New home building industry leader calls for alternative approach to 'disproportionate' low carbon proposals.

In the largest annual gathering of its kind, some 700 senior representatives from the country’s home building sector met in Edinburgh on Friday (4 May) where they heard from both the new Chairman of industry body Homes for Scotland and Minister for Housing and Transport Keith Brown.

Andy Pearson (also Managing Director of Borders-based Tweed Homes) assumed his new role earlier in the day and described the organisation as "the heartbeat of home building in Scotland".

Pearson told the audience he wished to see more homes built across all tenures, more jobs and apprenticeships created, and a real energy return to homebuilding sites throughout Scotland.

However, with housing production still half pre-credit crunch levels, he called on the Scottish Government for assistance in removing the barriers and reducing the burdens which hamper the industry deliver the many thousands of new homes Scotland needs.

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He identified the impact of the low carbon agenda and the reform of the planning system as key areas of focus during his spell in office, said: "The proposed changes to Building Standards are disproportionate and will only have a marginal impact. We would therefore like to work closely with the Scottish Government to investigate an alternative solution, exploring ways of improving energy performance in existing housing stock which could make a real difference in reducing fuel poverty and assisting the administration achieve its Scotland-wide objectives for 2020."

He also urged the Scottish Government to reform the planning system to "create a more dynamic process which is predictable, proportionate, timely and delivers a generous and effective supply of land for housing".

Mr Brown said: "The Scottish Government is doing everything it can to support the house building industry and increase housing supply at this difficult time. Just last week, I announced an additional £2.5m for our New Supply Shared Equity with developers scheme, and we will continue to work with Homes for Scotland to launch the MI New Home mortgage indemnity scheme for new build housing in the near future.

"Action to improve the energy efficiency of Scotland's new and existing housing will be key to meeting Scotland's climate change targets. To support that, we will be consulting later this year on a draft Sustainable Housing Strategy, alongside proposals for new building standards for 2013. We will also launch a Greener Homes Innovation fund and we look forward to productive engagement with house builders and others on how best to provide affordable homes that are warmer and lower carbon emitting."

(GK)