AQW 24388/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 13/03/2025
Answered On Date: 25/03/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy how the outcome of the support for low carbon heat in the residential sector consultation will feed into the (i) review of planning legislation; and (ii) Housing Supply Strategy.

Answer:

My department is fully committed to working across government and playing its part in supporting the development of long-term sustainable energy solutions that support the delivery of Climate Change targets and growing our green economy. The Path to Net Zero Energy provides the policy framework to decarbonise energy and to mobilise the skills, technologies and behaviours required to transition our economy to net zero. The recent consultation on support for low carbon heat in residential buildings will ultimately seek to introduce a support scheme like those operating in Britain and south of Ireland. As part of this policy development process officials from my department worked with Department for Infrastructure colleagues to amend permitted development rights for domestic heat pumps with changes coming into effect from July 2023. This policy initiative aims to stimulate the heat pump sector which remains in its infancy. The development of skills and support for investment in the low carbon heating sector will be one component to help feed into the delivery of the Housing Supply Strategy however other policy initiatives will be required to drive change in how we build new private and social homes.