After a spirited discussion, the Labour government rejected the proposal, citing several salient reasons.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “The NFB has been at the forefront of highlighting the barriers to mandating solar panels on new builds and identifying solutions so we can.

“Thankfully, the Government has recognised some of these, and we hope they continue to engage on this topic and work with us on solutions.”

The Bill, which included penalties for non-delivery and required local authorities to administer the regulation, also included exemption clauses for viability, building height, space availability, and whether other renewable energy was installed.

It did not seek to mandate solar on public buildings.

Minister for Planning Matthew Pennycook, who represented the Government, highlighted the costs to local authorities on delivery and enforcement, the skills challenge and the design period for projects far exceeding the 18 months required by the 1 October 2026 deadline.

Pennycook also highlighted the negative impact on housing supply. Such a requirement would see many projects come to a standstill while being redesigned or, worse, become unviable.

Rico Wojtulewicz, head of policy and market insight at the NFB said: “What wasn’t much discussed was the grid, and this is perhaps the most critical factor because it’s already difficult enough to get DNOs to provide connections and infrastru60cture for heat pumps, let alone the works to feed electricity back to the grid.

Who will buy a home without electricity or with a temporary supply? When surveying NFB members, the problem is not the solar panels but the grid connections. Their costs, delays in completing reinforcement works, and lack of transparency and timeline for works, for example, a date or even year when works will be completed are the main issues!"