Local Development Order - District Heating Network

Overview

Tell us what you think about our Local Development Order (LDO) for an extension to the District Heating Network (DHN). 

This consultation was approved at Cabinet on December 6 2022 and will run from December 15 2022 to February 9 2023.

Local Development Orders (LDO) grant permission for a specified type of development, which means no planning application is needed. We have the right to apply conditions on the LDO to ensure that the development is acceptable in planning terms.

The proposed LDO will give permitted development rights for the construction of an extension to the District Heating Network (DHN) into the Old Kent Road and Peckham areas defined on the LDO map.

The District Heating Network will consist of an underground network of insulated pipes to carry steam for heating and hot water from the South East London Combined Heat and Power (SELCHP) facility to properties in Southwark.The pipes will mainly be laid underneath the public highway. The only potential structures to be permitted would be small cabinets which sit adjacent to plant rooms, and which take the pipes through the wall to connect to existing boilers. 

This will be an extension of the existing network which currently provides heating and hot water for 2,500 properties in the Bermondsey area. More information on the existing DHN can be found here.

The adoption of the LDO which will facilitate the extension of the DHN is a key part of Southwark’s Climate Change Strategy. Buildings account for over 75% of the carbon emissions generated in Southwark. The extension will connect 3000 additional properties to a low-carbon, renewable energy source.

The LDO will enable the council to manage the impacts of construction and ensure that there are no unacceptable outcomes through the use of planning conditions. These will ensure that heritage, archaeology, trees, and ecology are protected. It also means that impacts on neighbouring amenity from the construction will be minimised through the implementation of Construction Environmental Management Plan.

The draft LDO and supporting documents can be viewed below.

• Draft Local Development Order and Statement of Reasons
• Map
• Cabinet report
• Phasing plan
• Equalities Assessment