Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner have been issued a warning over a "reckless and unrealistic" plan to copy France’s net-zero housing laws.
French laws limit the carbon production of new builds over their lifetime, including their construction, forcing house builders to abide by the strict rules.
Since the laws were implemented across the Channel by Emmanuel Macron, construction costs have soared by around a fifth.
The rules have also been blamed for driving up construction costs, thwarting development and causing house prices to stagnate.
Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner have been warned over a plan to copy France’s net-zero housing laws
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Shadow Housing Secretary Kevin Hollinrake warned against this approach, suggesting it will hinder the Deputy Prime Minister's uphill battle to fulfil Labour’s manifesto promise to build 1.5 million new homes by 2030.
He said: "Adopting French-style regulations would seriously undermine house-building efforts in the UK.
"Already, Labour’s tax policies, reduction in housing starts and failure to control our borders are pricing British families out of the market.
"This latest proposal would only make things worse, leaving hard-working people with less chance of owning a home.
"Above all, it highlights once again the recklessness of Labour’s unrealistic net-zero targets. This must not go ahead."
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Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow housing secretary, warned against the approach
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Ministers in France have already begun to backtrack on the green scheme, with tougher restrictions scheduled for 2028, being reviewed.
Valérie Létard, the French housing minister, said that to "allow for faster projects", there was a need to find a better "balance of standards".
She added: "Urban planning and housing must serve our citizens and not be a source of administrative bottlenecks or a drop in purchasing power."
A leading consulting firm, BCG, supported claims that the regulations had sparked "a dramatic effect on construction costs and property values".
Ed Miliband is a strong supporter of Britain's push for net-zero
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In a note issued last year, experts wrote: "In new build, the rules require companies to use more energy-efficient materials and equipment.
"As a result, the cost of constructing a new building has risen by an estimated 10-20 per cent, significantly slowing demand."
Despite the criticisms, Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner’s departments have confirmed that they are looking at mirroring these tight rules in the UK.
It is the latest development in Miliband's push for extreme action against climate change in Britain.
Angela Rayner has said that there is "no excuse" not to meet her goal of 1.5 million new homes, with Sir Keir Starmer doubling down on the pledge.
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Estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest the Government will fail to reach its targets even without net-zero restrictions.
Only a million new homes are expected to be built in England, it's understood, according to the OBR figures
The findings also highlight that many of those homes would have been built anyway, regardless of the Government's planning reforms.
The watchdog says reforms introduced by Angela Rayner will only lead to an extra 170,000 homes in England, a quarter of the amount needed to hit her target.
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