PRESS RELEASE 6th MARCH 2025 GLAMPING INDUSTRIES TRADE ASSOCIATION RESPONDS TO GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL TO EXTEND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES TO GLAMPING The UK's new Glamping Industries Trade Association (GITA) has described Government plans to require Environmental Performance Certificates (EPCs) for Short Term Holiday Lets (SHLs) as "nuts." “Whilst the objective to improve the energy performance of buildings is laudable, there has been a serious failure of common sense within Government when it comes to this proposal.’, commented GITA Executive Manager, John White. “How on earth do you expect a tent, yurt, treehouse, pod, shepherd’s hut or other glamping unit to achieve the required EPC rating of C or above. The very nature of glamping, which by the way is the greenest form of tourism, is to provide an outdoor experience. Our units are part of that experience. You wouldn’t want your holiday yurt, for example, to have 150 mm of insulating foam wrapped around it just so you can meet a performance requirement designed for bricks and mortar residential buildings.’ GITA’s response was submitted as the official consultation on amending the Energy Performance of Buildings Regime came to a close last week and was followed up by a letter to the responsible Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Minister, Baroness Taylor. “It is clear throughout the consultation that bricks and mortar holiday accommodation was in their minds when they drafted this proposal.”, continued White, “It is now our job to get them to understand the seriously adverse impacts on our sector if this ever sees the light of day. We have requested a meeting with the Minister and put our Members on alert that they might need to lobby their MPs if we get nowhere. I hope we do, as this proposal does nothing to advance their stated public policy objective of achieving a zero-carbon economy.” GITA also expressed concern that possessing an EPC could become a requirement to appear on the long-awaited Register of Tourist Accommodation, promised by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS). “If that turned out to be the case, the Government would be disenfranchising a £500 million green part of the tourism industry from a scheme that would drive sales. That is unfair, anti-competitive and plain wrong.” “We have suggested that Government simply drops the proposal to extend the EPC regime to SHLs. If they won’t do that they must exempt glamping units.”, concluded White. It is understood that GITA has requested an urgent meeting with the Minister to set out its case and has a meeting this week with DCMS officials to discuss the Tourist Accommodation Register where EPCs are on the agenda. To join GITA visit www.gitauk.org. ENDS – 426 words About GITA(UK) The Glamping Industries Trade Association UK (GITA) is the trade association dedicated to supporting and promoting the glamping industry. GITA provides its members with valuable resources, industry insights, networking opportunities, and advocacy to ensure the continued success and growth of glamping businesses.
GITA Responds to EPC Consultation
In its response to the formal consultation, which closed at the end of February, GITA has opposed the Government's proposals to extend the Environmental Performance Certificate regime to glamping .