Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Crown Estate plans to extend Net Zero housing pilots to Northern Ireland.

The Crown Estate is currently trialling net zero carbon homes through three demonstration projects aimed at improving home quality and energy security. These projects involve developing 200 homes across three sites in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Cheshire.

The aim is to explore how new homes can be delivered using less than 300kg/m2 of embodied carbon and operational energy use intensity of 35kWh/m²/year. The developments aim for a minimum 15% biodiversity net gain, on-site renewable energy generation, and alignment with the Passivhaus standard, promoting healthy and energy-efficient living.

The focus is on exploring innovative approaches to net zero carbon homes before considering how to scale these solutions across the UK. The Crown Estate will share insights and lessons learned, enabling policymakers, developers, and the wider market in Northern Ireland to benefit from the methods used in the demonstration projects to improve home quality and energy security.