Now you can live in the office!
The government recently confirmed that permitted development rights for the change of use of B1(a) office to C3 residential will come into force in Spring 2013.  The new rights will be available for a 3 year period; the government will then review the effects of the rights and whether they should be made available for an indefinite timeframe.  The government has also confirmed its intention to allow the conversion of agricultural buildings to a range of non-residential uses and to increase the threshold for change of use from B1 business/office to B8 warehouse classes and from B2 general industry to B1 office and B8 warehouse uses.For further information, please contact Dave Pitt (davepitt@davidjarvis.biz) 01793 612173.

Trinidad & Tobago – Strategic Environmental Assessment

Together with GWP Consultants LLP, DJA has been appointed to undertake an SEA to establish Mining Zones in these Caribbean islands.
The project is at the data collection stage with an imminent LiDAR survey by helicopters.
For more information on national SEAs, please email davidjarvis@davidjarvis.biz

Olympic Legacy

David Jarvis Associates Ltd are completing the supervision of the reinstatement works to the Eton Dorney rowing lake following the London Olympic Games 2012 in advance of the Rowing World Cup 2013.

We have provided advice to both LOCOG and Eton College.  We have managed the works on site, which are due for completion in Spring 2013.

Wind farm granted on appeal

The Planning Inspectorate recently granted permission to npower renewables Limited for a wind farm and anemometer at Batsworthy Cross in North Devon.  The wind farm consists of nine turbines of 103m in height.  David Jarvis Associates prepared the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, which was included in Environmental Statement, by assessing an area of 1,250km2 and identifying over 100 viewpoints.  DJA also produced 29 photo-real photomontages, many of which were in high definition for large scale presentation at public exhibitions.

Costs of renewable energy dropping

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has carried out studies that demonstrate that the costs associated with generating power from solar, wind, hydro and biomass sources are falling significantly, dispelling the ‘myths’ perpetrated by industry lobby groups that renewable energy is too expensive.

More details are available at www.irena.org

More choice for your green roof

Researchers at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Chiba School of Horticulture and the University of Sheffield have demonstrated that the widespread use of low growing succulent plants such as stonecrop (sedum) isn’t always the best choice of plant cover for green roofs.

In certain situations grasses and herbaceous flowering plants are more effective at reducing storm water run-off. They can also reflect local ecosystems and provide an alternative/better appearance.

Blowing in the wind

Wind turbines can produce different amounts of power due to different ‘shapes’ in the wind. This has a critical effect when assessing how much power a turbine generates over certain time scales.

The power output difference between steady and turbulent conditions can be as high as 15 percent. Few studies to date have analyzed power output from modern turbines with hub heights of more than 60 metres.

Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of Colorado and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have identified the benefits of observing complete profiles of wind speed and turbulence using remote sensing like SODAR or LIDAR.

Smart City Concept

What is a smart city? The concept refers to urban designs that seek to make the most of renewable energy sources by using a next-generation power supply control technology called a ‘smart grid’. Smart cities are considered to be a crucial part of the Japanese government’s energy-saving policy in the wake of the March tsunami.

The market for smart city projects worldwide is anticipated to reach over 1 trillion pounds in 2015. Major electronics companies such as Toshiba, General Electric and Hitachi are gearing up for the expansion of the market and Toshiba plans to participate in 20 smart city projects including a demonstration model in Lyon, France. 

Hedgerows and Wildlife

Changes in wildlife management could improve winter habitats and food supplies for wildlife according to research carried out by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

The study, published in Biological Conservation compared the effects of alternative hedgerow management techniques over five years. It has found that cutting every three years rather than annually produced more than double the amount of flowers and approximately tripled the mass of berries.