Lilestone Brief.pdf - Westminster City Council

indoor environments. A scheme which provides a mix of uses will need to considerthe impact the surrounding uses will have on the sites residential development.More details on the types of design measures required are set out in UDP Policy ENV6, UDP Policy ENV 7 and Westminster’s Noise Strategy 2010‐ 2015.Air Quality5.34. In 1999 Westminster was designated an Air Quality Management Area as it hassome of the poorest air quality in the country. This designation brings therequirement to reduce air pollution. To achieve this the Council monitors the levelsof air pollution, and has developed an Air Quality Strategy and Action Plan 2001. TheAction Plan suggests a range of measures to help reduce air pollution includingimprovements in road transport, lowering emissions from plant and machinery andother emissions from buildings. The City Council has recently published a draftreplacement Air Quality Strategy.5.35. The redevelopment and construction stage will generate temporary air pollutionhowever measures required under the Code of Construction Practice duringdemolition and construction will reduce these. Sustainable design measures whichuse appropriate technology, alongside carefully designed site layout and landscapedareas with trees and vegetation, including roofs and terraces, will assist in theoverall reduction of air pollution during the lifetime of the development. UDP PolicyENV 5 provides more detailed advice on ways to manage air pollution.Biodiversity and Green roofs5.36. Regional and local level planning policies encourage and recognise the opportunitiesdevelopments provide to enhance nature conservation and biodiversity. TheMayor’s Biodiversity Study, London Biodiversity Action Plan together withWestminster’s Core Strategy Policies CS 37 and Biodiversity Action Plan encouragethe development of habitats and species in Westminster.5.37. In preparing development options for the site it is recommended that the followingdocuments are consulted: Green Roofs: their Existing Status and Potential for conserving Biodiversity inUrban areas Design for Biodiversity Biodiversity by design Improving Londoner’s Access to Nature Right Trees for a Changing Climate Adapting to Climate Change; a Checklist for Development Green and Brown Roofs5.38. Green roofs, living roofs and living walls aid cooling, insulate buildings fromextreme temperatures and can mitigate against the need for air conditioning. Theyalso have wider environmental benefits providing opportunities for increasingbiodiversity and vegetation, attenuating storm water surface run‐off. Living roofsand walls in private spaces, balconies, and roof terraces contribute to improvingbiodiversity across Westminster developing opportunities for habitats for wildlife.Living roofs are also compatible with the installation of solar photovoltaic panels(PV) on A‐frames on roofs, with co‐benefits in terms of shading on parts of theliving roof which has a beneficial impact encouraging wider biodiversity and the PVinstallation benefitting from the cooling effect, preventing overheating of the PV27