Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) 2024 -2028
What prompted the strategy?
The Scottish Parliament passed the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (Scotland) Order in May 2022.
The LHEES Order places a duty on local authorities to prepare, publish and update a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan.
Purpose of the strategy
The LHEES is a long-term strategic framework for the improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings in South Lanarkshire, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the heating of buildings.
It sets out how each segment of the building stock needs to change to reach net zero, identifies strategic heat decarbonisation zones, and sets out the principal measures for reducing building emissions within each zone.
The LHEES will prioritise areas for the delivery of heat decarbonisation actions.
It covers all building sectors – domestic, non-domestic and public buildings and sets a strategic framework for decarbonising the heat in these buildings over a 20-year timeframe.
Period covered by the strategy
An updated Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan is to be published at intervals of no more than 5 years after the date of publication of the previous Strategy and Delivery Plan.
Screening Report and Determination
We consider that there should be no new significant environmental effects that have not already been identified and dealt with in either the national Heat in Buildings Strategy or the council-led plans, for example, the Local Housing Strategy, Council Plan, Community Plan, Local Development Plan 2, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy. Any new effects should be minor and positive in nature. Where identified, appropriate enhancement or mitigation measures will be considered within the LHEES.
There is a spatial element to the LHEES and accompanying Delivery Plan in terms of heat networks and zones. However, these heat networks/zones are still at an early investigative and feasibility stage and no recommendations for particular options will be taken during the development of the first iteration of the LHEES. Following internal discussion, it has been agreed that any heat networks/zones that are progressed beyond the early stages of consideration will be subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as part of the assessment of other development sites within the forthcoming Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3). Should timeframes not align between the LHEES and LDP3, we are committed to carrying out further SEA work on any proposed heat networks/zones under a further separate SEA.
In light of this, we seek the views of the Consultation Authorities on the requirement for SEA on the first iteration of the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. If SEA is considered necessary, we would appreciate views as to the extent of future assessment.
Read the full Screening Report and Determination.
South Lanarkshire Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy
South Lanarkshire’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) is a long-term strategic framework for decarbonising heat in buildings and improving energy efficiency across South Lanarkshire, with the associated delivery plan setting out how the strategy will be implemented over the next five years. To support the delivery of the South Lanarkshire LHEES, three priorities have been identified which cover domestic and non-domestic properties:
Priority 1: Reduce heat demand using a fabric first approach to improve the condition and energy efficiency of housing across all tenures to ensure that poor energy performance is removed as a driver of fuel poverty.
Priority 2: Transition to zero direct emissions heating systems in buildings across South Lanarkshire to tackle climate change.
Priority 3: Make greater use of heat networks as part of the wider just transition to net zero.
The strategy also identifies a number of challenges which need to be overcome in order to decarbonise South Lanarkshire’s buildings. Whilst recognising that they can’t all be addressed in the first iteration of the LHEES, these challenges include:
- Market disincentives, such as the current unit price differential between gas and electricity.
- Consumer uncertainty about new technologies.
- Challenging property types, such as those that require significant fabric upgrades.
- An underdeveloped supply chain for energy efficiency and heating upgrades.