UK Government to Build 12 Sustainable New Towns for Housing and Climate Action
Minister Steve Reed has announced a significant step towards tackling the UK's housing crisis and climate change. The government plans to build 12 new towns, with a strong focus on social security and sustainability.
The initiative comes as the National Energy Foundation (NEF) and the Social Guarantee propose delivering housing as a universal basic service (UBS). This approach aims to meet everyone's housing needs without harming the environment. The Climate Change Committee has stressed the necessity of near-complete elimination of greenhouse gas emissions from UK buildings to meet climate change targets.
Currently, one fifth of UK carbon emissions come from residential buildings, and emissions from construction and demolition are dangerously high and rising. The government aims to build 1.5 million homes, but a more sustainable solution involves redistributing existing empty or under-used housing space. There is more of this space than people with unmet housing needs, making it a crucial part of the solution.
The new towns will be central to this vision, with much more social security and a focus on sustainability. The government's ambition is to create secure, energy-efficient, and affordable neighborhoods. This approach not only addresses the housing crisis but also helps combat climate change by reducing emissions from the construction and demolition process.
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