Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Home Building

Monday 9 January 2023 · 6 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department has embedded design quality in the planning system through changes to national planning policy and guidance.
  • The Government has introduced an uplift in energy efficiency standards, requiring new homes to produce 30% less carbon dioxide than current standards.
  • The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill includes measures for councils to adopt local design codes and for the Government to respond to consultations on flood protection.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Jones Con
Housing
Context

Councils can only require developers to build homes with energy measures aligned with national guidelines. Developers need updated frameworks to mandate technologies like solar panels or heat pumps.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to support the building of high-quality homes?

Answer from Lucy Frazer

The design of our homes matters. We have already taken steps to embed design quality in the planning system through changes to national planning policy and guidance. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill requires areas to adopt local design codes, setting clear rules for development.

Answered
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Q2 Andrew Jones Con
Housing Energy Environment
Context

Councils can only require developers to build homes with energy measures aligned with national guidelines. Developers need updated frameworks to mandate technologies like solar panels or heat pumps.

Question

I thank the Minister for that answer. Councils can only require developers to build homes with energy measures that are in line with national guidelines. What work is being done to update these frameworks so that developers can be mandated to install measures such as solar panels or ground-source heat pumps and thereby reduce carbon emissions and, crucially, cut domestic energy bills?

Answer from Lucy Frazer

The Government introduced an uplift in the energy efficiency standards in 2021. New homes are now expected to produce 30% less carbon dioxide than current standards, with a step towards the 2025 future homes standard. Although we do not mandate specific technologies, most developers use solar panels or heat pumps.

Partly answered

Not addressed: did not provide details on updating frameworks to mandate specific technologies

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Q3 Emma Hardy Lab Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

Welsh Government applied schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act, providing statutory flood protections. England lacks similar standards.

Question

New properties in England lack those same statutory flood protections as Wales. The Government launched a review last year, so when will its results be concluded and when will schedule 3 be applied here so that homes in England can have the same standard of flood protection as those built in Wales?

Answer from Lucy Frazer

The Government has taken actions on flood and waste water management, increased through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill. They will respond in due course to the consultation mentioned.

Not addressed: did not provide a specific timeline for applying schedule 3

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Q4 Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale
Housing
Context

Communities like those in national parks need affordable, high-quality homes to meet their needs.

Question

Will the Minister agree to change planning law so that councils such as mine in Cumbria and in our national parks have the power to enforce 100% affordability, so that we build to meet need not just demand?

Answer from Lucy Frazer

We are taking steps to help improve and build homes in his area. We have the £11.5 billion fund and we have taken steps on the issue of second homes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: did not commit to changing planning law for 100% affordability

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Q5 Richard Bacon Con
Housing
Context

The best way to build high-quality homes is to give people the greatest choice in what is built.

Question

Does the Minister agree that the best way to build high quality homes is to give the greatest choice to the people who live in them as to what is built? Can she think of any ways in which we might encourage that?

Answer from Lucy Frazer

I have had many conversations with him about self and custom-build. We are strengthening the ability in the Bill to build such homes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: did not provide specific ways to encourage home choice and custom-build options

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Q6 Matthew Pennycook Lab Greenwich and Woolwich
Housing
Context

The Government's decision to signal the end of enforceable local house building targets has resulted in some local authorities pausing work on their local plans.

Question

Has her Department carried out any analysis or assessment of the impact on overall housing supply of the changes to national planning policy outlined in the national planning policy framework consultation?

Answer from Lucy Frazer

Under the present system, too few local authorities have local plans because people do not want development in their area. Through the Bill, we are seeking to ensure that communities have a say on their local plans so they pass within 30 months.

Not addressed: did not provide analysis or assessment of impact on housing supply

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