Council criticised for giving green light to new fossil fuel-reliant homes

Nearly 400 new homes will reportedly be dependent on fossil fuels for heating and hot water

Southwark Council’s planning committees reportedly gave the green light to nearly 400 new council homes that rely on fossil fuels for heating and hot water.

That’s according to data obtained by the borough’s Liberal Democrats who claim that the local authority’s officials gave the go-ahead to all these new buildings since March last year.

They note these buildings represent a 41% share of all council homes approved in Southwark since July.

Their report also suggests that almost 79% of all emissions in the borough come from housing.

Councillor Hamish McCallum, Southwark Liberal Democrat leader told ELN: “Southwark Labour has clearly failed to appreciate the importance of acting on the climate emergency now with its own housing stock.

“We requested that the council ensure new housing on its own land is low carbon by design so as to avoid being stuck with more polluting homes in the future. But, the party sadly rejected this proposal at a council assembly late last year.”

In October, the government announced that all new gas boiler installations will be banned across the UK by 2035.

ELN has contacted Southwark Council for a response.

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