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Buildings: Carbon Emissions

Asked by Kevin HollinrakeConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 22 January 2025UIN 23796

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department’s policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Development and Nature Recovery, published on 15 December 2024, and pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2025 to Question 20226 on Environmental Impact Assessment, whether Environmental Outcomes Reports will involve carbon reporting of (a) proposed new construction and (b) embedded carbon in existing buildings.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

The powers secured through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 would allow Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment to be replaced with a new framework of Environmental Outcomes Reports.

The government is committed to securing better environmental outcomes alongside securing the development we need and will consider how best to reform environmental assessment with this objective in mind. Alongside, reforming building regulations, we will carefully consider how Environmental Outcomes Reports can be used to support our wider carbon reduction targets. In the meantime, the current legislation on environmental assessment and its supporting guidance continues to apply.

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