Compulsory Green Home Improvements Plan Scrapped By Ministers - Knauf Insulation UK

Online, April 21, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The coalition government has made a U-turn on its plans to force Brits to make green improvements to their home.

Plans were announced earlier this year for the inclusion of compulsory green improvements - such as cavity wall insulation installations of draught proofing - for anyone hoping to carry out home improvement projects.

It had been set that individuals embarking on projects such as a loft conversion of adding an extension would be required by law to spend ten per cent of the budget of their works on also making energy efficiency improvements to their property, but this will now not be the case.

However, an unnamed source at Downing Street has now told BBC News: "This will not happen."

The plans were highly controversial and the coalition government had come under fire over recent weeks because of them. It is therefore little surprise there has now been a climb down and the plan has been scrapped.

It is unlikely that this latest controversy will get in the way of the scheduled rollout of the Green Deal however, as the coalition is still very much full steam ahead for the autumn launch of its flagship energy efficiency programme.

Brian Berry of the Federation of Master Builders was a highly vocal opponent to the government's mandatory energy efficiency improvement plans, claiming the move would be counterproductive to the uptake of projects under the Green Deal banner.

Instead, he argued: "A good way would be to reduce VAT on energy efficient repairs or lower the council tax. The last thing homeowners need at this time is extra cost."

As part of the change, a spokesperson for the Department of Communities and Local Government noted a new consultation will examine the impact of building regulation changes on energy efficiency and stressed that the mandatory green home improvement proposal would not impact on any projects carried out under the Green Deal.

Knauf Insulation provides sustainable insulation solutions for loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and solid wall insulation.