The purpose of
the Sustainable Development Unit is to support and promote the delivery of
sustainable development in Leeds.
Many different
parts of Leeds City Council and many other organisations have roles to play in
delivering sustainable development. The Unit has both a corporate and a
departmental role. It leads on and provides a focus for the sustainability work
of the Development Department as a whole. The Unit also aims to mainstream
sustainable development by influencing corporate City Council efforts and the
work of other stakeholders and working on areas of mutual interest with our
partners. The work of the Sustainable Development Unit is influenced by a
variety of international, national and local priorities and pieces of
legislation.
We aim to do
this by establishing priorities and delivering outcomes against the following
six 'steps' or activities:-
Step
1
Managing and improving the local authority's own environmental
performance
- To
co-ordinate, manage and monitor the City Council's EMAS programme
- To deliver a
programme of staff and member training on the work of the Sustainable
Development Unit, raising the profile and communicating the implications of
high quality design and sustainable development.
Step
2
Achieving sustainable development through the local authority's policies and
activities
- To provide
advice aimed at improving the quality and sustainability of the built
environment by targeting approximately the 20% most significant development in
Leeds
- To review the
sustainable development design guide
- To implement
the programme of Conservation Area Appraisals and Character Area Statements
targeting the areas of greatest development pressure
- To publish
the Residential Design Guide and promote its use
- To provide a
Protected Tree service
- To continue
to influence the development of the Council's Nature Conservation service and
activities
- To provide a
Minerals & Waste planning service
- To implement
the Council's Contaminated Land inspection strategy
- To continue
to influence the development of the Council's Integrated Waste Management
Strategy
Step
3
Awareness raising and education
- To deliver
the Council's work on Education for Sustainable Development
- To run the
annual Leeds Architectural and Lighting Awards
Step
4
Consulting and involving members of the general public
- To increase
staff competencies in consultation and involvement
Step
5
Projects and partnerships in the local community
- To service
the Leeds Environment City Partnership and its programme of work including the
development of a robust Sustainability Appraisal framework and Sustainable
Growth Park on behalf of the Leeds Initiative
- To service
the Leeds Architectural and Design Initiative
- To represent
the department on the Wyke Beck Way partnership board
- To provide
design advice to the Supertram project
- To implement
the Waterfront Strategy
- To represent
the department and provide urban design advice on the implementation of the
Holbeck Urban Village project
- To service
the annual State of the River Meeting
Step
6
Measuring and monitoring and reporting progress
- To publish
the State of the Environment Report for Leeds as a basis for providing evidence
based interventions and service improvement in the local community
The
Sustainable Development Unit has a wide range of responsibilities and
customers, shared between six main teams. The services provided include the
following:
|
TEAM
|
FUNCTION
|
|
Conservation
|
Promoting the conservation of the historic environment of Leeds
|
|
Design
|
Contributing to the enhancement of the quality of the built
environment and the promotion of good design.
|
|
Environment City
|
Contributing to the co-ordination and delivery of city-wide and
corporate programmes for sustainable development, environmental management,
environmental awareness raising and education and training.
|
|
Landscape
|
Advising on aspects of landscape conservation and design, nature
conservation and biodiversity issues and protected trees
|
|
Minerals
|
Planning and control of minerals extraction and waste management and
implementing the contaminated land inspection strategy
|
|
Management, Projects and Support
|
Overall management of the Unit and providing advice on sustainable
development policy and practice. Driving forward and advising on key planning
projects and initiatives in the City. Providing administrative and clerical
support for the work of the Unit.
|
You can
contact the Sustainable Development Unit by writing to:
Dr Thomas Knowland
Head of Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development Unit
Development Department
The Leonardo Building
2 Rossington Street
Leeds LS2 8HD
Fax: 0113 22 43961