1. Have you declared a climate emergency?
Yes.

2.
a) Do you have an action plan or strategy (or equivalent) related to net zero goals?
Yes.

b) If yes, is ‘Spatial Planning’ featured within the action plan/strategy?
Yes.

3.
a) Does your ‘Local Plan’ reflect net zero targets?
Yes.

b) If yes to what year?
2030.

c) If no, does your ‘Local Plan Review’ plan to include net zero?
Not applicable.

4.
a) Do you have an in-house sustainability (or equivalent) officer/s supporting local planning policy, if yes, the number of officers?
No; this is in progress.

b) Who is the key contact at your council?
climate.emergency@wokingham.gov.uk

5.
a) What tools do your planners use to support climate planning policy and delivery in your authority?
We have commissioned work that will inform future policy development but this is ongoing and hasn’t reported yet. However we are guided by national planning policy and guidance, so the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Planning Practice Guidance on Climate Change and Renewable and low carbon energy inform policy making and decision taking. For decision making the starting point is the existing development plan (which can be found here) and then other material considerations which include the adopted Sustainable Design and Construction SPD and Borough Design Guide. Current policies require applications to be supported by a Sustainability Statement. Non-residential development are encouraged to achieve BREEAM ‘very good’ standard – so we use BRE tools to consider pre-assessments and assessment and utilise planning conditions accordingly. But our planning policies don’t currently specify a particular tool to be used.

b) Do your planning officers receive climate literacy training or equivalent?
No; this is in progress.

c) Do you use climate change mitigation as a material consideration in balancing planning applications?
Yes.