Planning and sustainability consultants Third Revolution have been engaged by Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) to create a climate change strategy for a proposed new settlement between Harrogate and York, with a view to supporting the delivery of net zero by 2038 in the borough.

The development takes place against the backdrop of major social, environmental, technological and economic change. Playing out over several decades, major global and local trends will be critical factors in its success. Understanding these is an essential part of creating a sustainable, future-proofed, commercially successful place that also delivers the homes, jobs and infrastructure needed in the Harrogate area. Development that does not do this, risks becoming obsolete before it’s even completed.

Therefore, we are engaged in future planning in which we're designing a place in 2022 that meets the needs of residents in 2032 and beyond. To achieve this, we must think exponentially about technology, not linearly, and in societal leaps. The Climate Change Strategy will help guide this process by placing ourselves in the shoes of those future residents and asking what their priorities will be. Only then can we work back to how it can be achieved in today's constraints.

The outputs will provide an evidence base for policy in the emerging Development Plan Document and will also inform discussions with the site promoter, with the aim of delivering the highest possible standard of development.

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