accessibility of a development's location;

orientation and layout;

density;

mix of uses;

detailed design including building integrated measures;

landscaping;

materials;

use of green and blue infrastructure; and

capacity for electric vehicle charging.

Many of these factors will also be considered as part of our commitment to delivering a borough-wide design code.

We will support developers to make the significant changes needed to shift to an inclusive wealth69 approach to net zero carbon, where environmental and social costs are considered alongside project costs. Regard should be had to minimising the gap between the designed and as-built energy performance of new buildings. The council encourages the use of recognised sustainable design standards, including but not limited to the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, Building for a Healthy Life, Passivhaus, NABERS, and BREEAM assessments. By framing applications against recognised standards, developers can signal their commitment to delivering high-quality sustainable development, as it is crucial that proposals deliver sustainable development and respond to the challenges of climate change.

The Stockport Net Zero Carbon Policy Study, Stockport Energy and Carbon Study 2020 and the Stockport Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) provide evidence on addressing the climate crisis and the need to commit to reducing carbon emissions from new development at the local level. Other related information includes the Climate Change Adaptation Manual70, Carbon Storage and Sequestration by Habitat71, and National biodiversity climate change vulnerability model72.

The following pieces of evidence and legislation support our approach to achieving net zero carbon and carbon neutrality:

Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis73 [6th Assessment Report by IPCC]

Paris Agreement 201574 to limit global temperature rises to 1.5circC

The Climate Change Committee: Seventh Carbon Budget 202575