'Giving up on waterways': Ministers scrap anti-pollution housebuilding rules

A planning law which protected rivers and their wildlife from harmful chemicals is to be scrapped, making it easier for housing developers to build more homes, as ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew reports

Ministers have been accused of giving up on Britain's already "sickly, sewage-infested rivers" with a new plan to scrap anti-pollution housebuilding rules in parts of England.

The government is removing EU laws on nutrient neutrality which it says will allow over 100,000 new homes to be built after their completion was held up by the "red tape".

Nutrient neutrality rules are in place to ensure natural environments are not polluted by new building project and while the government admits "nutrients entering our rivers are a real problem," it claims the impact made by new homes is "very small".

That position is vehemently opposed by environmental charity Greenpeace, with policy director Doug Parr, who asked: “Who would look at our sickly, sewage-infested rivers and conclude that what they need is weaker pollution rules?"

He added: "Scrapping or weakening limits on chemicals from sewage and farm run-offs would be a sure sign that ministers have completely given up on saving our great waterways and the precious wildlife they host."

But ministers insist any additional pollution to waterways will be mitigated by newly funded schemes and previous rules will become guidance housebuilders will be encouraged to follow.

The Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities said it is doubling investment to schemes run by Natural England to "ensure it is sufficient to offset the very small amount of additional nutrient discharge attributable to 100,000 new homes between now and 2030.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has been under pressure from his backbenches to row back on environmental policies, said it is "not right" that "hangover EU laws get in the way" of housebuilding.

"So I'm cutting the red tape to unlock thousands of new homes and I’m stepping up action to protect our environment."

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Support for green policies has been waning in some sections of the Conservative Party after its opposition to Labour's anti-pollution road laws in London allowed it to scrape a recent by-election victory.

Housing Secretary Gove said the changes will provide a new multi-billion pound boost for the economy" and new funding will "allow us to go further to protect and restore our precious waterways".

"We will work closely with environmental agencies and councils as we deliver these changes."

The financial burden to mitigate nutrient pollution for new housing will be shifted from developers to taxpayers under the changes.

Environmentalists however were quick to question the logic of this, pointing out how some housing firms make hundreds of millions in profit each year, with Taylor Wimpey reportedly making £923.4m last year.

Environment Secretary Therese 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."

But river-health campaigner Feargal Sharkey and former The Undertones singer accused the government of lying about its commitment to the environment.

On social media platform X, he posted: "The last pretence that this govt gives a hoot about the environment finally blown asunder."

Prime Minister Sunak insisted his government was still committed to the environment.

He told broadcasters: "Of course we want to get to net zero, but we just want to do that in a proportionate and pragmatic way that does not unnecessarily burden families and households in the process.

"We have got a proud track record on tackling climate change, we have reduced our emissions faster than pretty much any developed country."

Housebuilders have welcomed the plans.

Executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation Stewart Baseley said: "Today's very welcome announcement has the potential to unlock housing delivery across the country, from Cornwall to the Tees Valley, where housebuilding has been blocked despite wide acknowledgement that occupants of new homes are responsible for only a tiny fraction of the wastewater finding its ways into rivers and streams.

"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."

Which areas will have anti-pollution housebuilding rules relaxed?

Twenty-seven areas of England have been selected for the rule change - the majority of which had previously been protected.

  • Lindisfarne SPA/Ramsar

  • Roman Walls Loughs SAC

  • River Eden SAC

  • River Derwent & Bassenthwaite Lake SAC

  • Esthwaite Water Ramsar

  • River Kent SAC

  • Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA/Ramsar

  • Hornsea Mere SPA

  • Rostherne Mere Ramsar

  • West Midlands Mosses SAC (Abbotts Moss) Oak Mere SAC

  • Peak District Dales SAC

  • Oak Mere SAC

  • West Midlands SAC (Wynbunbury Moss)

  • River Mease SAC

  • River Wensum SAC

  • The Broads SAC

  • River Clun SAC

  • River Lugg

  • River Lambourn SAC

  • River Camel SAC

  • Somerset Levels & Moors Ramsar

  • River Avon SAC

  • River Axe SAC

  • Poole Harbour SPA/Ramsar

  • Chesil and the Fleet SAC/Ramsar/SPA

  • River Itchen SAC

  • Solent (various SAC/SPA)

  • Stodmarsh SAC/Ramsar

A Ramsar site is a wetland area designated to be of international importance because it is rare, unique or important in conserving biological diversity.

An SPA (Special Protection Areas) is a site protected for birds and an SAC (Special Area of Conservation) is where the government is required to make a significant contribution to conserving the habitats and species identified.