Gas boilers to be banned from new builds by 2025

Gas boilers to be banned from new builds by 2025

8:33 AM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago 12

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Unveiled by the Housing Secretary, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, the Future Homes Standard will see polluting fossil fuel heating systems such as gas boilers banned from new homes by 2025 and replaced with the latest generation of clean technology such as air source heat pumps and cutting-edge solar panels.

Ministers will also consult on a new blueprint to overhaul the planning system in order to create a simpler, fairer system that works for everyone from home owners to small and medium businesses, local communities to housing developers.

The government has also announced plans for a new national design code that will ensure developers build beautiful, well designed homes that people are proud to live in.

In the coming months, every single local authority across the country will be expected to produce their own design guide which reflects their unique setting, character and history, while meeting the expected national standard.

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: “Building new homes isn’t just about bricks and mortar, I want to ensure everyone – including developers – do their bit to protect the environment and give the next generation beautiful, environmentally friendly homes that local communities can support.

“That’s why I am requiring carbon emissions are cut by up to 80% from 2025 for all new homes and have published a National Design Guide, setting out simply what we expect from new development.

“We are also reforming the planning system making it faster and more efficient for everyone, from households to large developers, alongside giving families greater freedom to extend their homes to meet their changing needs.”

Future Homes Standard

The government has launched a consultation on stronger building regulations that will pave the way for the Future Homes Standard.

The 2020 changes aim to improve the environment by cutting carbon emissions in new homes by almost a third, while keeping bills low.

Using new technologies such as air source heat pumps and the latest generation of solar panels, developers will need to ensure they are doing their bit to tackle the threat of climate change.

Views are being sought on how changes to building regulations can drive down the carbon footprint of homes built after 2025 – including changes to the ventilation and efficiency requirements as well as the role of councils in getting the best energy standards from developers. The consultation will run until January 2020.

Homeowners could potentially save on their energy bills as developments in the fabric of buildings, such as wall insulation and heating, help drive down the cost of keeping homes warm.

Accelerated planning green paper

The government has also confirmed proposals to speed up the planning system, including the potential for more fees to be refunded if councils take too long to decide on specific planning applications.

The move will benefit all planning applicants, from housing developers to individual householders seeking to extend or modify their own home or buy medicine at a discount, as it ensures councils work at pace to decide proposals.

Local residents will no longer have to contend with a complicated and outdated planning system, but a more user-friendly approach designed to simply the process. Small developers will similarly benefit from the simplification of guidance, with the introduction of a new tiered planning system.

Application fees will also be reviewed to ensure council planning departments are properly resourced, providing more qualified planners to process applications for new homes and other proposals.

The accelerated planning green paper will be published in November 2019. Government has also set out its ambition to reduce planning conditions by a third, and will take forward proposals to allow homes to be built above existing properties as well as seeking views on demolishing old commercial buildings for new housing, revitalising high streets in the process.

Design quality

The first-ever government-backed National Model Design Code will be published in the New Year, and will set out a clear model for promoting a better design and style of homes across the country, shaped by what local people want.

The government has been clear that new builds must fit into existing communities, which means they are more likely to be welcomed by residents and provide places people will love to call home.

A new National Design Guide has also been published today, setting out a blueprint for how local authorities can achieve quality and great design, and recommends what developers need to deliver to help win the support of communities – ensuring new homes are built quicker and better.

The document also asks councils to prepare and implement their own design codes, in line with the national standard, which can reflect their unique setting and character.

Pocket parks

Reflecting on the benefits that parks and green spaces bring to local life, the government has confirmed further new funding for another round of the pocket parks programme, helping communities transform unloved, neglected or derelict urban areas into new green spaces.

Reimagined spaces will be used for everything from children’s play areas, to vegetable patches and community events, benefiting the mental and physical health of people who use them.

Funded projects will be led by community groups, in partnership with local authorities, to refurbish parks and encourage community activities.

This is part of the government’s ambition to ensure that communities have a real sense of identity and place, and that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy green spaces nearby.

Further information

Future Homes Standard

The Future Homes Standard will set minimum environmental standards for all new housing, including a commitment to removing traditional fossil fuel heating systems from 2025.

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

Pocket parks

An additional £1.35 million has been made available for local communities.

It follows an initial £3.7 million fund was created for new pocket parks and to allow the refurbishment of existing parks. Winners were announced in March 2019 with over 150 communities right across the country receiving funding.


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Comments

Rob Crawford

13:10 PM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago

A builder's nightmare as they and Council planning grapple with these often unproven so called state-of-the-art technologies that are often unreliable and very expensive to purchase and install! Thus making all new builds unaffordable!

Dennis Stephenson

14:24 PM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago

As you say, new unproven technology with air source heat pumps. Also no case law or insurance provenance yet to cover the problems that may arise. Similar for solar panels really. Our dwelling is a four bed dormer house not suitable for solar panels and probably not suitable for ashp's either. We have a gas combi boiler but due to outbuildings little scope for where to put the ashp. Apparently in winter you may need to have the heating on all the time and as the radiator temperatures will be lower it will take longer to heat the house up from cold. According to the energy saving trust website this system is more suitable for underfloor or warm air systems. So, a case of replacing something tried and true for something less suitable, unproven and probably inferior for the traditional brick home. Say do light bulbs ring a bell?

Monty Bodkin

15:40 PM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago

Great stuff!
While they are blue sky thinking about owl powered water turbines, at least it diverts them from their clueless 'improving' of the private rented sector.

Joe Marshall

16:25 PM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago

Just a few thoughts on the comments. The technologies you mention are far from unproven, I use them regurally in the commercial sector, and they work perfectly. There are solutions for all problems listed above. Unfortunately the only one Issue to sort out is the financial one, that being said the more we use the cheaper it should get.

Dylan Morris

20:29 PM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago

The amount of daylight in winter is half we receive in summer so cannot see solar panels being much use in winter the season where by far we need the most heating. More bonkers policies from politicians who seem to live in a parallel universe.

Dylan Morris

20:33 PM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 02/10/2019 - 15:40Water turbines powered by owls ? I bet their little feet will get tired .....ha ha ha.

Monty Bodkin

21:36 PM, 2nd October 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 02/10/2019 - 20:33
"Water turbines powered by owls ? I bet their little feet get tired .....ha ha ha."

Obviously, the owls would be provided with flippers, goggles and a snorkel.

Michael Holmes

19:53 PM, 3rd October 2019, About 5 years ago

I am just wondering what will happen when the realisation dawns that CO2 doesn’t influence global warming and all these expensive attempts to mitigate it are a complete waste of time and money and based on bogus science and fraudulent statistics, in fact the biggest scam ever perpetrated by mankind.

Why are we going to all these lengths when the Chinese and Indians are pumping out CO2 like there’s no tomorrow. We contribute 2% of the World’s C02 at the moment.

Michael Barnes

21:17 PM, 3rd October 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Michael Holmes at 03/10/2019 - 19:53
Whilst you are entitled to your opinion, that does not make it fact.

Marie

13:03 PM, 4th October 2019, About 5 years ago

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