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 (e.g. energy use intensity, space heating demand, renewable energy), carbon (e.g. embodied and whole life 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. If you agree, we would like to invite you to respond to the consultation  (Q18 in the NPPF consultation) as soon as possible, and definitely by 10th March.

To inform your decision and help you, we have worked with a number of local authorities and organisations to develop a template response (https://www.leti.uk/consultations), which you are very welcome to use, adapt and add to, with your own opinions (and evidence ideally).

We have also organised a 45min Webinar: ‘Join LETI’s Call to Action on the NPPF Consultation’ on Wednesday 25th February at 1pm. It would be great if you could join us (and feel free to invite as many people as you can!). You can register here.

Together, we can influence this consultation to protect progress towards Net Zero and safeguard lower energy bills for residents.