Wellingborough councillor's petition calls for mandatory air conditioning in new-build homes

Wellingborough is flanked by new build estates on its norther edge with Glenvale Park, its eastern side with Stanton Cross, and to the southwest with Waendel View, which have substantially increased the size of the town, and seen thousands find a home in Wellingborough.

Cllr Faith Hewitt (Conservative), who serves the Victoria ward on Wellingborough Town Council, believes all new build homes should require energy-efficient air conditioning and heating systems.

Cllr Hewitt said: “This is not simply about comfort. It is about housing standards, public health and protecting vulnerable people, including older residents, disabled people, young children and people with health conditions who may be particularly affected by extreme indoor temperatures.”

Temperatures in Northamptonshire have soared this summer, reaching highs of 37 degrees, with Northamptonshire officially declared in drought status on August 10.

Cllr Hewitt, a resident of Glenvale Park, believes building regulations need to be updated to ensure homes remain safe during ‘increasingly frequent extreme heat and cold caused by climate change.’

She added: “We have experienced an extreme temperature, and it made me think about vulnerable people.

"We’re building homes that will be around for decades. We need to do something because the climate is changing.

“I’m not pretending it won’t be expensive, but the principle behind it is bigger.”

Cllr Hewitt is hoping to amass 10,000 signatures, which would mean it would received a formal written response from the government.

The petition closes on January 27, 2027, and can be found here.