• THE proposal by One Housing to demolish a recently built housing estate (Juniper Crescent in Chalk Farm) in order to build a much larger development is both immoral and irresponsible in the face of the climate crisis.

It is now acknowledged, by the United Nations and universally, that in order to limit the rise in global temperatures to a liveable extent we need radically to reduce CO2e emissions by the end of 2030. Currently we are way off meeting this target.

Emissions from the construction of new buildings and infrastructure, known as “embodied carbon emissions”, are a significant driver of climate change.

To get a sense of scale, there are 149 states in the world whose carbon footprint is smaller than that of the United Kingdom’s construction sector (and the emissions caused by the manufacture and transportation of building materials from outside the UK are additional to this).

One Housing appears to be making this proposal because it believes that it can profit from the precedent set by the massive redevelopment of the Morrisons site next door.

At the time the Morrisons scheme was approved – 2018 – its embodied carbon was not even considered; the resulting construction will be very harmful.

Another large quantity of CO2e emissions is one very good reason that proposals such as One Housing’s proposed demolition and redevelopment should not be granted planning permission, quite apart from the impact on residents.

The National Planning Policy Framework requires the development of local policy to tackle the causes of climate change, which should include the reduction of CO2e emissions of construction.

Yet construction continues unabated in Camden, with unsustainable, high-carbon concrete-framed structures springing up all over the borough.

There are other less damaging construction methods, but we are running out of time to make this critical change.

These are difficult emissions to reduce, so Camden Council must add its weight to the effort, to have any chance of a liveable planet for our children and grandchildren.

CLIMATE EMERGENCY CAMDEN