Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of designating areas with high conservation status, such as Bath, as priority areas for early zoning.

The Department invites strategic and local authorities in England to help identify the next tranche of zones for our future pipeline. Each potential zone will be assessed against quantitative (scale, quality and affordability), and qualitative metrics (readiness, viability, feasibility). Relevant local and strategic authorities—including those covering high conservation areas such as Bath—are welcome to contribute evidence to this review. We are already engaging with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority as part of our Advanced Zoning Programme.

(More information about this on the HNDU webpage: www.gov.uk/guidance/heat-networks-delivery-unit).