6 December 2022

The Green Party has welcomed a decision by ministers to axe arbitrary house building targets [1] and have called for future housing development to be led by affordability, quality and environmental standards. 

Green Party spokesperson on Housing and communities, Ellie Chowns, who is also a Cabinet Member on Herefordshire Council, said:

“Councils of all political colours have pushed back against unrealistic top-down housing targets, which have taken decision-making away from local authorities and ignored the views of local people. And where targets have been missed, it has allowed developers to get away with lower quality housing that is less sustainable and less affordable.

“It’s time to rebuild a housing strategy that takes powers away from central government and the giant house builders funnelling money into Tory Party coffers and give councils the power to set their own housing targets to meet the needs of local populations. We need the focus of future development to be on building genuinely affordable housing that is good for local people while helping to tackle the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency. 

“We certainly do need thousands more new homes but the priority should be on homes for social rent, built to the highest environmental standards so they dramatically cut energy bills and carbon emissions. We also need to prioritise building on brownfield sites and preserve our precious green spaces which are good for public health and for nature. 

“All new housing must also be served by high quality walking and cycling routes and much improved public transport services.”

Notes

1. Sunak to scrap housebuilding targets after pressure from Tory MPs | Planning policy | The Guardian

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2 December 2022

Green Party spokespeople have brought together a cross-government set of demands to ease the growing burden of fuel poverty and tackle the climate crisis.

To mark Fuel Poverty Awareness day today and Fuel Poverty Action day tomorrow, Green Party spokespeople have written to key Ministers to tell them that only joined-up government action can deliver the measures needed.

On housing, spokesperson Ellie Chowns called for a fully-funded, nationwide, long-term retrofit programme to insulate all housing to the maximum possible level, an immediate end to the building of hard-to-heat homes, higher building standards, and a winter ban on no-fault evictions.

For people with disabilities, spokesperson Mags Lewis called for targeted fuel subsidies for those whose home energy use is higher than average as a result of their disability, guaranteed support in the event of blackouts for disabled people reliant on equipment like ventilators, and a priority home insulation programme to bring down bills.

On health, spokesperson and GP Dr Pallavi Devulapalli called for increased subsidies targeted at those made most vulnerable by cold homes with poor ventilation, recognition of the mental and physical toll of poorly insulated, cold  homes, and free hot school dinners for all children to ensure none go hungry this winter.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“The work of our spokespeople shows clearly how the impact of fuel poverty is felt across the population and why it requires political leadership and joined-up action to deliver the policies to combat it. 

“New figures produced today by the National Energy Action for Fuel Poverty Awareness Day [1] show the growing scale of the problem, which is destined to worsen through the winter without concerted government action.

“We believe that a national home insulation programme will deliver warm, affordable and healthy homes for people while reducing energy use and helping to tackle the climate crisis.”

NOTES:

[1] https://www.nea.org.uk/news/8-4-million-uk-households-will-be-in-fuel-poverty-from-april-says-national-energy-action/ 

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Following the success of the last Waste Strategy Workshop held at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus in September, DAERA is hosting a further workshop to help inform the development of a new Waste Management Strategy.

A £90,000 carriageway and footway resurfacing scheme on Ulster Avenue, Belfast is due to commence on Monday 5 December 2022.