Greener Homes for the Future? An Environmental Analysis of the Government's House-building Plans

HC 566, Twelfth Report of Session 2007-08 - Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

Author:

House of Commons - Environmental Audit Committee

Publisher:

TSO (The Stationery Office)

This report from the Environment Audit Committee examines three overarching issues: the impact of the growth of house-building targets; what sort of homes should be built; and where these homes should be built.

The Committee has set out a number of conclusions and recommendations, including:

• The Committee on Climate Change should assess the impact of the Government's new house-building targets for three million new homes by 2020 on the UK's 2020 carbon reduction target.

• In light of the latest economic projections, fundamental changes in the mortgage market, and falling house prices, the Government should review the assumptions on which its target is based.

• And the target for 2 million new homes to be built before the zero carbon target comes into effect in 2016, with a further 1 million to be built afterwards, should change to increase significantly the proportion built afterwards.

• Zero carbon homes must source their heat and power from renewable sources. Ideally these will come from on-site renewable power generation; where this is impractical, off-site renewables should be built or funded.

• The Government should ensure that an excess of land is not made available to developers, something that is already leading to greenfield sites being developed in preference to brownfield sites.

• The Government should urgently reintroduce a clear sequential test in favour of brownfield development into planning policy.

• Greater emphasis ought to be placed on energy efficiency and sustainability within the building control regime that inspects new housing.

• The Government should consider introducing higher penalties for developers who fail to meet energy efficiency standards.

• The same environmental tests used for eco-towns should be applied to all major housing developments from 2016.

• The Government should re-examine eco-town proposals, to ensure they have good public transport links, and are located close to commercial centres and employment opportunities.

Extent	255 pages	ISBN	9780215524317
Size	A4	Price	£23.00
Binding	Paperback	Published	03 Nov 2008
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges

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