Planning Reforms: Net-zero Carbon Emissions

Debate between Lord McNicol of West Kilbride and Baroness Taylor of Stevenage

Tuesday 3rd December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord McNicol of West Kilbride]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that their proposed planning reforms contribute to the delivery of net zero carbon emissions.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Baroness Taylor of Stevenage) (Lab)]

My Lords, the planning system can of course play a powerful role in supporting the transition to a low-carbon future and in helping to shape places in ways that contribute to reaching net-zero carbon emissions. The recent National Planning Policy Framework consultation sought views on how best to strengthen planning policies to support clean energy and net-zero emissions. We are considering the response to that and will publish the updated framework before the end of the year.

[Lord McNicol of West Kilbride (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend the Minister for her response. Nye Bevan said in 1947 that

“we shall be judged for a year or two by the number of houses we build”,

but we shall be judged over decades

“by the type of houses we build”.

There is an opportunity with both retrofit and new build for the UK to be a world leader in the field of green standards and build, but that requires long-term planning and strategic oversight. Planning regulations and rules, combined with the proposed planning and infrastructure Bill, offer the vehicle to deliver that. Therefore, can my noble friend the Minister reassure me that the future homes standard will not be watered down, and that the presumption will be in favour of incorporating proven renewable technologies that both reduce consumers’ bills and help save the planet?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for his question. I agree with both him and Nye Bevan: this is a very important issue, and we need to set out how we support the transition to a low-carbon future in a changing climate. The National Planning Policy Framework will set that out, including the ways that both shaping places and building homes can contribute to radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and support renewable and low-carbon energy and associated infrastructure. The place-making aspect is very important. As someone from a new town, I have seen the benefit of good place-making. Of course, when my town was built, the idea of net zero was not on the scene, but we now need to take that into account too. We have consulted widely on the future homes standard, and we are currently considering further representations on solar. As I said, we will publish the NPPF before Christmas and the future homes standard early in the new year.