Controversial plans to boost homebuilding by relaxing ‘defective EU laws’ on water pollution have been broadly welcomed by the industry despite the widespread outcry by environmental groups.
Housing secretary Michael Gove says the legacy laws on the release of nutrients from housing projects are holding up the building of 100,000 homes.
His department announced this week: “Through an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, the Government will do away with this red tape and allow for the delivery of more than 100,000 new homes desperately needed by local communities. Thanks to the government’s action, it is expected that developers could begin construction on these homes in a matter of months.”
Objectors point to the potential run-off of nutrients from sites that could cause algae and other pollutants in nearby rivers but the DLUHC says the amounts are very small in contrast to other government schemes to combat pollution in surface water.
Michael Gove said: ““We are committed to building the homes this country needs and to enhancing our environment. The way EU rules have been applied has held us back. These changes will provide a multi-billion pound boost for the UK economy and see us build more than 100,000 new homes.
“Protecting the environment is paramount which is why the measures we’re announcing today will allow us to go further to protect and restore our precious waterways whilst still building the much-needed homes this country needs.
“We will work closely with environmental agencies and councils as we deliver these changes.”
