Big plus for net zero
Our Net Zero Carbon Toolkit is a new resource designed to support small and medium-sized house builders, architects and consultants who are designing new - and retrofitting existing - net zero carbon homes. It is an in-depth, practical 'how-to' guide, including best practice guidance for achieving net zero housing goals and is available online.
While following the guidance is not mandatory, the types of measures included in the document signals what the District Council would like to see included in future planning policy to tackle the climate emergency.
Councillor David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Climate Change at West Oxfordshire District Council (pictured above), said: “We are delighted to be launching this new toolkit today which we have produced in partnership with two other local authorities and leading experts in the field of net-zero homes. Covering everything from pre-planning, design and construction, even down to the types of products on the market, this is a one-stop guide for anyone looking to build a new property so they can include all the measures needed to make sustainable homes which are fit for the future.”
The Council invites you to share the Toolkit with others: the more people that use it, the greater its reach and impact in helping us address climate change together.
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Climate team grows with Lily
Lily Paulson recently joined the climate team as Climate Change Officer and will help the Council meet its carbon neutral target by 2030, delivering projects set out in its Carbon Action Plan.
Lily says, “I’m really looking forward to working with colleagues and external partners on the Council’s decarbonisation projects and supporting the wider climate strategy across the district.”
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New Sustainability Standards Checklist ticks the boxes
In line with the Council's commitment to taking positive action in response to the climate and ecological emergency, a Sustainability Standards Checklist is now available to encourage the highest standards in new and retrofit developments across the district.
National and local planning policy recognises the co-benefits of designing environmentally sustainable developments and the Checklist builds on this, setting out standards, best-practice guidance and case studies for developers and applicants. It covers: water use and flood risk; biodiversity and green infrastructure; green and active travel; net-zero carbon; and sustainable construction, materials and waste.
The new checklist can be found on our planning pages.
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Into the wild...
Although summer is starting to come to a close, there is plenty of wildlife still to see at the sites managed by the Council. Rachel Crookes, our Biodiversity and Countryside Land Management Officer, spotted some Common lizards whilst carrying out a recent site check at North Leigh Common. These reptiles can be found all over the county, but they particularly like log piles such as the ones that the Friends of North Leigh Common have created near the entrance to the site.
Keep your eyes peeled if you visit this site or any other site, and do let us know if you see any interesting birds, reptiles, amphibians or insects.
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Mapping Oxfordshire's pathways to zero carbon
West Oxfordshire District Council has contributed, with other Oxfordshire councils and partners, to a recently published 'Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire' report, created by the University of Oxford's Environmental Change Institute, alongside leading sustainability organisation Bioregional, and backed by the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP).
The report highlights the expertise and key players that already exist in Oxfordshire, focusing on areas of innovation in energy, transport, land-use, and housing sectors. It also looks at key challenge areas where investment is needed by modelling future trends and presenting different approaches for meeting the region's zero carbon ambitions.
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The Great Big Green Week starts soon!
18th - 26th September
Find events near you or get inspired by checking out resources for organising your own environmental action, from organising a film screening to starting a climate conversation on your street.
Ness Scott, the Council's Climate Change Manager, is looking forward to talking to people about the Net Zero Carbon Toolkit on Saturday 25th of September at the village square as part of Eynsham's Great Big Green Week.
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Recycle Week 2021
20th - 26th September
This year's Recycle Week is encouraging us all to recycle more to make a positive contribution to reducing the UK's carbon emissions. Find out more about what you can do by reading our recycling guide or visit recyclenow.com.
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Focused students bike to school
27th September - 1st October
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Join families across the UK in cycling, walking, or scooting to school for this year's Bike-to-School Week!
Did you know that pupils who walk and cycle to school are more relaxed, alert and ready to start the day?
To register your commitment to support the campaign, click here. For more information, visit sustrans.org.uk.
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Grasslands grants for Glorious Cotswolds
Landowners, land managers and members of the community are invited to apply for small grants of up to £500 to support the restoration of existing grassland or the creation of new wildflower grassland within the Cotswolds National Landscape area. More information, including details for schools and volunteers, can be found on the Cotswolds National Landscape website.
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Plant a tree for the Jubilee
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The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Everyone across the UK is being invited to plant trees from October 2021, when the tree planting season begins, through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.
Schools and local community groups can apply for a tree pack for March 2022 by going to the Woodland Trust.
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Grants warm homes this winter
With autumn approaching, it’s a good time to think about making your home and heating systems energy efficient and low carbon. You may be eligible for grant funding to improve the energy performance of your home. Find out more by contacting our Better Housing Better Health (BHBH) service.
For further guidance on low cost measures to make your home warm, and where to go for advice and support, visit the Council’s website.
If energy bills are a worry, then you may want to look up the Warm Home Discount which is a £140 payment towards winter bills and available to those on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits. Although this scheme does not officially open until 18th October, some suppliers are allowing residents to register their interest before the deadline. The BHBH team can help residents check their eligibility. To make a referral for the Warm Home Discount, click here.
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Transition Eynsham Area (GreenTEA)
The Council would like to thank Sarah Couch from GreenTEA for sharing the following news with us and with members of our Climate Action Network.
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"GreenTEA is a climate change group which has been active for over 12 years working on sustainable food, transport, energy, waste reduction and influencing policy. It has become clear that the climate and ecological emergencies are intrinsically linked, so we are glad to be involved in the thriving Eynsham Nature Recovery Project. Other current projects include car club surveys, supporting the Repair Café and local food. Recently much of our focus has been pressing for net zero carbon, energy positive development for the 3200 new homes planned for Eynsham and working for smart, flexible, clean energy for the whole Eynsham area.
We are lucky that we have been able to tap into the fantastic local innovation skills of the Oxford Universities and pioneering organisations like the Low Carbon Hub. GreenTEA has a long working relationship with the Low Carbon Hub, bringing local benefits from community energy and we are very keen to extend this concept to any new development. So we were delighted to be chosen to be a Smart and Fair Neighbourhood project under Project LEO (Local Energy Oxfordshire). We are working with the Low Carbon Hub, Oxfordshire County Council, WODC’s Climate Change Manager, Parish Councils and renewable energy experts on an Energy Action Plan for the Eynsham Primary Substation Area – the local electricity network for the area. The project builds on the net zero carbon aspiration of the Salt Cross Garden Village to bring long term benefits to Eynsham as a whole, old and new, and accelerate our response to the climate emergency.
We have also planned an ambitious programme of more than 40 events during Great Big Green Week to showcase local work on tackling the climate and ecological emergency and to raise awareness in the run up to COP26."
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Contact Us
If you have any ideas or questions for our climate team, or any feedback on this bulletin then please contact us by emailing:
climate.action@westoxon.gov.uk
We'd Love to Hear From You
Share your stories and photos of climate action taking place in your local community and we will post your good practice and news in our community section! |
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