Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
6th Report - Environmental sustainability and housing growth
Environmental Audit Committee
HC 439
Published 16 November 2025
Recommendations
34
Accepted
Assess local authority capacity for monitoring BNG commitments and ensure adequate resourcing.
Recommendation
The Government should conduct an assessment of the capacity and performance of monitoring of BNG commitments by local authorities. Local authorities must understand their responsibilities to ensure that BNG promised is delivered and buy in expertise and resource if it …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it continues to work with stakeholders to strengthen the planning workforce and already supports local planning authorities with ecology through existing recruitment, skills development, and specialist training programs, but does not commit to conducting a specific assessment of BNG monitoring capacity or new accountability measures.
40
Accepted
Develop progressively ratcheted carbon targets and set timeframe for mandatory whole-life carbon assessments.
Recommendation
Additionally: a. “We recommend that following the introduction of whole life carbon assessments, the Government should develop progressively ratcheted carbon targets for the built environment, to match the pathway to net zero set out in periodic carbon budgets. These ratcheting …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that it has already set legally binding carbon reduction targets and that it must be able to meet those targets in the round.
49
Accepted
Consult by April 2026 on financial incentives for lower embodied carbon products and manufacturing.
Recommendation
The Government could also consider other financial incentives in product areas where the cost differential makes adoption of lower embodied carbon products unattractive and support for manufacturing set up of lower embodied carbon products. We recommend that the Government consult, …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it is already exploring financial mechanisms such as the Advance Market Commitment pilot for low carbon concrete.
55
Accepted
Invest in ecology training and establish local ecological resource hubs by July 2026.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government should invest in and prioritise the training and upskilling of talent in ecology as a priority. As a temporary measure, to address current staff shortages, the Government should pilot and establish local ecological resource hubs, …
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Government Response Summary
The government believes existing investments in planning capacity, including funding for skills development, recruitment of ecologists, and support for environmental arm's-length bodies, make ecological resource hubs unnecessary, though they will keep the position under review.
57
Accepted
Standardise and embed essential practical components into ecology course design by April 2026.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government, via Skills England, begins working with ecology qualification providers to standardise and embed essential practical components into ecology course design, by April 2026. This is to ensure that courses are geared towards modern policy demands …
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Government Response Summary
The government asserts that it already supports local planning authorities with ecology through recruitment, skills development and specialist training, referencing a previous response.
58
Accepted
Establish a national pathway with professional bodies to accelerate early-career ecologist training.
Recommendation
The Government should partner with professional bodies to accelerate the training of early-career ecologists through a national level, government- supported pathway, similar to that of the Pathways to Planning programme backed by the Local Government Association and MHCLG. The first …
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Government Response Summary
The government states they are already expanding national routes into planning and related environmental roles and do not consider a separate, ecology-specific national pathway necessary at this time, but will keep this under review.
65
Accepted
Provide realistic assessment of construction workforce numbers and skills needed for housing and climate targets
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government, in response to this report, should: • Provide a realistic assessment of the construction workforce and what is needed to deliver the Government’s housing targets for each remaining year of this Parliament. This should include: …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that Skills England publishes assessments of priority skills needed across the economy to 2030, including construction and housebuilding and mentions additional funding and plans addressing skills gaps.
67
Accepted
Publish paper detailing Natural England's required resourcing to deliver housing targets by March 2026
Recommendation
The Government should publish a paper, by March 2026, clearly laying out the Government’s housing targets, NE’s role as a statutory consultee and in developing and implementing the NRF, and what resourcing will be required for NE going forwards to …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that the Planning and Infrastructure Act establishes Natural England’s role in developing and implementing the NRF and mentions funding allocated to set up and support the NRF.
Conclusions (9)
50
Conclusion
Accepted
Retrofitting existing buildings is more environmentally friendly and sustainable than demolition and new construction. We accept that not all existing properties can be converted into residential buildings, and do not deny that some new homes do need to be built. However, prioritising the retrofit and regeneration of existing buildings could …
Government Response Summary
The government says that retrofitting and regeneration of buildings is already encouraged in policy through a consultation on a new NPPF and the VAT system.
51
Conclusion
Accepted
Although retrofit and regeneration of buildings is already encouraged in policy, it is often sidelined. Strengthening focus in this area should be prioritised, considering the range of benefits associated with doing so. (Conclusion, Paragraph 167)
Government Response Summary
The government says that retrofitting and regeneration of buildings is already encouraged in policy through a consultation on a new NPPF and the VAT system.
53
Conclusion
Accepted
As with the embodied and operational carbon recommendation (Para 138nb mbnj ) we believe that the Government should investigate how it can use the tax system to reduce the tax burden on properties that reduce their carbon footprint and/or increase the tax burden on environmentally regressive properties to create a …
Government Response Summary
The government recognizes the importance of reusing existing buildings and already encourages this through the VAT system on residential renovations. The government has also given local authorities powers and incentives to tackle empty homes.
54
Conclusion
Accepted
One of the strongest messages we have heard throughout this inquiry is that local planning authorities are severely under-resourced in terms of ecological expertise. Addressing this should be a priority, as without rapid and meaningful support, the Government will struggle to meet its house building targets while adhering to environmental …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees that ecological expertise is critical in the planning system and outlines the actions it is already taking through additional investment and the Planning Capacity and Capability Programme to strengthen skills across the system.
56
Conclusion
Accepted
Qualifications in ecology may not always contain sufficient practical elements in the courses that equip future ecologists with the necessary skills for professional practice. The Committee has heard that some students may require additional training to develop the necessary competencies needed for professional roles after gaining formal qualifications such as …
Government Response Summary
The government does not consider establishing separate ecological resource hubs is necessary, citing existing investments and close work with the sector to monitor capacity.
59
Conclusion
Accepted
The shortage of planning professionals in local authorities is undermining the planning system’s ability to function effectively. Planning officers are unable to thoroughly consider applications within statutory timeframes and are unable to adequately pre-consult. This capacity gap compromises the quality, transparency and timeliness of planning decisions. This is problematic, as …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees that ecological expertise is critical in the planning system and outlines the actions it is already taking through additional investment and the Planning Capacity and Capability Programme to strengthen skills across the system.
63
Conclusion
Accepted
We have heard concerns that the construction industry does not have the numbers, nor the skills, needed to deliver the volume or types of homes that will enable the Government to meet its targets for housing, the environment, nature and net zero. We welcome the Government’s acknowledgment of this, along …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the concerns, and states that Skills England publishes assessments of priority skills, and a Construction Jobs Plan is being developed. The government also says it is investing £15bn in home upgrades via its Warm Homes Plan and has made several policy commitments to address skills gaps.
64
Conclusion
Accepted
However, we are yet to be convinced that this alone will be enough. As the Government itself has acknowledged, the construction sector will be instrumental in meeting wider Government commitments. Recruiting new talent is essential but training takes time and, in the interim, the existing workforce is already overstretched but …
Government Response Summary
The government describes existing actions to address skills gaps in the construction sector, including skills assessments, a Construction Jobs Plan, funding for skills, and investment in home upgrades, in response to concerns about the workforce's ability to meet housing and environmental targets.
66
Conclusion
Accepted
If the environmental objectives of the Government are to be achieved, it is vital that Natural England (NE) is adequately resourced. However, NE does not currently have the necessary resources to deliver the Government’s expectations of it. Its reliance on partners, such as local authorities, is concerning considering they are …
Government Response Summary
The government states that it has allocated funding to set up the Nature Restoration Fund and further funding to boost capacity in the planning system, and will continue to work with Natural England to ensure appropriate resources are in place.