When a council asks for a sustainability statement, it wants evidence that your scheme meets a growing set of environmental requirements — biodiversity, water, energy and materials. Choosing the right consultant means these are covered accurately and consistently. This guide explains what a good sustainability statement consultant in the UK should offer, the questions to ask, and how to choose in 2026.
What does a sustainability consultant do?
A sustainability consultant pulls together the environmental strands of a planning application into one coherent document: energy and carbon, water efficiency, biodiversity net gain (BNG), urban greening, materials and, where required, BREEAM. If you are new to it, start with what is a sustainability statement.
What to look for in a top sustainability consultant
- Full coverage of the requirements. A good statement addresses the mandatory 10% biodiversity net gain under the Environment Act 2021, water efficiency to the 110 litres per person per day standard, energy, and materials — not just one of these.
- Local policy knowledge. Requirements vary by authority. For London schemes the consultant should handle the Urban Greening Factor (London Plan Policy G5) and, for referable schemes, circular economy and whole life-cycle carbon — see Circular Economy Statements under SI 7.
- BREEAM capability where needed. If your council requires a BREEAM rating, the consultant should know what that involves — see BREEAM in planning.
- Joined-up documents. The sustainability statement must not contradict your energy statement, BNG assessment or drainage strategy. A good consultant makes them tell one story.
- Deliverable commitments. Targets should be realistic and evidenced, because many become planning conditions you must meet later.
- Clear reporting and turnaround. Ask how quickly you will receive the statement and whether it is written clearly for the case officer.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Does the statement cover BNG, water efficiency, energy, greening and materials?
- Will it address my authority’s specific policies — and the Urban Greening Factor if my site is in London?
- Can you handle BREEAM if my council requires it?
- Will it be consistent with my energy and drainage documents?
- What is the turnaround, and what is included?
Matching the consultant to the scheme
For householder applications and small residential schemes, a proportionate statement covering the core requirements is usually enough. Major schemes — larger residential, commercial or referable London developments requiring BREEAM Excellent, circular economy statements and detailed BNG plans — call for a specialist team. Scoping this correctly avoids paying for assessments your application does not need.
Where sustainability statements go wrong
The commonest failing is a statement that covers one requirement well and the rest thinly — strong on energy, say, but vague on biodiversity net gain or water efficiency. Another is inconsistency: a sustainability statement that contradicts the energy statement, BNG plan or drainage strategy submitted alongside it, which undermines the whole application. Watch for generic, copy-paste documents that ignore your authority’s specific policies, or that miss London requirements such as the Urban Greening Factor and, on referable schemes, circular economy and whole life-cycle carbon. Finally, be wary of ambitious targets with no evidence behind them; because many commitments become planning conditions, an undeliverable promise stores up trouble. A good statement is comprehensive, internally consistent and realistic — ask to see how each requirement will actually be evidenced.
How Fortress Associates can help
Fortress Associates produces automated sustainability statements for planning applications across every UK local authority. The report is free and ready in minutes, covering energy, water efficiency (the 110 l/p/d Part G calculator), 10% biodiversity net gain, urban greening and BREEAM where required. For London schemes it addresses the Urban Greening Factor under London Plan Policy G5. Explore our services or get in touch. See also our guide to delivering 10% BNG on a small site.
Sources & further reading
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