Green Wealden
Wealden District Council is developing a District wide approach to encouraging and promoting:
- Green Enterprise through sustainable business growth
- Sustainable Development
Our Green Wealden objectives include:
- To encourage, promote, assess and reward sustainable Green Enterprise initiatives and development within Wealden
- To promote Sustainable Development throughout the District
Energy South2East
Over the next thirty years our energy systems will need to rapidly evolve to enable us to decarbonise and take advantage of new technologies such as electric vehicles.
Three Local Enterprise Partnerships – Coast To Capital, EnterpriseM3 and South East LEP are working together to create an energy strategy for the South East; an area spanning all the way from Harwich to Winchester, that will set down a clear vision for energy provision in the area, alongside a detailed action plan of priority projects to be taken forward to Government and other sources of funding.
Energy South2East will recognise the fundamental importance of the UK’s energy ‘trilemma’ finding clean, affordable, sustainable energy provision for economic growth.
Green Enterprise
Wealden District Council is working with the local business community to encourage Green Enterprise, assisting potential businesses and other developments to achieve the highest standards of sustainability in bringing forward green ideas for growth; and seeking examples of local initiatives and Green Entrepreneurs to champion and further this approach.
If you consider your business to be a green business or are a business interested in developing a green business plan for growth, please contact the Community & Regeneration Team using the contact details at the bottom of the page.
Sustainable Development
The Council is keen to support sustainable development and economic growth across Wealden in line with the UK Sustainable Development Strategy: Securing the Future – which highlights five guiding principles of sustainable development including:
- living within the planet’s environmental limits
- ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
- achieving a sustainable economy
- promoting good governance
- using sound science responsibly
The Wealden Sustainability Appraisal Framework is formed around the application of 22 sustainability objectives (economic, social and environmental) that have been used to date, to inform and assess Policy making through the Local Plan process, starting with our Core Strategy. This Framework also informs the planning application process to ensure balanced development;
“Planning is a balancing act, which requires consideration of the preservation, use and development of land for this and future generations, within the context of agreed social, environmental and economic needs. Inevitably, there is often disagreement among competing interests on the best use of the same land, and the planning system must resolve such conflicts. Hard decisions have to be made and the National Planning Policy Framework has to provide the framework to get the balance right.”
Source: Communities and Local Government Committee – Eighth Report, The National Planning Policy Framework, 15 December 2011.
Sustainable Business Network
The Sustainable Business Network links like-minded businesses to share ideas and best practice. It is free to join and includes numerous benefits including:
- A place in the online Network Directory, including a link to your website
- Free access to the Environmental Helpline
- Monthly Network updates with news, case studies and opportunities
- Invitations to training courses and networking events
The Green Growth Platform
The Green Growth Platform supports environmental businesses and businesses wishing to reduce their environmental impact in Sussex via a series of services. These include 1-2-1 support, business events, support to develop new products and services, access to academic expertise, funding, student placements, internships and projects.
The Carbon Trust Green Business Fund
The Carbon Trust Green Business fund is a brand new energy efficiency support service for small and medium-sized companies in England, Wales & Scotland. It provides direct funded support through energy assessments, training workshops, equipment procurement support and up to £10,000 capital contribution per company towards energy saving equipment purchase.