CHANGES to building regulations over recent years make it a legal requirement that any new or replacement boiler or glazing must be highly energy efficient, and in new builds or extensions wall cavities and roof voids must be fully insulated (the required depth of glass wool insulation in a loft is now 270mm against 100mm in the 1980s).

These matters are dealt with by City of York Council's building control department, and apply to alterations and new building work whether or not planning consent is required.

From what I have read in The Press concerning Wheldrake School, the planning committee appear to be using the need to address "environmental issues", which I take to mean such things as additional car journeys created, inappropriately.

The danger with this approach to planning is that we could easily end up with the Bonding Warehouse or a lap-dancing casino; complete with wind turbine, solar panels and clad in straw bales, naturally.

City of York Council will be in a good position to use the results from the Eco Depot, when it is up and running, to lobby for further upgrading of the energy conservation aspects of the building regulations. However, I get the feeling our Lib Dems know their horizon is unlikely to extend beyond May 2007.

Keith Wellburn, The Village, Strensall, York.