Britain’s most energy efficient homes are concentrated in areas undergoing major regeneration, according to new data from property intelligence platform Searchland.
Analysis of internal Searchland data across all Local Planning Authority (LPA) areas in Great Britain reveals that only three areas – all sites of significant redevelopment – boast average Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings above a C.
Ebbsfleet Garden City, West London’s Old Oak and Park Royal, and East London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park all achieve a B rating, with average EPC scores of 84, 81, and 80 respectively.
Outside of these major projects, no area in Britain averages above a C. However, several LPAs do achieve upper-end C ratings, reflecting broader trends in new-build growth and housing stock renewal.
TOP 10 NON-REGENERATION AREAS
Hugh Gibbs, Co-founder of Searchland, says: “These results show just how closely linked energy performance is to new development. Where local authorities have embraced regeneration and new-build delivery, energy efficiency follows.”
Topping this list are the City of London and Peterborough, both achieving an average EPC score of 76. Other high performers include Tower Hamlets (75), Hackney (73) and a cluster of areas scoring 71: Westminster, Greenwich, Southwark, Crawley and Milton Keynes. Bath and North East Somerset rounds out the top ten with an average score of 70.
EFFICIENCY WITH AFFORDABILITY
Among the 10 most energy efficient non-regeneration areas, Peterborough stands out for affordability, with average property prices currently at £232,299 – well below the national average.
Other relatively affordable markets include Crawley (£324,823) and Milton Keynes (£329,196), while buyers looking in Bath & North East Somerset (£409,166) or Greenwich (£481,156) should expect to pay more. The remaining high-efficiency areas, particularly those in central London, command average prices exceeding £500,000.
NATIONAL PARKS LAG BEHIND
At the other end of the scale, some of the least energy efficient homes are found in Britain’s most picturesque – and protected – landscapes. Six LPA areas, including the Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia and Northumberland National Parks, all average an EPC rating of E. These areas typically feature older housing stock and face significant planning restrictions that limit new-build development.
Gibbs adds: “Boosting the energy efficiency of new homes is straightforward when starting from scratch.
“But improving the older housing stock, particularly in areas where construction is limited, remains a far greater challenge. The responsibility there rests largely with homeowners.
“While developers must continue to set high standards, reducing the carbon footprint of Britain’s residential sector depends just as much on retrofit efforts across existing homes.”
