We’re delighted to have officially launched our Net-zero Spatial Planning Tool at a packed webinar last week.

If you couldn’t join us live, you can watch the recording below and access the slide deck here. We've also summarised the Q&A session here.

I’d like to say a huge thanks to our speakers for sharing their knowledge of why the tool is needed, how it can be used – and how it has helped them: Celia Davis, Projects & Policy Manager, Town & Country Planning Association, Ed Parham, Director of Innovation and Design, Space Syntax, Andrew Thomson, Principal Planning Officer, West Oxfordshire District Council.

Why is the tool needed?

We understand the challenge local authorities face - you’re expected to use your expertise to identify the most effective low-carbon growth options, while balancing location, housing density, environmental planning policies, and ensuring local services meet the new demands from growth. It’s tough, right?

This is where our innovative Net-zero Spatial Planning Tool comes in. It’s your powerful new ally in making smart, informed decisions about sustainable growth and reducing carbon emissions generated by the future population of your plan area.

Carbon emissions targets have emerged as a massive influence in local plan-making as they relate to spatial planning duties. Ensuring your Local Plan helps achieve your authority’s commitments is more important than ever before.

How does the tool help local authorities?

Having worked with dozens of authorities recently, we understand the analysis can be complex and time consuming. That is why we led the development of a new tool to make the process time-efficient and robust.

With a grant from Innovate UK, we worked with Space Syntax to further develop our Net-zero Spatial Planning Tool. The tool uses an evidence-backed data model to estimate the carbon emissions from new housing development, including the associated social infrastructure that is required to support that housing, such as schools and libraries.

What’s new?

We have now integrated a new transport model that more accurately predicts transport carbon induced through new development. The modelled outputs have been proven instrumental in forming a draft Local Plan that aligns with local carbon reduction targets. We have also boosted the user experience, giving you control of scenario testing with immediate outputs.

The project was supported by three local planning authorities, who played a crucial role in shaping the tool's key features, providing invaluable insights for improving overall usability and maximising the value derived from the data. The tool is now being used in real-time by West Oxfordshire, Forest of Dean and Cotswold District Council.

Why now?

The timing of the new tool’s launch is particularly useful in the context of the dynamic nature of central government housing allocations. The tool allows for the testing of multiple scenarios, giving authorities a valuable data point related to their ability to meet new targets and stay within their carbon budgets.

We had so many questions, we couldn’t get to them all during the webinar – so here’s a round-up:

1. Scope and applicability

Can the tool be used at different scales, from individual developments to Local Plans and national or regional planning, including outside the UK?

You can use the tool to understand carbon impacts of specific sites or do comparative analysis across multiple sites within a local plan area. At this time, the tool draws on data sources that are specific to English planning system and draws from English datasets, so can only be used with confidence in England.

2. Carbon and environmental considerations

How does the tool assess both embodied and operational carbon, including factors like soil disturbance, building types, micro-climate effects, and renewable energy potential?

The tool draws from data and formulas we have developed to accurately estimate embodied and operational carbon associated with buildings and social infrastructure induced by development, such as libraries or GP offices. The user specifies the size of development and energy performance levels for domestic and commercial buildings.

Does it consider wider environmental impacts, such as flood resilience and biodiversity?

At this time, the tool only measures carbon impacts. The mapping information can be exported as GIS layers to be combined locally for further analysis.

3. Transport and infrastructure impact

Can the tool evaluate the impact of transport infrastructure and different travel modes on emissions, including integration with wider traffic modelling?

The tool shows the role of location, and access to services including public transport, on mode share, distances travelled and emissions created. The tool calculates the mode share for each LSOA, and this could be used as the basis for, or to validate, the assumptions in a traffic model.

4. Planning and growth implications

How does the tool support sustainable site selection, taking into account unmet housing need, commuting patterns, urban viability, and emissions per capita?

The primary purpose of the tool is to determine carbon emissions from embodied, operational and transport on a spatial level, giving the user an accurate estimate of the impacts of a specific development. The tool gives you full control to update housing numbers and densities, build out rates, locations and policy changes to support sustainable site selection.

5. Data accuracy and model updates

How does the tool ensure accuracy when using government datasets, and how easily can it be updated to reflect major changes such as new infrastructure?

We have chosen datasets that are widely accepted as accurate and reliable, however, we recognise that every dataset has weaknesses.

The data inputs to the transport model can be updated and the model re-run. If the format or structure of new data has changed, we will need to work with you to understand how best to work with it. Major new infrastructure connections can be added and new analysis carried out to feed the model. These types of changes will require bespoke and will take a short time to create.

6. Integration and adoption

Can the tool be integrated with other planning and adaptation frameworks, and will details of local authority adoption be publicly shared?

At this time, the tool only measures carbon impacts of potential development. The mapping information can be exported as GIS layers to be combined locally for further analysis.

As we work with local authorities who use the tool, we will encourage them to share their experience, but we will only share this information with their consent.