Sustainable development is development that can be maintained without using up natural resources or damaging the environment. It is all about achieving a balance between economic, social and environmental objectives. This is the central aim of the Government’s ‘Sustainable Communities Plan’, which focuses on the following areas.
Training and employing local people and supporting local businesses is a key feature of a sustainable development strategy. We are using our powers, both as a regional body and a major client, to make sure that this part of the strategy is fully met.
The Kent Sustainable Business Partnership (KSBP) -this link will open in a new window - is a strategic partnership programme, that we co-ordinate. It was set up to help businesses improve their environmental performance and save money as well as making the most of opportunities arising from new environmental technologies, products and services - for example, renewable energy and recycled materials.
Good design is another important part of sustainable development. A design code is being developed for the whole of Ashford to help make sure that the town’s growth is sustainable. The code will set out specific rules and guidance for:
The code draws on the experience of developing a design code for the Ashford Barracks site.
Across Kent, the Kent Design Guide -this link will open in a new window - aims to improve sustainable development by improving design.
We know that there is considerable interest in sustainable building. This approach to construction emphasises:
We are also introducing a new framework for the county to oversee extracting and transporting the mineral resources that form the basic raw materials for the construction industry.
