New homes ‘should be net zero’

DEVELOPERS should be made to make new homes energy efficient, according to Henley Town Council’s climate emergency 2030 working group.

It wants the council’s planning committee to have the power to enforce net zero requirements.

In a report, committee member Claudia Klaver says: “Given the council’s declaration of a climate emergency, it is essential that the planning committee takes a proactive approach to ensure that the energy efficiency of all new-builds meet a standard that a net zero target will require.

“If not, then we will be sleep-walking towards a failure to meet the Government’s target of net zero by 2050.

“While [the working group] recognises Henley in its own right cannot change the world, it recommends that it should make clear to developers what the committee’s expected standards are and ideally make these a statutory requirement for each future application.”

At the least, Ms Klaver recommends the committee sets up a register of “inspected and vetted” builders, who demonstrate the ability and desire to design and build houses to the required standard.