London Plan Energy Statement The multi unit development at Coombe Road is located on a former commercial property in southwest London

Introduction to the London Plan

The London Plan is the city’s long-term development strategy, created by the Mayor of London. Acting as a blueprint for the next 20–25 years, it sets out how London should grow in terms of housing, transport, the economy, and sustainability.

The current plan, published in March 2021, is a statutory part of London’s planning framework. For developers, this means tougher sustainability and energy targets than those set elsewhere in the UK. The Plan requires consideration of:

• Carbon emissions reductions
• Passive design strategies
• Renewable energy production
• District heating networks

At its core, the London Plan is about achieving Net Zero Carbon for all new developments. To demonstrate compliance, multiple SAP iterations are required, following the London Plan’s Energy Hierarchy: Be Lean, Be Clean, Be Green, Be Seen.

Local Context: The Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Every London borough adheres to the London Plan but can also layer on its own planning policies. In Kingston upon Thames, planning applications often need to address additional considerations, such as:

• Future Homes Standard alignment
• Local food growth initiatives
• Assessment of internal and external noise
• Cash-in-lieu payments for carbon produced
• Unregulated emissions calculations with mitigation measures

The Coombe Road development sits within this local context, meaning the project team needed to balance both the overarching London Plan requirements and Kingston-specific planning considerations.

Property Overview

The development at Coombe Road is located on a former commercial property in southwest London. The scheme comprises:

• 17 residential flats
• 3 houses
• 1 commercial unit
• Spread across 3 separate buildings

Our Role in Compliance

This project required a comprehensive compliance strategy to satisfy both Building Regulations Part L and the wider demands of the London Plan.

The package of work included:

• London Plan Energy Statement
• Design-stage SAP calculations
• Overheating risk assessment

One of the more unique challenges came from a conflict between the overheating assessment and the noise impact assessment:

• Overheating analysis suggested windows should be open for ventilation.
• Noise assessment required windows closed to mitigate external disturbance.

The solution was to apply differing usage profiles within the modelling — for example, using night-time cooling scenarios. This allowed the development to maintain compliance while ensuring future residents benefit from both comfort and quiet.

Services Provided:

• Energy Statement
• Design Stage SAP calculations
• Part O Overheating Analysis