Planning Reforms: Net-zero Carbon Emissions Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Lord Ravensdale
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Planning Reforms: Net-zero Carbon Emissions
Lord Ravensdale Excerpts(2 days, 2 hours ago)
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Lord Ravensdale (CB)
My Lords, I declare my interests as listed in the register. A Written Ministerial Statement from December last year is preventing a number of sustainable developments from being built across the UK, including Salt Cross in Oxfordshire, because it is constraining local authorities’ efforts to build houses that go beyond current building energy-efficiency regs. Can the Minister say what plans the Government have to revoke that Written Ministerial Statement and allow these developments to go ahead?
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)
I thank the noble Lord, and I will take back the point on the Written Ministerial Statement, but plan makers’ powers have not been restricted. The Planning and Energy Act 2008 permits plan makers to set at the local level energy efficiency standards which go beyond national building regulation standards, provided that they do so in a manner consistent with national policy.