Bath and North East Somerset could be forced to scrap the rules which means it builds the most energy efficient homes in the country.
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The council requires new developments to meet a “net zero” standard, meaning that they are so energy efficient that their carbon emissions are balanced by generating renewable energy. But now government reforms could force them to drop the standard.
Proposed new national planning rules will raise the minimum environmental standards for new homes — but would also limit the maximum standards councils can set for developers.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is one of more than 60 local authorities facing having to lower their high environmental standards under the proposals, which have signed a letter to the government to raise their concerns.
Addressing a meeting of the full council on 19th March, deputy leader and cabinet member for sustainability Sarah Warren (Bathavon North, Liberal Democrat) said: “Building regulations must be seen as a floor to increase standards, and not a ceiling.”
She said: “We are one of only a few councils to have implemented such a policy and have seen no adverse impact on delivery of new homes.
“This means homes in B&NES are now built to the highest energy efficiency standards in the country, resulting in cheaper bills for residents, helping address the cost-of-living crisis and end fuel poverty, as well as lower carbon emissions.”
She added: “Proposed changes in the national planning policy framework consultation, which closed last week, would curtail the current ability to require net zero standards for new homes in local plans.
“This policy seeks to limit standards set by councils and is an unnecessary blocker to innovations already being delivered to decarbonise the construction industry.”
The council’s cabinet member responsible for housing and sustainable development, Matt McCabe (Bathavon South, Liberal Democrat), said it was “extraordinary” that the government was limiting councils’ ability to set environmental standards.
He said: “It would appear that the government has been lobbied, not just by developers, but by the energy companies as well.”
But Labour councillor Eleanor Jackson (Westfield) said: “We need houses to be built. People who are homeless are not going to worry too much about whether it’s got a heat source pump.”
The leader of the council’s Labour opposition, Robin Moss (also Westfield), said there was a “difficult balancing act” between the need for housing and for it to be environmentally friendly.
He said it was an important discussion, but criticised the administration for already signing the letter before the council debated the issue.
Councillor Warren said: “We signed the group letter as it had a deadline on it and we would have missed the opportunity to combine our voice with numerous Labour councils and NGOs and we didn’t want to miss that opportunity.
“We are proposing now, following this discussion, if there is support, to write a B&NES-specific letter to the minister which I hope will receive cross-party support on this really important topic.”
The Liberal Democrat motion was supported by the council with 46 votes in favour, two votes against from Independents for B&NES, and one abstention from chair of the council Liz Hardman (Paulton, Labour).
The council had voted to introduce the “ground-breaking” net zero standard in 2023, when it was backed near unanimously by councillors, with no votes against it and only three abstentions.
The proposal was “enthusiastically” seconded and supported by the Conservative opposition at the time.
Bath & North East Somerset Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 with a commitment to achieving net zero by 2030.
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter
