Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to require developers of new housing developments to incorporate passive cooling measures, including external shading, increased tree cover and enhanced natural ventilation, into the design of new homes.

Part O of the Building Regulations came into force in June 2022 and requires new residential buildings to be built to mitigate the risk of overheating. Part O encourages passive design measures, such as limiting solar gain and enabling heat to be removed by natural ventilation, before relying on mechanical systems. The government also recently consulted on proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, including proposing to set out clearly that the design of developments should minimise risks from climate change, including overheating, as well as promoting street trees to help provide external shade. We will publish our response to that consultation in due course.

The government is committed to delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament. Increasing housing delivery and improving the safety and quality of new homes are not mutually exclusive. With good planning and smart design, we can build the high-quality homes we need while making sure they are prepared for a changing climate.

The government keeps the Building Regulations under review. The Building Safety Regulator is currently undertaking a technical review of Part O to consider whether changes are necessary to ensure it is effective and proportionate.