Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announces new powers for councils to buy cheaper land for social and affordable housing
On Tuesday (30 April), the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced new rules had come into force designed to enable councils to buy cheaper land as part of the Government’s long-term plan for housing. These new rules allow councils to buy land for development through Compulsory Purchase Orders without paying “hope value” costs which estimate the cost land could be worth if it was developed in the future. Hope value has inflated the cost of land in the past and resulted in councils paying more than the market rate for land and getting into lengthy disputes, delaying the construction of new housing.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes response to consultation on heat network consumer protections
On Tuesday (30 April), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the Government’s response to the Heat networks regulation: consumer protection consultation. Included in potential measures, planned to be brought into law next year, are consumer protections including compensation in the event a household loses access to heating, measures to make pricing fairer, and clearer communication around billing. The plan is intended to give heat network customers similar rights to those using traditional gas and electricity connections. Improved protections for vulnerable customers are also expected to be implemented.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Department for Business delay Hydrogen Heating Town pilot
On Thursday (9 May), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade announced the Government has decided not to progress work on its hydrogen town pilot until after 2026, when strategic decisions on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heat have been made. In this announcement, the Departments reiterate that there may be a role for hydrogen in heating some locations, but that this will be implemented over a longer time frame than heat pumps. The Government also committed to assessing evidence from the wider research programme, including the neighbourhood trial in Fife and similar schemes across Europe.
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities publishes letters between the Housing Minister and the Building Safety Regulator on spray foam insulation research
On Wednesday (8 May), the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities published correspondence between Lee Rowley, Minister of State for Housing, Planning and Building Safety, and Philip White, Director of Building Safety at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The correspondence looks at research on moisture risk of spray foam insulation applied to timber sloped roofs with different resistance underlays. Both the Minister and the HSE agree that, while it found that spray foam insulation poses relatively little risk, the research should not be used in place of existing protocols and assessment procedures.
Driving Competency in the Retrofit Sector
Retrofitting the UK’s 27 million homes is a critical part of the achieving the UK’s net zero target, and presents a significant opportunity in the workforce, both in terms of building up capacity and ensuring competence. This report produced by the CLC People & Skills workstream supports the development of a competent workforce by presenting a consistent framework of the core overarching knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deliver effective retrofit at scale. The competence statements provide the foundation for driving change through industry and in education and training, which both need to be addressed in tandem to create a competent workforce. Driving Competency in the Retrofit Sector – Construction Leadership Council
IN THE NEWS
Number of new homes in England predicted to drop to half of official target https://www.ft.com/content/6f0acea6-3aeb-488c-948e-9e51375fb940
Construction recovery rained-off in first quarter
Unusually wet weather in February and March shrank construction output in the first three months of the year, according to latest Government figures. Construction recovery rained-off in first quarter | Construction Enquirer News
Taxpayers set to fund HS2 tunnel under London despite Sunak pledge Taxpayers set to fund HS2 tunnel under London despite Sunak pledge (ft.com)
