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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Department is taking to support sustainable house-building.

The Department is committed to increasing the sustainability of new homes.

On 1 October the government launched a consultation on stronger building regulations that will pave the way for the Future Homes Standard. These 2020 changes aim to cut carbon emissions in new homes by almost a third, while keeping household bills low.

We propose that new homes built to the Future Homes Standard from 2025 should have 75-80 per cent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than ones built to current building regulations standards. Developers will be expected to use new technologies such as air source heat pumps and the latest generation of solar panels.

A further consultation will follow, in the coming months, proposing changes to the energy efficiency standards for non-domestic buildings and existing homes; and on preventing overheating in new buildings.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, re-issued February 2019, expects local planning authorities to plan for climate change. Local authorities should take account of how new developments will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as through its location, orientation and design. Local authorities should also adopt proactive strategies to adapt to climate change. Planning practice guidance provides advice for local authorities and applicants on implementing these policies.

The National Planning Policy Framework also supports sustainability more broadly and will help deliver the 25 Year Environment Plan, and the Clean Air Strategy. For example, the Framework retains strong and appropriate protections for the natural environment and expects local authorities to require developers to include green infrastructure in housing and commercial developments. The 25 Year Environment Plan commands strong public support and helps ensure new housing is built sustainably.