Government accused of caving in to building lobby amid plans to shake up housing sector in England

The UK government is yet to publish its long-awaited ‘future homes standard’, requiring new homes to be built with low-carbon equipment such as heat pumps and solar panels. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

The government has been accused of bowing to lobbying by housebuilders, in proposals that would prevent English local authorities from pursuing improvements to low-carbon homes standards.

Under a consultation on planning rules, councils would be issued with guidance that would effectively limit their scope to demand builders construct new homes within their areas to the highest possible standards.