ACE confirms Pickles’ judicial review

The Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE) has confirmed that it is to seek a Judicial Review over Eric Pickles’ decision to scrap the “consequential improvement” rules.

The consequential improvements addition to the Building Regulations would have required households and businesses undertaking extension work to ensure their properties meet minimum energy efficiency standards.

ACE Director Andrew Warrenissued a statement which said the group will be “proceeding with the judicial review process against Eric Pickles, regarding his complete volte face on implementing the “consequential improvements ” section of his Part L building regulations consultation”.

“We want to see a speedy resolution of this matter, so that we can begin to see some of the benefits which Mr Pickles identified last year would accrue from implementing his original “consequential improvements” strategy, of £11bn savings to the economy, 130 million lifetime tonnes of carbon dioxide , and 2.2 million more households benefitting from the Green Deal,” Warren said.

Pickles axed the regulations last December, after a number of newspapers criticised the proposal and branded it a “conservatory tax”, arguing that requiring households to meet energy efficiency standards would drive up the cost of home improvement work.

He justified the decision by citing the results of an Energy Savings Trust survey that revealed 38% of households and businesses would be put off undertaking home improvement work if the “consequential improvement” requirements were introduced.

However, ACE says the EST report also revealed broad support for the proposals, and that Pickles is ignoring the 82% of consultation responses that were in favour.