Plans to ban gas boilers threatens a ‘significant reduction’ in new houses
Huge additional costs will be imposed on householders – and very possibly on energy bills Liam Kerr
direct emission heating systems in new build houses will endanger the Scottish Government’s push to build 25,000 homes a year, worsen the housing crisis and raise the cost of a home, ministers have been told.
It comes as the Scottish Government is set to unveil its legislation for ensuring new homes are built with climate-friendly heating systems next week. They will see rules around building warrants change to ensure heating systems such as gas boilers are replaced by greener alternatives such as heat pumps, solar and electric energy.
However, house building firms across Scotland have heavily criticised the plans, citing a lack of infrastructure around the electricity grid and increased costs to consumers, including on energy.
Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Green minister leading on the legislation, has said the proposals will “lead the way” in cutting emissions from homes and help in hitting tough climate targets.
Ministers must cut levels of emissions by 75 per cent compared to their height in 1990 by the end of the decade, decarbonising one million buildings in the process, as part of a drive to become net zero by 2045.
Despite widespread support for decarbonisation of buildings, major housebuilders including Persimmon Homes, Ca la homes and taylor wimpey all pointed at a lack of capacity within the electricity network and the lack of a supply chain.
They said this could have the unintended consequence of slowing down housebuilding, putting Scottish Govern plansto bang as boiler sand other ment targets of building 25,000 homes a year at risk.
As part of the consultation, Persimmon Homes said: “The unintended consequences will be many and varied. many fewer houses will be built. the housing crisis we are in will worsen.
“The construction industry is recognised as being a major driver in a strong economy. To significantly reduce the output of the housebuilding industry will result in a corresponding damage to the wider economy.”
Industry body homes for scotland said the plan would“significantly increase” the cost of buying a home and “reduce the delivery of homes in Scotland”.
It said: “We are likely to see a significant reduction of both affordable homes and private residential accommodation built in the short to medium term, as both the grid and supply chains are unable to provide the capacity needed to service the homes that need to be built.”
A business and regulatory impact assessment of the proposals, undertaken by the Scottish Government, highlighted the increased costs of installing an air-source heat pump compared with a gas boiler as being equivalent to around £10,000.
Scottish Tories net zero, energyand transport secretary li am Kerr said :“huge additional costs will be imposed on householders– and very possibly also on energy bills–under patrick harvie’ s‘ one-size-fits-all’ approach to reducing emissions.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Heating Scotland’ s homes and buildings is one of the biggest contributors to our carbon emissions and we know we have to take bold action to meet the legal climate targets, which all parties in Parliament voted for.”