黑洞社区

The government鈥檚 review of housebuilding standards and 黑洞社区 Regulations will not weaken commitments to sustainability, the minister in charge of the shake-up has said.

The terms of reference of the review, unveiled by communities minister Don Foster last week, state that it aims to 鈥渟ignificantly rationalise the untenable forest of codes rules, regulations and guidance that add unnecessary cost and complexity to the housebuilding process鈥�.

The review will include the Code for Sustainable Homes as well as other key environmental 鈥渞egimes鈥�, such as the requirements for Energy Performance Certificates and sustainable drainage, which the terms of reference identified as placing 鈥渂urdens on businesses during the housebuilding process鈥�.

It will consider controversial changes to Part L, called consequential improvements, that require homeowners to make energy-efficiency improvements to their homes, through the Green Deal, when carrying out other improvements. The government has yet to publish its long-awaited response to the consultation on the changes, after the prime minister鈥檚 office scotched the plan when it was dubbed a 鈥渃onservatory tax鈥� by some parts of the media.

The inclusion of key sustainability requirements within the review has prompted fears that it will lead to poorer quality homes and lower environmental standards. But Foster said essential safety and accessibility protections would remain untouched and that homes would 鈥渁lways need to be built to high sustainability and quality standards鈥�.

Paul King, UK Green 黑洞社区 Council chief executive, said he welcomed Foster鈥檚 commitment to sustainability, but he said the 鈥渃onsiderable uncertainty鈥� created by the review was 鈥渕ore likely to slow down housing delivery than speed it up鈥�.

He said: 鈥淲hile we do believe that there is room for improvement in terms of rationalising the current range of voluntary standards, this must not be at the expense of delivering high quality, sustainable homes fit for the future.鈥�

A Home Builders Federation spokesperson said some of the initial reaction to the review had been 鈥渉ysterical鈥�.

鈥淭his is going to be a sensible process that is all about cutting out duplication and simplifying the plethora of regulations that have built up over the years,鈥� he said.