3.1 Principles
The Indian National Green Party will support initiatives which ensure that:
a) new urban developments are environmentally sound, respect human scale and facilitate community interaction; and
b) the community is able to participate fully in urban planning and in the assessment of development proposals.
3.2 Goals
The Indian National Green Party will work to:
a) ensure that people unable to provide for their own housing are given assistance to do so by the government;
b) eliminate housing-related poverty by increased provision of public housing;
c) increase tenant participation in decisions about services to be provided;
d) review building codes so that houses are constructed in accordance with energy efficient design criteria and so that building materials are selected for their low environmental impact;
e) regulate the materials used by the building industry so that the environment is protected from both over-exploitation and toxic processes;
f) encourage the development of urban villages in consultation with local communities to allow people to live in ecologically and socially satisfying ways within cities; and
h) ensure that the facilities that promote healthy communities (recreational, cultural and social amenities) receive priority in town planning.
3.3 Short Term Targets
3.3.1 General Planning
The Indian National Green Party propose that:
a) any future urban development be based on environmental and social planning principles by
l ensuring that house blocks are correctly aligned for maximum solar access;
l landscaping for rainwater trapping and waste water recycling;
l maintenance of privacy and noise controls;
l provision of adequate public open space;
l designing integrated cycleway networks across urban areas; and
l lowering residential speed limits.
b) town centres be planned to contain a greater mix of commercial activities with
l introduction of more residential activity; and
l re-humanising of the centres through more public open space and attractive urban design;
c) different types of housing be available to cater for diverse social needs, including
l youth;
l non-family groups;
l the disabled; and
l older people;
d) the community’s reliance on private motor vehicles be reduced through
l improvements in public transport;
l concentration of residential, educational and small-scale commercial development around neighbourhood shopping centres;
l the introduction and expansion of commuter cycling systems; and
l strategic location of carparking spaces.
3.3.2 Urban Development
The public transport system must be energy-efficient, economic and convenient, e.g. light rail integrated with other express and normal bus services to other parts of the cities.
The Indian National Green Party propose:
a) that planning of urban developments focus on the concept of urban villages based on environmental and social principles;
b) that public housing be well integrated with other types of housing;
c) that continued funding of community housing programmes be supported; and
d) that certificates with gradings be issued to owner-builders in remote areas so people can live in “unfinished” houses if they choose to do so.
3.3.3 Building Design
The Indian National Green Party propose:
a) mandatory provisions requiring new buildings to meet minimum standards of energy-efficiency, noise insulation and water conservation;
b) encouragement of local wastewater recycling, composting toilets and rainwater collection systems;
c) adequate car parking requirements for buildings; and
d) a system of solar access rights to facilitate the passive solar design of new residences.

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