The council recognises that the planning system has an important role to play in tackling the climate emergency. It has been working with expert consultants to prepare a strong evidence base to inform policies that could deliver net zero carbon development. 

A net zero carbon study investigated the options for achieving radical reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions arising from future development. 

The council subsequently worked with its consultants to formulate policy options for the Draft Local Plan 2021-2040. This work recognised the main issues and risks associated with different policy options.

A report was produced to justify the policies of the Draft Local Plan 2021-2040:

In December 2023, the previous government issued a Written Ministerial Statement that affected the net zero policies of the draft local plan. A review of the statement's implications was undertaken in the context of consultation responses to the draft climate emergency policies:

The council has also sought legal advice relating to the ministerial statement and its emerging net zero policies. This advice is published below:

More recently, draft policy PM13 of the draft revised NPPF (December 2025) sought to remove a planning authority’s ability to establish net zero standards for energy efficiency. In response, the council has sought to understand how the legislative requirement to meet net zero emissions by 2050 could be met by emissions reductions from the built environment and new development in particular. The following report by the consultants Bioregional makes the case for net zero local planning policies in this context:

The council will consider how to tackle the climate emergency through its future planning policies and/or guidance in the context of the forgoing evidence and statements of national policy.