PM backs Gove in cross-department dispute to boost housebuilding

In an ongoing dispute between DEFRA and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) over ‘nutrient neutrality’, the Prime Minister has decided to intervene ‘to get house building moving.’

One government source has stated that he has likely involved himself because ‘the reality is that unless we can come up with an allowable work-around, then we simply can’t build the homes in very large parts of the country that we’ve promised. The PM has now indicated that he is backing Michael.’

DEFRA is opposed to watering down nutrient neutrality as is Natural England with the chairman of the body, Tony Juniper, stating that the change would endanger legal targets and further said: ‘we simply cannot halt and reverse the decline in nature or improve the quality of our rivers – as the government has legally committed itself to doing and is rightly demanded by the public – if we don’t mitigate the impact of pollution sources.’

In an attempt to allay fears that the government will water down nutrient neutrality to build more houses, a government spokesperson has said: ‘The government remains committed to delivering housing in areas impacted by nutrient neutrality and is supporting local authorities and developers. We recognise the urgency of this issue and have taken substantial steps to both unlock housing now and to address the underlying causes of nutrient pollution at source.’

The current cross-department dispute has placed the government in a difficult position. They are legally beholden to certain environmental targets and a failure to abide by these commitments could lead to further disruption from environmental groups, however the HBF said that a failure to act would have a devastating impact on housing needs.

Any tilting of the balance by the PM towards resolving the standoff is likely to be reflected in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill going through Parliament currently and can only be welcomed across the development sector which could finally see some meaningful support from Government!