Autumn '21

GREEN ROOF POLICY
>>> Continued from page 24
Design Codes can be produced
for:
1. The whole local authority area
including all existing settlements and
development sites.
2. Selected parts of existing settlements
and development sites.
3. Just development sites.
In some senses the Design Codes will
be similar in effect to SPDs, but the
focus of Design Codes are on ‘design’,
whereas an SPD could be on affordable
housing, telecommunications or
developer financial contributions.
The challenge now is for green roof
professionals and the industry to
further promote and explain the
benefits of green roofs to local
authorities and their communities, and
ensure they are explicitly embedded
in local design codes. In doing so, the
importance of specifying technical
best practice should be at the heart
of that campaign and the Green Roof
Organisation (GRO) can help in that
regard. The bibliography on ‘nature’
in the appendix to the Government’s
National Model Design Code currently
doesn’t make reference to ‘The GRO
Green Roof Code.’ One of our first tasks
is to get it included in the next updated
edition.
Alongside the introduction of Design
Codes is the proposed Environment Act.
This will impose a legal requirement
that all new developments will put back
more nature/biodiversity than was
there originally, which is referred to as
Biodiversity Net Gain. Whilst there are
some issues still to be resolved with
metrics to be adopted in supporting
habitat rich biodiversity, it is a good step
forward.
This is the opportunity: if a Design Code
makes reference to the expectation of
green roofs on developments within
a designated area, and there is also
a new legal commitment to increase
biodiversity on site by at least 10%,
then green roofs offer a brilliant way to
achieve this goal.
To conclude: how to move forward
GRO is committed to promoting the
green roof industry in ways which
will genuinely benefit communities
and the environment. To this end,
we will actively encourage the
inclusion of the GRO Code of Best
Practice in Government Design
Code documentation, and support
our members and any industry
professionals in engaging with their
local authorities when and where
design codes are produced. Strong
green roof planning policies are a crucial
step towards the industry’s growth and a
greener future – so now is the perfect time
to talk to planners about green roofing!
References available on request, or
view at www.greenscapemag.co.uk
Contact GRO
email:
membership@
greenrooforganisation.org
www.greenrooforganisation.org
Tweet: @RoofGro