Following the Housing Standards Review DCLG published a technical consultation document on 12 September 2014, part of ‘Improving the energy efficiency of buildings and using planning to protect the environment’ and ‘ Making the planning system work more efficiently’. The consultation closed on 7 November 2014 and public feedback is now being analysed.
Salus welcomes the Government’s determination to simplify the standards that regulate house building in the UK subject to standards being maintained and where appropriate improved.
Through the Deregulation Bill the Government has introduced amendments to the Building Act 1984 to enable Building Regulations to set ‘optional requirements’ which can be set at a level above the basic minimum in the Building Regulations 2010 these in turn can then be applied by planning authorities as planning conditions where they can be justified as part of a viability assessment.
The next step subject to Parliamentary approval will be for the Government to lay amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 in early 2015, these are likely to include optional requirements relating to access (Approved Document M) and water efficiency (Approved Document G). There is also a preference to introduce a mandatory security Building Regulation requirement to all new homes which will take the form of a new Approved Document.
Outside of the Building Regulations a new standard is being taken forward relating to space which again can be referenced in planning policies.
Unlike other Building Regulations requirements, the optional requirements in Approved Documents will not be mandatory. They will only be applicable where a local planning authority has put a plan policy in place specifically triggering the application of the optional requirements.
As part of the above proposals the Code for Sustainable Homes will be wound down. BRE have launched a voluntary sustainability standard for new homes to allow performance above minimum standards to be recognised and BRE’s presentation relating to this can be found at http://www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/FSH/Our-new-sustainable-homes-standard_The-story-so-far.pdf
The requirement to be zero carbon by 2016 is likely to remain and be brought about through further updates to Approved Document L.
As Approved Documents start to emerge Salus will launch a series of update seminars and work with all our clients to ensure a smooth transition into the new regulations.