Introduction to SHAP 2006-07
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The Sustainable Housing Action Programme (SHAP) was initiated by Sustainability West Midlands – the regional champion for sustainable development – in 2005 with the support of Energy West Midlands, the Energy Saving Trust and an active Steering Group with regional representation. It’s aim is to demonstrate how, through the promotion of existing best practice and identification of pathways and decision points – climate change mitigation measures could be mainstreamed.
Phase One of SHAP in 2005-06 focussed on the promotion of groundbreaking low carbon housing schemes in the region - material from which can be viewed and downloaded elsewhere on this website. Phase Two in 2006-07 has taken a broader approach, shifting the focus onto planning and enabling mechanisms, and looking to inform the WMRSS and Regional Economic Strategy revisions, and the Regional Housing Strategy.
Developing a planning best practice guide
To support these aims URBED and the TCPA were commissioned in Autumn 2006 to produce a planning best practice guide for low carbon homes in the West Midlands. Entitled ‘Planning for sustainable homes: Meeting the low carbon challenge’ the new guide was launched at the BMW Centre in Warwickshire on the 20th February 2007.
The guide represents a significant step forward in translating the message of PPS 1 into a framework for action at a Regional and Local level. It bridges the gap between national policy and local action, demonstrating how local authorities, regeneration agencies, decision-makers and housing developers can use the emerging positive national policy framework to engage with and shape effective plan-making and practice across the West Midlands region.
Key messages for the region
The key message of the guide is that strong planning policies, together with a suite of supporting tools and guidance, and complementary enabling mechanisms, are required to support implementation. The guide also makes a strong case for for consistency in planning policies across the region – responding to calls from developers for a level playing field - with a move towards a carbon management based approach.