Cardiff Council: Setting conditions on the sale of land

Cardiff Council have set specific conditions for future development standards when selling off areas of their land. A key requirement is that any future development on the land must exceed current building regulation standards for environmental sustainability and must design for future climate change and energy security. Such mechanisms can be used to drive higher building standards on new developments (towards Passivhaus).

When bidding for land, clear statements of intent must be provided on how the developer intends to apply passive techniques and good solar orientation to reduce the primary regulated energy demand. Developers will also be expected to provide a clear statement on the approach taken to reducing carbon emissions from the development through implementation of the energy hierarchy, highlighting the passive approach taken to minimise regulated carbon emissions through the incorporation of a fabric enhancement approach first. The land being sold may not necessarily simply go to the developer offering the highest price (as is tradition), but instead to the developer offering the best environmental standards for future development relative to the price they offer for the land.

This is a mechanism for Local Authorities/ Councils to effectively subsidise higher energy standards in construction without having to provide funds up front as capital. Instead they accept a lower value for their land sale.

An example document detailing the development conditions for the site are given at the following link:

http://www.cardiffcouncilproperty.com/#/land-at-heol-don/4551284382