Angus Council’s net zero local development plan
Supporting a net zero local development plan through an authority-wide carbon balance assessment
We worked with Angus council to deliver a holistic, authority-wide carbon balance assessment for their local development plan.
Our methodology calculated residual operational and embodied emissions across sectors, modelled sequestration capacity from existing and proposed nature-based solutions, and aligned with NPF4 evidence and proposed plan stages.
The completed work provides scenario testing, spatial carbon baselines, and clear carbon balance requirements to support a net zero local development plan and related policy development.
Vision for Montrose using balance process
The Montrose case study
We undertook a Carbon Balance Assessment for Montrose to estimate residual emissions beyond 2045. To establish a baseline, we analysed data on domestic and non-domestic heat demand, emissions inventories, and transport-related operational emissions.
Future emissions were then projected by applying Angus Council’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) Delivery Plan, the Council’s decarbonisation programme for its building estate, national grid decarbonisation projections, and transport decarbonisation targets. The assessment considered both existing buildings and planned future development allocations within the Proposed Local Development Plan, enabling a forecast of residual emissions from 2045 onwards.
In numbers
8.45m
Reduction of car km per annum through sustainable transport solutions
204,369
tCO2e saving from public transport over 60 years
+18.8%
Modal share increase for cycling in Montrose
31,350
tCO2e of embodied carbon saving with low carbon construction practices for new builds
Testimonial
"Working with ABC to help develop and refine Balance for a Local Development Plan has been a worthwhile and beneficial process for the Council. Balance is an invaluable tool to provide an evidence base of total emissions, especially in terms of carbon calculations which we didn't have. The approach will also benefit us in terms of site selection, and also policy development, strategies and design when we move to Proposed Plan, as Balance will provide us with solutions on how to offset our total emissions within the new Local Development Plan and improve our places and design of new development whilst helping us meet Net Zero and our other climate change responsibilities."
Antony McGuinness
Angus Council
- Whole house retrofit
- Paisley Grammar School’s strategic net zero assessment
- Estate management for Renfrewshire Council
- Balance retrofit analysis for a Renfrewshire High School
- Comprehensive carbon assessment for Dalquharran Estate Holiday Lodges
- Whole life carbon assessment for the Hampden regeneration project
- Whole life carbon assessment for the Cook Street development
