Rishi Sunak is considering scrapping an environmental law dating back to U.K. membership of the European Union, as his government faces pressure to build more houses while fending off a voter backlash on pollution.
The prime minister’s team is looking at using his flagship regeneration bill to override a 2018 ruling that effectively bans house-building in areas where it risks polluting rivers and waterways, people familiar with the matter said. The proposed move comes after the Home Builders Federation lobby group blamed the "nutrient neutrality” rule for preventing construction of 120,000 homes.
Britain’s housing shortage is a contentious political issue ahead of a general election expected in 2024, with the Conservatives under fire after backing away from a manifesto pledge to build 300,000 homes a year.