ISEP responds to new Environmental Audit Committee Report on Environmental Sustainability and Housing Growth

Signe Norberg, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals, said: "Nature is not a blocker to housing growth, but a vital component of building resilient communities. It underpins human wellbeing, our economy, and our livelihoods, and it provides critical services, such as regulating the flow of flood water and mitigating of environmental hazards. The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) welcomes the findings of the Environmental Audit Committee’s report into environmental sustainability and housing growth. We strongly support the Committee’s recognition that nature is not a “blocker” to housing delivery but a vital component of building resilient communities.

To deliver projects at speed, it is essential that real blockers are tackled. There is uncertainty around where the new Environmental Outcome Reports will sit alongside other reform measures in the planning system, and there is insufficient incentives for low-carbon construction and retrofitting, with severe skills shortages in ecology, planning and impact assessment. Addressing these challenges is essential if we are to deliver housing targets without compromising legally binding climate and nature commitments.

Aligning planning reforms more explicitly with environmental objectives presents a significant opportunity to deliver the housing and infrastructure the country needs while meeting legally binding climate and nature targets. However, as the report rightly highlights, this will require clarity and ambition in implementation.

At present, there remains uncertainty around how proposed planning reforms will ensure robust environmental protections and how the various changes will interact. For example, the role and operation of future Environmental Outcome Reports alongside the new system proposed under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill need to be clearly defined to avoid gaps or duplication.

ISEP also echoes the Committee’s concerns regarding skills shortages in ecology, planning, and construction. Without urgent investment in capacity-building and training, the ambition to deliver 1.5 million homes while safeguarding environmental standards will be at risk. We support the recommendation for local ecological resource hubs and call for a comprehensive workforce strategy that addresses these critical gaps.

Finally, we welcome the emphasis on incentivising low-carbon construction, retrofitting, and biodiversity net gain. These measures are essential to achieving a built environment that is both sustainable and resilient. We urge the Government to accelerate policies that reward climate-friendly practices and ensure that nature-based solutions are embedded at the heart of housing growth.

ISEP stands ready to work with policymakers, industry, and local authorities to ensure that housing delivery and environmental sustainability go hand in hand.