As climate change causes more and more extreme weather in the UK, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) are calling for action
Climate change in planning can manifest as factoring in features or locations to deal with heatwaves, increased rainfall, or insurance pressures.
The RTPI and TCPA are now urging councils to factor in this when making decisions on planning proposals, as well as having published a guide to help authorities consider these issues.
The guide advises on using existing powers to strive for net zero
The guide, Planning for the Climate Crisis: A Guide for Local Authorities, uses existing planning powers to advise on cutting emissions as well as prioritising community protection and resilience in the face of climate change.
This is the fifth version of this guide, taking into account the urgency that these issues now cause for planning in the UK.
Dr Daniel Slade, head of research and practice at the RTPI, said: “The climate crisis is no longer an abstract issue consigned to the future; today, it is shaping lives and livelihoods throughout the UK. By considering climate impacts in planning decisions, councils can help ensure places remain safe, sustainable and economically secure.”
Celia Davis, projects and policy manager at the town and country planning association, said: “Planning is one of the most powerful tools we have for addressing the climate crisis, and local authorities have an urgent responsibility to put climate resilience at the heart of their development plans and decision making. This guide provides practical advice on how local authorities can take ambitious action on a series of climate change issues to support the delivery of low carbon, healthy and resilient communities.”
The latest carbon budget target heat pump installation
Published in February, the Climate Change Committee’s seventh carbon budget for 2025 laid out its recommended routes to achieving decarbonisation, and predicted that half of the homes in the UK will be heated by heat pump by 2040.
It further calls for priority to be given to heat pump installation within existing residential properties, calling for installations to raise to 450,000 per year by 2030, then 1.5m by 2035.
Home insulation, hot water tank insulations, draught-proofing, loft insulation, and cavity wall insulation are also all mentioned in the budget.
At the time, Will Walker, UK policy lead at climate solutions charity Ashden, said: “The Committee on Climate Change’s report today provides welcome clarity: half of UK homes will be heated by heat pumps by 2040, with no role for hydrogen gas in home heating. This shift will cut emissions, strengthen energy security, and reduce household bills by £700 annually by 2050— offering crucial relief for those in fuel poverty and struggling to pay rising energy bills again.
“Retrofitting homes must be a national priority with long-term investment, local delivery, and job creation. Fuel poverty, affecting 3.2m households, can be addressed by securing Labour’s £13.2bn Warm Homes commitment in the Spending Review. This will further boost the green economy, already growing three times faster than the regular economy according to recent analysis by the CBI.
“Net Zero neighbourhoods—combining retrofit, community energy, and nature-based solutions—are key to fair climate action, ensuring local engagement and benefits. The Government’s forthcoming Public Participation Strategy, which Ashden and partners are helping to shape, will be vital. Likewise, we eagerly await the Government’s Local Power Plan to unlock investment and build capacity in community energy to help speed the transition while building resilient local economies.
“It’s encouraging that the CCC recommends the Government lead by example with a public building decarbonisation programme, aligning with Ashden’s Let’s Go Zero campaign to decarbonise schools and create healthier, safer spaces. A focus on community-led nature-based solutions, including doubling tree planting by 2030, is also crucial to cut emissions, improve health, and build resilience.
“The UK has a chance to drive fair, lasting climate action. We now need an ambitious Spending Review and Carbon Budget plan aligned with CCC advice, securing Labour’s £13.2bn Warm Homes commitment and £3.3bn Local Power Plan for long-term investment in retrofit, community energy, and local action—delivering lower bills, healthier homes, and stronger economies.”
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