Want rooftop solar?  Tell the Government EXTENDED to 27 March

Oxford and around

19th February 2024

Good news! The Government has launched a consultation on changes to building regulations, including proposals to make rooftop solar mandatory on most new buildings.

CPRE Oxfordshire believes rooftop solar is by far the best way to meet our solar energy needs whilst protecting the countryside, for food, for nature and for people.

CONSULTATION NOW EXTENDED TO 27 MARCH – see: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-homes-and-buildings-standards-2023-consultation

Sadly, the consultation isn’t that user-friendly, so here are some basic tips…

A 2-Minute Response

Email: FutureHomesandBuildingsStandards@levellingup.gov.uk

Tell them that you support Option 1 for Questions 7, 9 and 10.   (You can see the questionnaire here.)

You can also tell them your views on rooftop solar and why it should be made mandatory for all new domestic buildings and for non-domestic/commercial buildings wherever possible.

Here’s a few pointers that might help, but please use your own words:

  • We urgently need a rooftop revolution to help meet the Government’s target of reaching 70GW of solar energy by 2035.
  • Putting solar panels on rooftops across the country can help us to generate the clean electricity we need, while cutting our carbon emissions and sparing land for food, farming and nature.
  • Ground mounted solar farms in Oxfordshire have already eaten into over 1,000 hectares of farmland and there are many more proposals coming forward, including the monstrous Botley West solar farm that would take up a further 1,400 hectares – an area the size of Abingdon.
  • With tens of thousands of housing coming forward in Oxfordshire in the next 10 years, we need to make sure new development is fit for the future, not in need of retro-fitting from day one.

A 10-Minute Response

Go to https://consult.levellingup.gov.uk/energy-performance-of-buildings/fhbs-2023-consultation/consultation/intro/

Fill in the basic questions eg about your name, whether you are replying as individual or on behalf of an organisation.

Skip through Sections 2 & 3 (Acronyms and Introduction)

Section 4 – Performance Requirement for New Buildings

Questions 7-11 relate to rooftop solar.

If you wish to support CPRE’s campaign for rooftop solar as standard on new building…

Question 7 – Select a) Option 1 – (higher carbon and bill savings, higher capital cost)

Question 9 – Select a) Option 1 (higher carbon and bill savings, higher capital cost)

Question 10 – Select Option 1

There are then lots more questions which obviously you can choose to answer if you wish.  Otherwise, just keeping clicking continue until you reach the end of the survey and can submit your response.  You should receive an email and a pdf copy of your response.

Can you help support CPRE’s Rooftop Revolution campaign?

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