When does the council ask for one?
Requirements differ between authorities. Epping Forest's published February 2026 validation list requests sustainability information for householder, minor and major applications and allows the statement to sit within the Design & Access Statement. That is a specific local submission requirement, not a single national form used across England. [1]
The NPPF published on 17 August 2026 subsequently introduced policy DM2, which calls for relevant, proportionate information and says additional local information requirements should not be imposed as blanket requirements on all applications. Read the published council list alongside that policy. For a small proposal, establish what level of evidence the council actually needs rather than assuming a large consultant report is necessary. [2]
What should the statement cover?
Use the applicable checklist and policies to define the scope. Depending on the proposal, the evidence may address energy, water and drainage, materials and waste, landscape and biodiversity, and how people will use and reach the development. A particular scheme may need detailed assessments for some subjects and short explanations for others. [1] [3]
A useful format is to identify each requirement, state the proposed response, and point to the drawing or report that demonstrates it. Where an item is genuinely irrelevant, explain why. Avoid saying simply “complies” where the supporting design has not yet been established.
Who prepares it?
The project designer or a sustainability consultant can coordinate the document, with technical input from the relevant specialists. Assign a named author for the overall statement and ask each specialist to confirm the summary of their work. The purpose is a coherent account of one proposal, not a collection of inconsistent promises.
For example, a drainage strategy should identify the features and maintenance arrangements supporting its conclusions, while the energy evidence should identify its technical assumptions. The sustainability statement should cross-reference those documents rather than invent a second, different solution. [4] [5]
Is it the same as BREEAM or an energy statement?
No. Westminster's validation list identifies energy, BREEAM and other environmental assessments as distinct requirements where relevant. A combined submission can avoid duplication, but it must still provide each required assessment in a form the council can evaluate. [3]
Confirm whether a checklist alone is sufficient, whether a narrative statement is also required, and whether supporting calculations or separate specialist reports must be submitted. Record those decisions in the appointment brief before work begins.
Keep commitments tied to the drawings
Before submission, check that the statement describes the latest plans and identifies which measures need to remain in the technical design. Mark unresolved items clearly rather than presenting aspirations as completed assessments.
For Epping Forest applications, confirm how the council is applying its earlier published list alongside August 2026 policy DM2. Do not omit a requested document without resolving the submission requirement, but do not describe the earlier blanket wording as a new national legal obligation. [1] [2]