Planning Policy

This document sets out a summary of the relevant planning policy documents at a national, regional and local level, and provides links to the policies.

Policy Context

Planning Policy

 

National Policy Statements

National Policy Statements provide the basis for decisions on applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. The following National Policy Statements set the policy framework for the North London Heat and Power Project:

  • EN-1 Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy

The statement sets out how the energy sector can help to deliver the Government's climate change objectives and contribute to a diverse and affordable energy supply for the UK. It covers Government policy on energy and energy infrastructure development, the need for new national significant energy infrastructure projects, the assessment principles for deciding applications and how impacts from new energy infrastructure should be considered in applications.

  • EN-3 National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure

The statement states that electricity generation from renewable sources of energy is an important element in the Government's development of a low-carbon economy. Energy from waste is an important part of meeting the UK's renewable energy needs.

In addition to the National Policy Statements other planning policy relevant to the site is set out in the National Planning Policy for Waste, National Planning Policy Framework, the London Plan, and Enfield Council's Local Plan and related policy and guidance. These provide the planning policy framework within which the Planning Inspectorate will consider the NSIP application. A summary of these key policy documents is set out below.

National Planning Policy for Waste

The National Planning Policy for Waste reiterates the Government's ambition to work towards a more sustainable and efficient approach to resource use and management. The policy sets out the considerations that waste authorities should make when determining waste planning applications. These include considering likely impacts on the local environment and amenity, taking advice from health bodies, ensuring well-designed facilities that contribute positively to the character and quality of the area.

National Planning Policy Framework

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government's planning policies for England and is an important consideration for deciding planning applications. Policies at a regional and local level must follow the principles of the framework which include building a strong, competitive economy, requiring good design, meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change and conserving and enhancing the natural environment.

London Plan

The London Plan provides the strategic framework for the development of London until 2031 including economic, transport, environmental and social plans for the capital. The London Plan includes strategic policies on a range of topics that the North London Heat and Power Project will need to comply with relating to waste, industrial employment use, traffic and transport, sustainability, contamination, noise, air quality, water and flood risk, landscape and biodiversity, design, archaeology and geology.

The Mayor's Strategies

The Mayor has also published a series of strategies setting out the actions and policies that the Mayor is taking, and encouraging others to take, to improve quality of life of Londoners and making the city more sustainable.

  • London’s Wasted Resource: The Mayor's Municipal Waste Strategy

The Mayor's Municipal Waste Management Strategy which sets out the Mayor's vision, objectives and targets to manage the public's waste more effectively and efficiently. One of the strategy's aims is to unlock the economic value of waste by increasing reuse, recycling, composting and the generation of low carbon energy from waste. It also commits to investing in new waste infrastructure so that the bulk of London's waste can be managed within London. The strategy sets a target to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2025 and to generate as much energy as possible from 40% of London's waste.

  • Delivering London’s Energy Future: The Mayor’s Climate Change Mitigation and Energy strategy

The Mayor's Climate Change Mitigation and Energy strategy focuses on reducing CO2 emissions to mitigate climate change, securing a low carbon energy supply for London, and moving London to a thriving low carbon capital.

Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework

The Upper Lee Valley is identified as an area for large scale development and this document is the regeneration framework for the area. It identifies Edmonton Eco Park as a regeneration and redevelopment opportunity and supports the continued use of the existing site to provide the next generation of waste services and to supply energy for a heat network in the Lee Valley.

Enfield Local Plan

The Enfield Local Plan sets out policies and standards for development including waste, industrial employment use, traffic and transport, sustainability, contamination, noise, air quality, water and flood risk, landscape and biodiversity, design, archaeology and geology. The Local Plan also defines opportunities for development in Enfield including what will and will not be permitted and where. The Local Plan supports the decommissioning of the existing facility at Edmonton EcoPark and the continued use of the site for waste.

The EcoPark is also within the emerging Central Leeside Area Action Plan which includes a principle for the EcoPark to be a flagship facility for waste management incorporating a new energy recovery facility and kick starting an initial phase of a decentralised energy network.

Edmonton EcoPark Supplementary Planning Brief

The Edmonton EcoPark Supplementary Planning Document adds to Enfield's local planning policies by explaining the opportunities and constraints for the development of new waste management and other facilities on the site, and providing the principles which new development should follow. It provides specific guidance about how development of the site can achieve the objectives in Enfield's Local Plan. It should be noted that this document was produced at a time when a different type of waste management facility was proposed at the site, although it is largely still relevant.

Want to know more? 

See our Planning Policies within this Document Library