Feb 27 2006
The government has reduced the time for the building industry to adopt new climate change regulations from three years to just twelve months.
The transitional period for new building regulations normally lasts for up to three years, but new Part L building regulations will have to be adopted within a year so as to help tackle climate change sooner.
Part L regulations have increased energy efficiency in housing by 40 per cent in four years. According to housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper, these plans are already ahead of schedule.
"Tackling climate change is one of the biggest long-term challenges we face," she said. "That is why on this occasion we need the building industry to comply with the new regulations much more rapidly than normal."
Where building plans have received approval but work has not yet started, work will need to begin before April 1st 2007 in order to be covered by the arrangements.
All new buildings that do not have full plans approved by April 6th must adhere to new Part L rules from April 6th 2006. Smaller projects that do not require full plans approval, and that have not started before April 6th, will need to begin straight away unless contracts have already been signed.