David Strong, chief executive of sustainability consultancy Inbuilt, said the decision "beggared belief" after the government had committed itself to reduce carbon emissions 80%.

The proposals were contained in the draft consultation on the 2010 version of Part L of the Building Regulations but abandoned at short notice from the final consultation by housing minister John Healy.

The draft, published last week, proposed that homeowners spend 10% of their budget for an extension on "consequential improvements" to upgrade the energy efficiency of the rest of the property.

The decision is the second time such an improvement plan has been dropped: in 2006, then housing minister Yvette Cooper removed them from that year's revisions to Part L.

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