According to the latest data, low-carbon homes in the West Midlands are up to three times cheaper to heat than the average.
With this data, there is a new drive to increase the number of low-carbon homes being constructed across the region as the combined authority looks to provide solutions to housing and climate emergencies. As part of this drive for more homes, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has launched its ‘Homes for the Future’ proposals, with this working to tackle fuel poverty and climate change, whilst stimulating green construction and technology in the West Midlands.
Alongside the ‘Homes for the Future’ proposals, £200 million is being made available in 2024 to support the unlocking of former industrial sites for use in new housing developments; this move is expected to deliver 12,000 new homes.
Developers will be given the opportunity to apply for a share of the funding as they look to kickstart their housing schemes, furthering support for local people who are in need of affordable, low-carbon, energy-efficient homes. This is also structured to encourage developers to ‘go above and beyond’ the government’s Future Homes Standard that is set to come into force in 2025.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said:
“The research we have undertaken on home heating costs is stark and shows why doubling down on low-carbon homes in the West Midlands is so important.
“In order to do this – and help tackle the fuel poverty and climate emergency we face across the region – we must have a proper plan in place for future housebuilding in the region. That’s what our Homes for the Future proposals do, and I’m delighted we’ve been able to launch it today.
“It comes alongside our re-commitment to housebuilding and brownfield regeneration in the West Midlands, with this latest £200 million war chest being made available to help unlock former industrial sites and brownfield land for housing.
“We’ve been using this ‘Brownfield First’ approach to such success since 2017 that we believe we are the only region to remain on track to reach their housing target.
“But we must continue our progress, and we hope this £200 million will help unlock a further 12,000 homes for local residents across the West Midlands.”
The West Midlands is home to the highest rate of fuel poverty in any English region, with 235,512 (17.5%) fuel-poor homes and more than half of all of the region’s neighbourhoods sitting in the bottom 20%. In order to help meet housing goals, the WMCA has set a target of delivering 215,000 new homes by 2031 and is set to achieve this with the added bonus that developers who receive local authority funding being required to make at least 20% of their homes affordable.
Leader of Solihull Council and WMCA Portfolio Holder for Housing and Leader, Cllr Ian Courts, added:
“The launch of the Homes for the Future proposals is an important step forward as we continue to deliver on our promise to build high-quality homes and thriving communities across the region.
“We are determined to improve the energy efficiency of our homes and reduce carbon emissions in a way that is fair and affordable to everyone. These proposals ensure we are stepping up and playing a leadership role in this as well as proactively helping to reduce fuel poverty for future households.”
Image credit: iStock
