Government Accused of Caving to Building Lobby Over Housing Standards
The UK government has yet to publish its long-awaited Future Homes Standard, which would mandate new homes to be equipped with low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps, high-grade insulation, and solar panels. This delay has sparked accusations that ministers are bowing to pressure from the housebuilding industry, potentially undermining efforts to address climate change and improve housing quality.
Planning Rule Changes Limit Council Authority
Under proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, English local authorities would face restrictions in demanding higher low-carbon standards from builders. The consultation on planning rules would issue guidance effectively limiting councils' scope to require the highest possible environmental standards for new constructions within their jurisdictions.
These modifications would benefit housebuilders by ensuring consistent standards across England, but they would constrain councils, many of which have declared climate emergencies. Critics argue this could prevent ambitious local projects that go beyond national requirements.
Future Homes Standard Concerns
The separate Future Homes Standard rules remain unpublished and delayed. According to documents seen by sources, the government has refused to mandate specific technologies, preferring instead to set performance outcomes. This approach raises fears that builders might avoid installing essential low-carbon equipment like heat pumps and solar panels, or install insufficient numbers of panels.
There are additional concerns that builders could continue connecting new homes to the gas grid under the guise of hydrogen-ready boilers, despite evidence suggesting hydrogen is not viable for home heating. Coupling the Future Homes Standard with the proposed planning policy changes would establish the standard as a ceiling rather than a baseline, prohibiting councils from mandating cleaner technologies that might be omitted.
Expert Criticism and Industry Response
Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank, stated: "New homes in the UK can be notoriously shoddy, and for too long housebuilders have gotten away with it because there have been no significant changes to energy standards in building regulations over the past decade. The Future Homes Standard represents a real opportunity to ensure new homes are better quality and cheaper to live in, but limiting local authorities' ability to set higher standards stunts more ambitious projects."
Ralston added that this approach benefits builders at the expense of households, who could suffer from higher energy bills and poorer living conditions. A coalition of over 60 organizations, including local authorities, businesses, and civil society groups, has written to Housing Secretary Steve Reed, urging changes to the planning policy proposals to allow councils to implement tougher regulations.
Environmental Advocacy and Calls for Action
Magnus Gallie, senior planner at Friends of the Earth and a signatory to the letter, emphasized: "The proposed changes to national planning policy would prevent local authorities from adopting cutting-edge energy efficiency standards that exceed current inadequate building regulations. This means new housing will fail to address rising fuel poverty or deliver truly zero-carbon homes. With the climate crisis already a reality, we need homes fit for the future, not planning policy watered down to appease developers."
Gallie argued that councils must be free to adopt local standards that push developers to build warmer, energy-efficient homes, provided such policies are well-evidenced and financially feasible for builders. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded to these allegations.
This situation highlights ongoing tensions between environmental goals and industry interests, with the government's handling of the Future Homes Standard and planning rules coming under intense scrutiny from experts and advocates alike.
