Sunak Housing Plan Blocked as Lords Vote to Keep Pollution Law
- UK government said 100,000 more homes could have been built
- Labour accused ministers of reckless approach to environment
A home under construction in Northfleet, UK.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Rishi Sunak suffered a major setback in his plan to rip up environmental rules to boost housebuilding, after the House of Lords voted against the government following a backlash from green groups.
The Conservative administration had pledged to relax “nutrient neutrality” laws inherited from the European Union that ban builders — or require them to mitigate impact — from developing in areas where water is in a poor condition. It would unblock the construction of 100,000 new homes by 2030, it said.