Developers have hit out at government plans to unblock housing supply halted due to environmental concerns.
The building of more than 100,000 homes has been delayed by “nutrient neutrality” orders issued by Natural England, in an effort to protect waterways from further pollution. But the Home Builders Federation has said proposals to make water companies clean up their mess lack “the scale or urgency” required to restart construction.
Ministers had hoped to resolve the impasse by imposing a legal duty on water companies to upgrade wastewater treatment plants by 2030 and funding new woodlands and wetlands, which can absorb wastewater from new developments rather than leaving it to run off into already polluted waterways.
Environment secretary George Eustice said the measures would “protect England’s wildlife and precious habitats from the impacts of nutrient pollution, whilst ensuring communities receive the new homes they need”.
But while HBF policy director David O’Lear welcomed ministers’ effort to “find solutions”, he said: “The proposals do not match the scale or urgency of the issue and would take years to implement.”
