Sustainability is embedded into all that TEP’s Environmental Planning team do. Importantly, much of our work is guided by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), at the heart of which is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, to ensure long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability. Beyond this, we believe that delivering sustainable outcomes for all of our clients will make our business (and theirs) stronger in the long term. Efforts to cope with the impacts of climate change and sustainable development share common goals, so we consider climate action to be central to our everyday work.
The Environmental Planning team works with clients from all sectors, integrating sustainability considerations early into the planning process. TEP is an Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) Corporate Partner and registered Environmental Impact Assessor with a Quality Mark for commitment to excellence. The planning team has extensive experience in managing the EIA process, regularly working in multi-disciplinary teams of ecologists, engineers, designers, surveyors and planners. Our priority is to identify all of the potential environmental effects from a proposed development and provide innovative and practical measures to avoid or reduce the effects. Our team also includes experts in Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment, allowing us to carry out detailed appraisals of plans and strategies, to ensure that sustainability aspects are considered effectively from the outset of the planning process. And let’s not forget, the planning system that we work with on a daily basis has a primary purpose to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.
The organisations that we work with are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate environmental awareness, which is now almost inextricably linked to climate change. We have recently been instructed by Port Sunlight Village Trust to complete a 10-year Environment Strategy. Working with Element Sustainability, we are evaluating the baseline impact of all their buildings and operations, consulting with stakeholders and developing a 10-year environmental improvement strategy, which will include reductions in CO2 emissions.
Many of the local authorities we work with have declared climate and ecological emergencies, which is reflected in the planning applications we prepare and submit. Sustainability also lies at the core of our work developing Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategies for local authorities in England and Wales. A key theme of our recent GI Plan for Cheshire East Council was climate change, recognising that enhancing the natural environment has significant potential to help mitigate or offset the impacts of climate change and help to achieve ‘net zero’ targets. Investing in green and blue infrastructure can address issues such as carbon capture and storage, air and water quality, flood management, alternative modes of travel and alleviation of high temperature fluctuations, whilst contributing to biodiversity net gain.
Our team continues to provide a comprehensive range of services to our public and private sector clients to ensure our built and natural environments respond to and prepare for the impacts of climate change.
To discover how our other teams are contributing to climate action follow the links the below:
GIS
Ecology
Arboriculture
Landscape Design
Landscape Management
or to get in touch about the planning of your sites, please email planning@tep.uk.com
