Horsham’s Future: Sustainable Developments. Although we have had a change of government and Horsham has a Liberal-Democrat MP instead of a Conservative representative, the pressure to build new houses in our local area is not going to change.
We know there are a number of construction companies either erecting new homes or planning to do so under the District Council’s latest proposals. With good reason there are serious concerns about some of the sites and these may, or may not, go ahead but there is no doubt new and extended housing developments will happen.
Sussex Green Living shares the view of many that, where new housing developments do spring up, we want them to be as green as possible. At the time of writing it is not known what level of environmental protections the Labour Government will demand but our charity hopes they are challenging for the industry and effective in having a positive impact with regard to climate change.
There are clear signs the construction industry is already beginning to pay more attention to climate change such as improvements to building materials, options for solar panels, air and ground source heat pumps, reduction in carbon emissions and other innovations. Some examples of changing practices with companies are: Barratt Homes, who have “launched a new flagship zero carbon home concept which will be occupied and monitored to assess its performance”; Thakeham, who have stated that “from 2025, all our privately sold homes will be net zero carbon, meaning that carbon emissions from heating, lighting and cooling are zero or below”; and the Wates Group, who have, “committed to eliminating waste and carbon from operations by 2025”, which is well ahead of our previous Government’s own environmental targets.
Sussex Green Living are in dialogue with these three companies, as well as others, to explore how we can get involved in helping them move further towards more sustainable building methods, greener homes and environments. An area we are particularly keen to progress is the idea of community hubs: purpose built spaces on a new housing development that fulfil a variety of purposes beneficial to the residents. Among the facilities we would like to see established in these hubs is a ‘Library of Things’. The library would hire out infrequently needed tools and equipment, obviating the necessity for individual households to buy equipment that, after its first use languishes at the back of a cupboard or shed gathering dust.
The concept is not new. Communities have done this for hundreds of years, a good example being the farming community who share expensive sowing and harvesting equipment between a number of arable farmers.
That said, after becoming a ‘throw away’ society it is only recently that we are acting on the realisation that there are powerful reasons why the world needs to reduce its rate of manufacture and we, as individuals, should be seeking to repair and reuse more and buy less.
By Paul Bellringer, OBE and Sussex Green Living Trustee
