European threat to eco-home law

A plan to ensure homes in the UK are carbon neutral by 2016 through developers having to engage clean energy companies could be subject to a legal challenge.

The blueprint is for so-called energy service companies to be deployed to provide low-carbon or renewable energy on-site for new housing developments, but a ruling in the European Court of Justice that no energy company can have a monopoly on the power generation on a site may put off the energy companies from this kind of work, Inside Housing reports.

Lawyer Chris Baker explained to the magazine that without the guarantee of the future business energy companies may be deterred from getting involved in such projects.

He said: "Onsite power generation is at the heart of the current sustainability in the real estate industry and if this becomes unworkable it is inconceivable that the government's zero-carbon target can be hit."

Those concerned that large-scale zero-carbon housing development may not be achievable may seek to ensure that at least their own house reaches this level by the self build of their own eco-home.

Critics of large-scale eco-building such as eco towns include former government advisor Lord Rogers, who has branded the government's eco town plan "a big mistake", reports the Daily Telegraph.

He argued that these will lack sustainability.