Parliamentary Committee calls on Government not to axe Sustainable Homes policy

The cross-party Environmental Audit Committee (EAU) yesterday published a report (26-page / 3MB PDF) in response to the Government's housing standards review, launched in August, which set out proposals to introduce a new "nationally described standard set" of house building standards.

The proposals included a "winding down" of the CSH, which was introduced in 2007 and sets out to reduce carbon emissions from new homes and help promote the creation of sustainable homes.

The EAU said in its report that the CSH is a "flexible means of delivering sustainability in line with local circumstances and local choice". "The CSH is a proven mechanism for driving incremental improvements in sustainable home building," it said.

EAU chair Joan Walley said in a statement that removing the discretion for local authorities to set high standards under the code would "bulldoze local choice in favour of a one-size-fits-all approach".

“The Secretary of State should think again before demolishing the Code for Sustainable Homes. The policy has been a big success in driving up home building standards, delivering local choice and supporting green exports. Building materials manufacturers in the UK told us that they use the Code as a green kitemark when they sell their products abroad,” Walley said.

The report also said that the Government's proposals to introduce a 'needs test' on the application of sustainability standards by local authorities could "curtail local choice, delay the construction of new homes and compel local authorities to incur unnecessary legal fees".

“Hundreds of thousands of homes have to be built in the coming decades. Smart energy and water saving measures, which will ultimately save homeowners money on their bills, must become the norm if we want our homes to be fit for the future," Walley said.