Submission on mandatory technical standards for new housing to the Housing, Local Government

and Transport Commission of Labour’s National Policy Forum

Making the Department for Communities and Local Government’s currently optional technical
standards for new housing mandatory would answer the question “What can be done to ensure those
new homes that are being built, are to a sufficient high quality and environmental standard?” asked
in the Housing, Local Government and Transport Commission’s discussion paper.

In March 2015, after consultation, the Department for Communities and Local Government
published optional technical standards of new housing for local planning authorities. These are
minimum standards for internal space, water efficiency and accessibility that local planning
authorities can require house builders to meet. Although these minimum standards are an
improvement on what went before, they are only optional and local planning authorities are under
no obligation to require house builders to meet them.

I would like to submit a proposal to make the Department for Communities and Local
Government’s currently optional technical standards for new housing mandatory.