Sustainable development and planning news

Code for Sustainable Homes axed with no sustainable successor The government has suggested the Code for Sustainable Homes could be scrapped in a further bid to cut regulatory red tape for house builders. Under new proposals put out to consultation yesterday, the...

Zero Carbon Plan to stifle Green shoots! This week, the government  published its consultation document on their plans for Allowable Solutions, the mechanism by which developments can achieve Zero Carbon Status after 2016. Allowable Solutions are meant to ensure if a...

How to boost the Green Deal as Government commits to 50% Emissions reduction by 2025 The government is to look at fresh ways to boost demand for the Green Deal, in what will be seen as a tacit admission that the flagship energy efficiency scheme is struggling. The...

Government dithering over 2013 Building Regs Part L Changes The postponed changes to Part L of the Building Regulations governing the energy efficiency of new buildings due for April 2013 and set to reduce emissions in new buildings by 44% over 2006 regulations, is...

400,000 home land banks to be targeted by Labour government push A “Use it or lose it” warning by Ed Milliband will force developers to start building on land with planning permission, if he comes into power after 2015. Mr Milliband’s speach, due to be given this...

Loan guarantees for affordable Homes up to £3.5Bn The Government has revealed that £3.5 million of funding for the New  Loan Guarantee Scheme will be effectively ring fenced for affordable homes. The Communities and Local Government department announced yesterday that...

150 very low energy homes planned for Kingstone in Herefordshire A planning application has been lodged for 150 very low energy homes in the village of Kingstone in Herefordshire by the developer Architype. The application, if accepted, would be the largest very low...

Government focus on Building Information Modelling (BIM) The government’s focus has now well and truly shifted from the setting up of processes and protocols to the implementation of BIM policy according to David Philp, the government’s head of BIM implementation. The...

Implementing the cost-optimal methodology for near Zero Carbon Buildings Lessons learned from three case studies The recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD, 2010/31/EU) requires Member States to introduce minimum energy performance requirements for...

Budget News: - Zero Carbon Homes target for 2016 reaffirmed The Chancellor in his Budget Statement yesterday confirmed the government’s commitment to achieve Zero Carbon Homes by 2016.  This comes only a few weeks after the Buildings Regulations minister, Don...