It’s a matter of months until gas and oil boilers could be banned from newly-constructed buildings, but there’s no date for existing buildings.

The ban on installing fossil fuel heating systems in new buildings is already planned to come into force on January 1, 2025, but a consultation has been created to find out whether the public would welcome this change earlier.

Through the Climate Change Action Plan 2022-27, Tynwald has endorsed this action to encourage this sooner, which would mean it would come into force as soon as August 1 this year.

Chair of the Climate Change Transformation Board, Daphne Caine MHK, feels there has been a considerable notice period for the potential of bringing forward the ban on fossil fuel heating systems.

The consultation is currently gathering views on proposals to refuse building control approval on applications for new builds and extensions with fossil fuel heating systems.

Mrs Caine says the ban was first mentioned in the original Bill back in 2019, so that developers had several years to prepare.

‘Around 210 new homes are built every year,’ she said. ‘The proposal to bring forward the date by a year to 2023 was included in the five year action plan 2022-27 approved by Tynwald last year.

‘However, we appreciate the implications for individuals, developers and heating engineers to achieve that hence the current consultation to take on board the opinions of the community.

‘I am pleased it has had a lot of feedback with more than 250 responses so far. Some developers are already offering air source heat pumps as standard, which is very encouraging.’

She said that the industry could operate with ‘long lead-in times’, so the proposal doesn’t bring forward the date when installation becomes an offence, but allows a phased approach to the ban.

Mrs Caine said the consultation serves as ‘useful promotion’ of the forthcoming switch to alternative heating systems.

She added: ‘Anyone who is considering new builds including extensions should consider the best low carbon alternative in the knowledge that after January 1, 2025, they will be unable to install a fossil fuel heating system.’

slammed

The earlier ban on fossil fuel heating systems in new builds was slammed by Ramsey Commissioners.

Commissioner Steve Kelly’s concern was the effect it could have on first-time buyers by pushing up property prices.

Rob Cowell thought the scheme itself was laudable but the target date was ‘questionable’.

Ffinlo Williams said the proposed new date was ‘far too last minute’ for anyone to plan around it, especially if someone was building their own house and had already spent a lot of money on architects’ fees for a house heated in the traditional way.

Mrs Caine noted in response that proposals do provide an exception for those who already have planning permission.

This means that any planning applications which are approved after August 1, 2023, will not be given building control approval if they still intend on using fossil fuel heating systems.

Ramsey commissioner Luke Parker felt the team was ‘massively jumping the gun’, saying: ‘We’ve had over a century of heating our homes with fossil fuels, whereas this new technology has not yet stood the test of time.

‘It’s taking away people’s choices.’

Meanwhile, there is no date yet to introduce this ban to existing buildings.

The government says there is, however, a commitment in the Climate Change Action Plan to produce a Renewable Heating Strategy by the end of this year.

This will contain a ‘road map’ for the phase out of fossil fuel heating systems.

Mrs Caine suggested the Isle of Man is likely to watch the UK to see what date it brings in for existing buildings. She added that it could be linked to the decarbonising of the electricity supply, meaning it’s possible it could come in around 2030 if the Manx Utilities Authority has commissioned a second interconnector by then.

The chair of the MUA most recently gave a potential date of 2028 for a new marine interconnector between the island and Great Britain for the supply of electricity. It will also depend on the industry gearing up to meet demand.

The proposal to stop considering new builds with fossil fuel heating systems could result in an estimated 62% reduction in CO2 emissions by installing low carbon heating systems in these homes instead.

The public consultation aims to gather views from individuals and the construction industry, which builds around 210 new homes each year.

The proposals are part of the Isle of Man’s commitment to be net zero by 2050, which includes emission reduction targets for key sectors, including the heating of buildings.

planning

In 2025, gas and oil boilers will not be able to be installed in new homes and buildings, irrespective of if an applicant has current planning or building control approval.

Introducing these proposals would reduce the number of plans that would need to be resubmitted or amended to accommodate a non-fossil fuel heating system when the ban comes into force.

The consultation will run until May 12, 2023, and is available on the government’s consultation hub.