The draft NPPF consultation (published in December 2025) proposes to prevent local authorities from setting local standards in planning policy, particularly energy efficiency standards (see PM13: Setting Standards).
If the consultation proposal is adopted as it stands, it will no longer be possible for local authorities to set targets in terms of energy, carbon, and overheating. Instead, national building regulations (which are meant to represent the minimum standard – i.e. the ‘floor’) will essentially become the only standard – i.e. both the ‘floor’ and the ‘ceiling’. All homes will be built to the lowest common denominator.
We think that this approach will negatively affect our collective efforts towards Net Zero and prevent Local Authorities from seeking lower energy bills for their residents.
We provided a response to the conultation, which included an adaptation of a template response on a PM13, developed by LETI and GHA board members Thomas Lefevre (Etude) and Lewis Knight (Bioregional). While the draft NPPF references the transition to net zero and the need for the built environment to mitigate and adapt to climate change, PM13 will prevent local authorities from setting local standards in planning policy.
Click here to download our full response