Assessment and Analysis of Whether We Are Coming Closer to the Essay

Assessment and Analysis of Whether We Are Coming Closer to the Objectives of Delivering Sustainable Communities - Essay Example This increasing population means that there is a strong need to develop more housing to accommodate the growing population, while maintaining the liveability and usability of the existing infrastructure. However, considering the environmental consequences of creating more buildings, the question of housing is not limited to just making more houses to accommodate people. With the anticipated level of growth, it is essential that the new developments be made such that their impact on the environment can be minimised and environmental sustainability can be built-in from the start. The question of environmental sustainability, then, is not limited to construction of buildings alone, but to creating sustainable communities which also encourage minimal use of personal transportation, minimise pollution, and maximise preservation and regeneration of green areas and other natural resources. The concept of sustainable communities was brought forward in UK in 2003 by then Deputy Prime Minister , Mr John Prescott, through a ?38bn plan for economic, social, and environmental development (OPDM, 2003). He termed sustainable communities as â€Å"places where people want to live, and work, now and in the future†. ... on services and housing caused by economic success, and reforming for delivery by ensuring right legal framework to support the action plan in the agenda. Appendix 1 shows the details of this budget for the different steps proposed in the policy document. This paper analyses the progress made in UK until now on these counts to assess how close UK has come to delivering sustainable communities. One of the key elements of sustainable communities is sustainable construction. The Cambridgeshire County Council has brought forward a guide for good practices on sustainable construction (Land Use Consultants, 2004). This guide illustrates how builders can make buildings that respect the environment and what key parameters builders must take into account in designing and constructing the buildings. These key parameters are: 1) Adapting to climate change: guidelines on ensuring healthy and comfortable environments for living and working through efficient landscaping and reducing the impact of natural disasters on buildings. 2) Energy: guidelines on minimising the amount of energy people need to use to lead their lives comfortably 3) Waste: guidelines on minimising the amount of waste generated and not reused in any way, in both demolition/ construction and occupation of buildings 4) Water: guidelines on encouraging the sustainable use and management of water resources 5) Materials: guidelines on minimising the wider impact of new developments through maximising the use of local, natural and sustainable materials II. Discussion The issue of delivering sustainable communities is systematically considered within the UK government planning, one of the 6 levers identified in the OPDM report of 2003. This is evident from the fact that the Sustainable Communities Act was made a law in