Sustainability is meant to be for everyone but when it comes to housing and communities, is sustainable living actually more of a luxury?

In this episode of BE Sustainable, we ask a bold question: are ‘sustainable communities’ genuinely inclusive, or are they the preserve of the middle classes?

The discussion comes in light of the UK Government’s latest New Towns proposal, which calls for 12 new settlements and at least 10,000 homes in each - with 40% designated as affordable and with an eye on environmental sustainability. But are ‘sustainable’ new builds more expensive to build? And if so, are we pricing lower-income workers and families out of the sustainable housing market?

In this studio debate, host Mike Speight is joined by two leading voices shaping the future of British housing:

• Professor Samer Bagaeen, Head of Town Planning at the University of the Built Environment and Vice-President-elect of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
• Dr Elanor Warwick, Head of Strategy, Policy, Evidence and Research at Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest social landlord.

Sources of ‘Sustainable Housing UK’ topics discussed:

1. UK Government’s New Towns proposal

2. Clarion Housing Group Annual Report

3. Annual UK Fuel Poverty statistics - 2024

4. Energy Efficiency of Housing in England and Wales: 2025

5. The Guardian article on increases in housing Service Charges