitate information-sharing

Climate Change Risks Identified

• Flood Risk• Extreme weather

events• Increased heat within

buildings and outdoors•Risks to biodiversity

Case Studies

•Workshop dealt with 4 development scenarios•Groups assessed them in terms of climate change risks•Flood risk•Green Infrastructure•Off-site flooding implications

(downstream)•Hard / impermeable surfacing issues

•How do existing policies help to manage risks?•What other policies are required?

Planning Solutions Identified

• Site Allocations DPD:- Flood risk- Green Infrastructure•Climate Change / Design SPD• Development Management checklist• Training of Members and Officers• Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)• Run-off rates• Financing of off-site schemes

Risks to Implementation

• Funding constraints / prioritisation of other work• Risks to viability of developments• Insufficient understanding of costs / benefits

• Responsibility for maintaining SuDS (County level)• No local standard for sustainable building design

beyond Building Regulations• Council has no Flood Attenuation plan

•Insufficient technical knowledge / capacity•Infrastructure knowledge deficit•Member support

Ways Forward

Planning Policy Prioritisation

Guidance

Infrastructure Joint Working

Planning Obligations / CIL

Costs and Benefits

Training / Engagement

Council Developments Climate

Change Skills Fund

Outcomes from the CLASP support

Sharing of knowledge and expertise between departments

Realising that the basics of adaptation are already present

A robust action plan

Awareness of funding opportunities

Identification of current constraints to adaptation