Shapps promises councils and developers more freedom over zero carbon obligations

Developers will be allowed to pay into local community energy projects as a way of meeting their obligations for zero carbon homes, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has said.

This would mean that builders could contribute towards infrastructure such as wind farms and district heating systems rather than have to install energy saving measures on their sites.

Shapps said this move would give developers and councils more freedom and flexibility to decide how to meet their zero-carbon obligations.

It would be similar to the way in which some house builders meet affordable housing obligations by contributing money towards its construction elsewhere, rather than including it within their own development.

“This is about meeting tough environmental standards, but not dictating how every home should be built,” Shapps said.

“Councils and developers together are in the best position to decide how best to meet these standards, so we are looking at giving them the flexibility and a range of options to do this.’

But he said the government remained committed to all new homes being zero-carbon from 2016, and said he would shortly announce “a minimum standard for key energy efficiency measures like loft and cavity wall insulation”, through a revision to building regulations.

These will be based on those revisions outlined in a recent consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes.