City's challenge to "green" building law over first hurdle (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

City's challenge to "green" building law over first hurdle

January 19, 2010 2:24 PM

Cambridge City Council's bid to make significant changes to the law governing "green" building has passed its first hurdle.

It wants the law to allow it to keep all income from council house rents and sales so that it can use the money to build new sustainable housing in the city. It also wants to encourage and achieve higher energy efficiency in buildings.

The ideas were put forward under the terms of the Sustainable Communities Act 2006 and have been backed by the Local Government Association.

Now the LGA will put them together with proposals from other councils and take them to the government to see whether they can be implemented.

Cambridge City Councillor Amanda Taylor said: "In Cambridge, we have been enthusiastic about this Act for some time. I was delighted when the city council voted through my motion supporting it; all part of the campaign to get the government to do so.

"Cambridge City Council was the only council in Cambridgeshire to put forward any suggestions. It did so with the help of a whole range of groups and individuals, including schools, colleges and businesses, who were involved in the process of coming up with ideas.

"Our ideas were narrowed down to four and the LGA supported two of them. This is the first hurdle and we are optimistic for the future."