The government says it will scrap “defective” environmental protection rules it accuses of blocking delivery of over 100,000 homes.
Environmental campaigners, however, are far from happy at the move, claiming they are a sop to commercial interests.
Using language clearly aimed at invoking a sense of Brexit boon, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) claims EU laws on nutrient neutrality are blocking developers from building new homes, even where planning permission is granted.
By ditching these “legacy EU laws”, the government claims it will not only unblock housebuilding between now and 2030, but also deliver an £18bn boost to the economy.
The ‘red tape’ will be scrapped through an amendment to the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill, currently in the House of Lords.
Housing secretary Michael Gove said the government is committed to building the homes the country needs, and “enhancing our environment”.
“The way EU rules have been applied has held us back,” he added. “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.”
In place of the EU rules, DLUHC says new environmental measures will be put in place to “tackle pollution at source” and restore habitats.
This includes doubling investment in Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme to £280m to ensure – the government says – that it is able to offset the “very small amount” of additional nutrient discharge attributed to new homes built between now and 2030.
Furthermore, Natural England will work with local authorities, the private sector, and others to tackle nutrient pollution and work towards the long-term health and resilience of the river systems.
Meanwhile, the government says it intends to work with the house building industry to ensure that larger developers make an “appropriate and fair contribution” to this scheme over the coming years. To this end, it is discussing the right “structure and approach” with the Home Builders Federation (HBF).
The government says it will also accelerate work on full site restoration through further work on new Protected Site Strategies, which Natural England will draw up in partnership with local communities.
Environment secretary Thérèse Coffey, said: “These new plans will cut nutrients and help support England’s precious habitats whilst unlocking the new homes that local communities need.
“We are going to tackle the key causes of nutrients at source with over £200 million of funding to reduce run off from agriculture, and plans to upgrade waste water treatment works through conventional upgrades, catchment approaches and nature-based solutions.
“This builds on the key commitments made in our five-year strategy – our Environmental Improvement Plan – as well as our Plan for Water which brings forward more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement to protect our rivers.”
Housebuilders respond
Not surprisingly, perhaps, the housebuilding industry has given the government’s announcement a warm reception.
The HBF’s executive chairman, Stewart Baseley, said: “The industry is eager to play its part in delivering mitigation and protecting our waterways. We look forward to engaging with government on the right way to do so, now that ministers are acting upon the arguments that builders both large and small have been making for so long.
“With some areas having been blighted for four years, the prospect of a swift resolution will be much-needed good news companies on the verge of going out of business, their employees and for households most affected by housing affordability pressures.
“Builders will be able to bring forward otherwise stalled investment in communities and get spades in the ground so we need Parliament to get this solution onto the statute book.”
David Thomas, chief executive of Barratt Developments, said: “As the leading national sustainable housebuilder, we welcome the government’s commitment to tackle the disproportionate rules preventing much-needed and efficient new homes from being built, including 2,500 Barratt currently has stalled.
“Alongside plans to mitigate the relatively limited impact of new build housing, we welcome the further commitment to tackling nutrient pollution at source in agriculture and industry, and the much needed planned improvements in our water infrastructure.”
Jennie Daly, chief executive of Taylor Wimpey, said: “We are pleased that the government is proposing to address this important issue and is taking steps to reduce barriers to development. This will help deliver the country’s much needed new homes, which make a significant contribution to the wider economy.”
Colin Wood, chief executive of Story Homes, said: “The plan unlocks over 4,000 homes for our business creating a huge boost for the local economies and supply chains, all whilst facilitating delivery of much needed housing.
“Hundreds of jobs in the wider supply chain will be safeguarded as a result. The approach from the government achieves all this whilst delivering significant environmental measures to tackle the nutrient issue at source.”
In other reaction, Councillor Sam Chapman-Allen, chair of the District Councils Network, said: “Today’s action to tackle the unintended impact of nutrient neutrality rules on local housebuilding is excellent news for district councils.
“It will unblock tens of thousands of much needed new and affordable homes for more than forty of our member councils. It is good for local residents and good for local jobs. The District Councils’ Network has been calling for the Government to act to take the burden of cleaning up our rivers away from councils.
“We are pleased that it has listened and found a solution that includes substantial new funding to address the underlying pollution problem. We call on parliament to pass the legislation that will make this a reality.”
Councillor Darren Rodwell, the Local Government Association’s environment spokesperson, said: “Thousands of new homes are on hold due to river pollution and water level concerns, so we are pleased that the government has acted on our calls for urgent action and funding to address pollution at source.
“However, short-term local solutions are still needed to address environmental concerns about river pollution. Councils are calling for a doubling down on long-term action to protect rivers by focusing reducing pollution at source.
“Councils want to work together with government, agencies, developers and the agricultural sector to find ways address pollution locally so homes can be built, while doing everything possible to reduce pollution at source and maintain safe water level.”
Displeasure
Not everyone is happy with the government’s move to cut the ‘red tape’. Ahead of DLUHC’s announcement, the Wildlife Trusts effectively accused the government of placing private commercial interest ahead of the environment.
Craig Bennett, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “Make no mistake – this is a license from the government for the commercial housebuilding lobby to profit from the pollution of our rivers. Vague offers of money as compensation are not the same as a legislative requirement – and even the existing rules are extremely modest.
“The UK is ranked as one of the worst countries in Europe for water quality and the public are rightly outraged at our rivers being used as open sewers by water companies. Scrapping the rules that are merely trying to stop rivers becoming even more polluted will allow vested interests to make more money at the expense of our rivers and the natural environment.”
Image credit: lalanta71/Shutterstock
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