Autumn statement is ‘missed opportunity’, says Green Building Council

The UK Green Building Council has described chancellor George Osborne’s autumn statement as a “missed opportunity”.

While the UK-GBC welcomed confirmation of a £200m investment to drive take up of the Green Deal, it noted that there were no further incentives for the retrofitting scheme in the autumn statement.

Paul King, chief executive of UK-GBC, said Osborne had failed to provide a coherent strategy for making Britain more sustainable.

King said: “We’re kidding ourselves if we think George Osborne has seen the light.

“References to sustainability in the National Infrastructure Plan don’t seem to be part of any kind of overarching strategy.

“This was an opportunity missed to put green growth and green jobs at the heart of economic recovery.

But King welcomed confirmation of the Green Deal investment: “Buried in the autumn report is confirmation that government is committing £200m over two years to incentivise take up of the Green Deal.

“That’s great news and a huge victory for DECC, although we still have to wait until next year for the detail.”