SusPurPol

The SusPurPol (Sustainable Purchasing and Planning Policy Blueprint) Project was a cross-European region initiative funded under the GROW Programme of the European Union. There were three primary partners:

• the Partnership of Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) led by the Environment Centre (tEC);
• Kracow University of Technology (Kracow);
• The Andalusian Institute of Technology (Seville).

In addition, non formal partners included Solent Centre for Architecture + Design and the Environment Agency.

Project partners devised and tested a set of common standards for purchasing and planning policies in relation to sustainable built developments. In addition, the project and its results are of interest and benefit for all European regions looking at facilitating the use of sustainable construction techniques in their built developments.

The video clip below is taken from BBC South News in 2006.

Project Goals and Objectives

The project aimed to create a ‘Blue Print’ of sustainable planning and purchasing policies and strategies to be initially implemented in South Hampshire and then promoted, discriminated and implemented across the European partners’ regions. Project actions included:

• Understanding the barriers
• Finding solutions
• Joint cross-district commitment
• Create a ‘Blue Print’ for sustainability
• Promoting the ‘Blue Print’ for the benefit of other proposed developments

Results and Outcomes

The policy initiative of the UK partners has been adopted into the South East Regional Assembly's draft 20 year South East Plan for development as SH14.

South Hampshire Policy number 14, found in Section E of the South East Plan, focuses on environmental and sustainable development with statements concerning, among others, the requirement for sustainable construction, and the generation of renewable energy.