Rules
Future Homes Standard: solar on new-build homes explained
On 24 March 2026 the government added its response to the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation to GOV.UK. The 145-page response says the standards are intended to come into force on 24 March 2027 for most new building work, followed by a 12-month transition. Under that transition, a developer whose building control documents are submitted by 24 March 2027 can still build to the previous rules, provided construction starts by 24 March 2028 (unless other transitional provisions apply). Homes with solar are therefore likely to arrive in stages through 2027 and 2028, not on one day. Some press coverage talks about 2028 alone, which is the end of that transition rather than the start date.
The solar part is a change from the original consultation. The response says the government plans a new legal requirement to install a renewable electricity generation system when a building that is or contains a dwelling is erected. The system can be on the building or within its curtilage (the land belonging to it). It must make electricity available to the residents and produce a reasonable output, taking account of the design and surroundings. Supporting guidance says the requirement will be met by solar panels covering the equivalent of 40% of each dwelling's ground floor area, though other methods are allowed.
There are limits. The response says lower coverage is reasonable where design features get in the way, and that if a roof cannot produce 720 kWh a year, no panels need be fitted. It describes 720 kWh a year as roughly less than 2 panels. Buildings with a storey at least 18m above ground that contain dwellings are exempt. So this is a rule with room for judgement, not a promise that every new roof will be covered.
What does that mean for someone buying a new-build around Faversham? First, ask what is actually fitted: the size of the array in kWp (kilowatts peak, its rated output), whether it faces a sensible direction, and whether a battery is included. Second, ask who owns and maintains it. Third, treat any bill saving claim with care. The response sets out standards for builders and does not tell you what your own bill will be. Our arithmetic, for scale only: 40% of a 50 square metre ground floor is 20 square metres of panels, but your real figure depends on the roof and the design, so ask the developer for the actual specification.
What does it mean for owners of older homes? Nothing is required. The response says homes built to these standards will not need retrofitting to become zero carbon in use once the grid is fully decarbonised. It is about new homes, not a duty on existing ones. If you already own a house in Faversham and want solar, the sums stand on their own. Our costs page shows typical ranges, our solar and battery page explains how the two work together, and our planning and network approval guide covers the paperwork.
One thing we have not confirmed: the final regulations and Approved Document wording. We read the consultation response, which describes them, not the finished statutory instrument, so check the detail with the developer or building control before relying on a specific figure.
Read the original: GOV.UK (MHCLG): The Future Homes and Buildings Standards, consultation response. Figures come from that page. Where we do our own sums we say so. Commentary is our own view, not advice.
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