Delivering Renewable Energy Development in Camden and Tower Hamlets in London.
- Admin
- Jul 13, 2025
- 10 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Introduction
En-Plan have ben working with Ameresco who are partbnewring both Camden Council and Tower Hamlets Council in delivering de-carbonidation projects within their property estate. The following artcicle willd detail both Councils approach to the challeneges faced and how Enn-plan has delievered the schemes by utilising our Planning Consutancy and Architectural Services.
Camden Council Projects
Camden Council is actively pursuing a comprehensive decarbonisation strategy aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030. This initiative encompasses a wide range of projects targeting council-owned buildings, housing, community spaces, and energy infrastructure.
Key Decarbonisation Initiatives
1. Carbon Management Plan
Central to Camden's efforts is its Carbon Management Plan, which outlines specific projects to reduce emissions from the council's estate and operations. Notable achievements include:
Talacre Community Sports Centre: In June 2023, a solar array was installed in collaboration with Power Up North London, enhancing renewable energy generation and saving an estimated 12 tonnes of CO₂e annually
Acland Burghley School and Eleanor Palmer Primary School: Upgrades such as heat pumps, LED lighting, draught proofing, and energy management systems were completed in January 2024, collectively reducing emissions by approximately 45 tonnes of CO₂e per year as part of the Camden Council Carbon Reduction Programme.
As a result of these and other initiatives, Camden's carbon emissions have decreased by 65% compared to 2009/10 levels, reaching 11,873 tonnes of CO₂e in 2023/24.
2. Decarbonising Public Libraries
Camden has undertaken decarbonisation projects in several public librariesand an example of on eof these projects is the work carried out at West Hampstead Library. The library was reopened recently as the third library to undergo decarbonisation since 2021, following similar projects at Swiss Cottage Library and Highgate Library.
West Hampstead Library is a historic public library located in the West Hampstead area of North London. Opened in 1901, it was funded by Andrew Carnegie, the famous philanthropist who supported the creation of public libraries worldwide. Over the years, it has remained a popular local institution, adapting to the digital age while maintaining its historical charm. The library is an essential part of the Camden Council library network, providing access to local history archives and digital resources.
The decarbonisation measures which were air source heat pumps and new double glazing whihch were approved under planning application Number 2024/2874/P
Decarninisation of the Waterklow Park Centre
Application Number 2024/2350/P Site Address Waterlow Park Centre Dartmouth Park Hill London N19 5JF was an application for two new air source heat pumps at Waterlow Park Centre.
Waterlow Park is a 26-acre park in the south east of Highgate Village, in north London. It
was given to the public by Sir Sydney Waterlow, as "a garden for the gardenless" in
1889. It lies within the Highgate Conservation Area, and provides a mature and varied
green landscape.
The Park is much enjoyed by people who live and work nearby, particularly families with
young children. It is visited by many people who also come to Lauderdale House, which
is within its grounds, and the neighbouring Highgate East and West Cemeteries.
Lauderdale House is an Grade II* listed building which dates back to 1582; it runs
primarily as an arts and education centre welcoming over 65,000 visitors annually.
Waterlow Park Centre, located west of Dartmouth Park Lodge gate, is occupied by the
arts organisation Lux. Nearby is St Joseph’s Roman Catholic church.
Ultimately, the specified programme of works specified in the design and access statement will benefit the de-carbonisation of the centre and with the design strategy that mitigates any negative impact the proposal will have a neutral impact on the character and setting of the Conservation Area.
With the above points in the mind Planning Consent will allow for the sympathetic and
sustainable siting of two air source heat pump units on site without any negative impact
upon the heritage asset that is Waterlow Day Centre.
3. Retrofitting Council Homes
To combat fuel poverty and reduce emissions, Camden is retrofitting its housing stock:
Scope: Nearly all of the 33,000 council properties are slated for energy efficiency improvements, starting with the least efficient homes.
Measures: Upgrades include enhanced insulation, efficient heating systems, and improved windows and doors, aiming to make homes warmer and more sustainable.
4. Decentralised Energy Networks
Camden is investing in local energy networks to supply low-carbon heat and power:
Somers Town: A Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit supplies over 600 homes, a school, and community facilities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 300 tonnes of CO₂e annually.
Gospel Oak: Utilises waste heat from the Royal Free Hospital's CHP to provide about 50% of the heating needs for 1,449 homes across six estates, saving around 2,800 tonnes of CO₂ each year.
Tower Hamlets Projects
Tower Hamlets Council has implemented a comprehensive decarbonisation programme aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions for council operations by 2025 and for the entire borough by 2045. This initiative encompasses various strategies and projects to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability.
Key Initiatives and Programmes
1. Net Zero Carbon Action Plan
Following the declaration of a climate emergency in March 2019, Tower Hamlets Council developed the Net Zero Carbon Action Plan. This plan outlines the council's commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
Implementing sustainable practices in council buildings, including the installation of air source heat pumps in four buildings as part of their response to the climate emergency.
Adopting Local Plan policies that require new developments to achieve net zero carbon status.
Launching the Sustainable Workplace programme to encourage eco-friendly behaviours among council employees.
Installing solar panels on ten council buildings.
Setting up a Net Zero Building Action Group to coordinate decarbonisation efforts across council departments of the Council.
This programme provides financial support to community groups, charities, and Community Interest Companies in Tower Hamlets for projects that reduce carbon emissions. Funding is available for:
Replacing gas boilers with electric heating systems or installing renewable energy technologies, with grants up to £20,000.
Energy retrofit projects, such as lighting upgrades and equipment replacements, with grants up to £10,000.
Educational and behavioural change projects aimed at promoting energy and carbon reduction, with grants up to £5,000.
In the first round, approximately £200,000 was awarded to 11 organisations. The second round, launched in July 2023, allocated £460,000 to 16 organisations for various carbon reduction initiatives organised by Community Energy London.
Community Engagement and Education
The council has also focused on engaging residents and promoting sustainable practices through initiatives like the Tower Hamlets Textile Reuse and Recycling Map. This project aims to reduce textile waste by mapping existing and emerging textile waste initiatives within the borough by Yodomo.
Example Project St Georges Town Hall
St Georges Town Hall, 236 Cable Street, London, E1 0BL
Ref. No: PA/25/00121/NC | Validated: Tue 25 Feb 2025 | Status: Approved
The proposed development is for PV panels to the roof of St George’s Town Hall.
The panels would be on the rear roof slope and on the flat roof extensions and therefore
would not be readily visible when viewed from Cable Street. The panels would not
adversely impact on the streetscene, or views of listed building or conservation area.
There would be less than substantial harm caused to the fabric of the listed building,
however this is outweighed by the public benefit of the proposals. The Council susequently granted listed building consent.
Example Project: Jack Dash House: Application ation to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed: Installation of Solar PV Jack Dash House, 2 Lawn House Close, London, E14 9YQ
En-Plan applied for Prior approval under GPDO, Schedule 2, Part 14, Class J for installation of Solar PV Array on the rooftop. Tower Hamlets agreed thta the proposal complied with the provisions of the general permitted development order and the schem was subsequenty granted approval.
Further Projects in London.
As a footnote to th above En-Plan have been assisting The London Borough of Brent’s decarbonisation programme as part of the council’s wider Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy, which commits to reducing carbon emissions from council operations and the wider borough in line with London-wide and national net zero goals. Brent has significantly cut its own carbon footprint in recent years through energy efficiency measures, heat decarbonisation projects and strategic planning policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings — a major source of local emissions.
In this context, planning applications for air source heat pumps at two key council sites — Willesden Green Library and Willesden New Cemetery office — will contribute meaningfully to Brent’s ambitions. The council was awarded grant funding of about £667,628 under Phase 4 of the UK Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) to replace existing gas-fired heating systems at these facilities with air source heat pumps and to improve energy management and insulation.
Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are a low-carbon technology that extracts heat from the outside air and uses electricity — ideally from renewable sources — to provide space and water heating. By replacing fossil-fuel heating systems, ASHPs significantly reduce onsite carbon emissions and operational energy demand, especially in buildings with high heating needs. Installing them at Willesden Green Library and Willesden New Cemetery office also supports improved building performance through enhanced building energy management systems and insulation upgrades, lowering energy waste.
These installations help Brent Council decarbonise its estate, lower ongoing energy costs and demonstrate practical implementation of climate objectives in everyday civic infrastructure.
Additional Renewabe Energy Projects
At En-Plan we havent just been asisting Councils with renewable energy but have also been working on doemstic and commercial projects in this field, as we can se by the following two case studies.
Case Study: 25/00948/FUL | Installation of solar PV array | Shortwood House And Stables Brockhill Lane Tardebigge Worcestershire B97 6RB
The proposal relates to the provision of a solar PV arrays. There would be six panels in each
linear array and there would be a total of six arrays (36 panels in total). Each panel would
measure 1.79sqm. The installation would be located on an existing gravelled area to the
north of Shortwood House, located off a long laneway leading from Brockhill Lane.
Principle
The site is located in the Green Belt and policy BDP4 of the Bromsgrove District Plan and
paragraph 154 of the Framework set out the types of development which are appropriate in
the Green Belt. Case law has established that the list of exceptions for 'appropriate
development' amount to a closed list and proposals not included on the list are regarded as
'prima facia' inappropriate development. Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful
to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.
Schedule 2, Part 14, Class B of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted
Development) (England) Order 2015 permits the installation, alteration or replacement of
stand-alone solar for microgeneration within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse or a block of
flats. There are a number of limitations within the class including limitation to one installation,
a maximum height of 4m, limits within 5m of the boundary of the curtilage or within a listed
building or the site of a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The surface area of the solar panels
forming part of the stand-alone solar cannot exceed 9 square metres or any dimension of its
array (including any housing) cannot exceed 3 metres.
There was considered to be a fallback for the installation of stand alone solar under Schedule 2, Part 14, Class B of the GDPO, but for a much smaller scale of solar installation, which led the Council to conclude the installation would not harm the character and openness of the Green Belt and as such approval was granted.
Case Study: 23/03067/FUL | Installation of groundmounted solar array. | Land Adj To Cobham Hall Fleet Air Arm Museum Rnas Yeovilton Road Yeovilton Somerset BA22 8HW.
The application site is a section of land to the north of Cobham Hall which is located
very near to RNAS Yeovilton and the Fleet Air Arm Museum. The site does not fall within an Area of Special Designation but due to the proximity to the military aerodrome the site would be deemed sensitive to certain types of development. This application seeks consent for the erection of a ground mounted solar array, consisting of 7 south-oriented rows of panels of varying lengths of between approximately 22.5m and 37m.
The proposed panels will be situated on a section of grassland to the north of Cobham Hall. Overall, it was considered that the development relates suitably to the host building, will blend appropriately with the established character of the site and shall not have a detrimental impact on the surrounding area. As such, the application is deemed to be acceptable to Policy EQ2 of South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) with regards to Visual Amenity.
Local Planning Authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that the impact of development on wildlife is fully considered during the determination of a planning application under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (Habitats Regulations 2017). Policy EQ4 of the Local Plan also require proposals to pay
consideration to the impact of development on wildlife and to provide mitigation measures where appropriate.
A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal was carried out and the results of the survey were included with the submission. Somerset Ecology Services were consulted on the findings of the ecology survey however no responses were received. A condition will require that the measures and recommendations set out in the report are followed when
the works are implemented. With the use of such a condition it is considered that the application will be in accordance with Policy EQ4 of the Local Plan.
The MOD Safeguarding team was consulted as part of the application. No objection has been made by the MOD however a condition has been requested to ensure that no tree species which would attract flocking birds are planted.
The proposal, by reason of its size, siting, materials and design, has no adverse impact on the character of the site and surroundings and causes no demonstrable harm to visual and residential amenity, biodiversity or highway safety and shall provide opportunities for microgeneration, in accordance with Policies SD1, SS1, EQ1, EQ2, EQ4, TA5 & TA6 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-28) and the provisions of the National Planning
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