Exemption rule will boost new house numbers – FMB
31st March 2015

Small scale house builders will be helped to build more homes, thanks to the Government’s decision to exempt small sites from off-site carbon mitigation, according to the FEDERATION OF MASTER BUILDERS (FMB).

Its Chief Executive Brian Berry said: “There can be little doubt that if we are to begin to build the number of new homes we need, then we desperately need to see a reinvigorated SME house building sector and the use of more small sites for the delivery of new housing. If we are to achieve this, it is vital that new regulations and standards are sensitive to the impact which they can have on small development projects.”

The move to the zero carbon standard presents particular challenges for small building companies working on small sites with limited access to options for on-site low carbon technologies, he said.

Berry concluded: “Contrary to the popular misconception, an exemption from the off-site, or ‘Allowable Solutions’, element of the zero carbon standard will have no impact on the energy performance of new homes – what it will do is ease the impact of the policy on the deliverability of small sites. As such, this is a fair and proportionate measure and we very much hope it will be supported and implemented by the next Government, regardless of which party or parties take power.”

www.fmb.org.uk