The Guardian reports that:
Michael Gove is planning to rip up water pollution rules that builders have blamed for exacerbating England’s housing crisis but which environmental groups say are essential for protecting the country’s rivers.
The housing secretary, with Thérèse Coffey, the environment secretary, will announce the move on Tuesday, according to several people briefed on the plans, alongside hundreds of millions of pounds’ worth of extra funding to mitigate the potential impact on England’s waterways.
The decision will spark anger among environmentalists, who say it will further add to water pollution, as water companies are already dumping raw sewage into rivers and seas. Political advisers say water pollution has already become a major political issue in coastal areas, and has the potential to cost the Conservatives important seats at the next election.
Tim Farron has reacted angrily:
Not content with the levels of pollution in our rivers already, scrapping nutrient neutrality is a disgraceful act from the government. The Conservatives seem happy for Britain’s rivers to get even worse.
* Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary in print, on air or online.
Follow @libdemvoice.org on Bluesky
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our feed
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Violent Bonham Carter features on Fake or Fortune?
Have resignations led to a rethink?
High Fell leaflet watch (2)
Two new Makerfield by-election polls gives Burnham 5 and 12 point leads
theakes
Peter Martin
Chloe
Jana
6 Comments
Is this decision likely to harm Mr Gove’s post parliamentary career?
Interestingly one of our leaders in local government, Keith House, has taken a different position on this:
https://twitter.com/CllrKeithHouse/status/1696466354487136407?t=8YSV-jmwgLG2-23o7819PA&s=19
Blaming environmental rules for the housing crisis is always disingenuous, we haven’t physically run out of land that can be built on without damaging the environment and even if we had we can always build upwards. And if the private sector is unwilling to do so and build enough then there’s nothing to stop the government from stepping in and doing so other than a lack of political will.
The government of Singapore did both of the last two to solve thier housing crisis for and has never looked back.
So the government in the announcement, is already admitting this will permit substandard development for which the public will pick up the bill.
The regulations are only onus for those who don’t want to make the effort, the major builders are particularly good at complaining, but very slow at change – they are the main reason why the uk wasn’t building low carbon homes 20 years ago and the regulations of 20 years ago were no better than what could readily be achieved by a few (minor) improvements to a 1975 standard house.
@David – Singapore has net migration, which greatly helps with maintaining a supply of housing with little new development…
No it won’t as there is an obsession with populist house building at the moment whether it be on green spaces or at the expense of water pollution. The same people who claim to be environmentalists of the green lobby variety then back mass building development whether it’s commercial or domestic, causing far more global emissions than traffic but then that’s all part of their ideology.
The housing crisis is partly down to a lack of proper long-term planning from government and councils, but the housebuilders themselves have their share of responsibility. Land-banking continues to be a problem, and attempts to reduce regulation are simply ploys to maximise profit margins.
It’s not just the impact on the wider environment, we’ve allowed far too much substandard housing which builds up problems for the future for those residents and the communities in which they are built. If we are serious about being a party that supports mental health and the NHS then we should push for housing that supports good mental and physical health. Not everyone needs their own garden, but access to green spaces has been proven to be essential for physical and mental health. New housing estates should be accessible by public transport with cycling routes and storage so people who can’t drive don’t become isolated.