Study of Renewable Energy and Biodiversity Enhancement Opportunities within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets commissioned Land Use Consultants (LUC) and the National Energy Foundation (NEF) in February 2007- August 2007 to undertake a study investigating the potential for renewable energy and biodiversity enhancement opportunities within the Central Area of Borough. Due to the success of the initial study, LUC and NEF were re-commissioned in November 2007, to extend the study to cover the whole of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

It is intended the study will enable the identification of practical and spatially specific measures to enhance renewable energy and biodiversity opportunities within the Borough.  The study findings will feed into the preparation of the Borough’s Core Strategy which will set out a vision, as well as clear planning policies and actions for guiding future growth and change within the Borough until 2025.  The Core Strategy is a statutory development plan document that forms part of the Local Development Framework (LDF). The Local Development Framework is the collection of documents that set out the planning strategy for the Borough and form the key basis upon which the Council makes decisions on planning applications within the area.

Study Aims

The four key aims of the study are to:

  • Identify the spatial opportunities for maximising the potential for biodiversity enhancement within the Borough, as well as protecting areas of existing biodiversity importance.
  • Identify what forms of low carbon/ renewable energy technologies might be most appropriate at the sites which are expected to come forward for development or regeneration within the life of the Core Strategy.  This includes the opportunities for decentralised energy including communal/district heating or Combined Cooling Heat and Power within the Borough.
  • Provide a robust evidence base and clear recommendations for the Core Strategy on the spatial opportunities
  • Provide information on the funding and delivery mechanisms that may be appropriate to secure the implementation of the identified opportunities

A workshop was held on 23rd January for stakeholders, and a draft report from the consultants will be available in late March.