Building rule change could see 20,000 new homes

The new Labour government has said it will build "in a way that will protect and restore nature"

Twenty-thousand new homes may be built in the West amid government plans to relax river pollution rules.

Restrictions were brought in to stop water quality in areas like the Somerset Levels from getting worse, but changes are set to be made to boost housebuilding.

The secretary of state for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said: “Labour has a mandate to build the additional homes this country needs, 1.5 million over the lifetime of this Parliament."

But developer Chris Winter said the plans appear to "kick the problem further down the road".

Four years ago, action was taken over water that was officially in “unfavourable condition” due to nutrient pollution, which can be worsened by human activity.

This meant developers in affected areas, including Somerset and Wiltshire, were told they would have to pay for expensive mitigation measures - but now they may get more time to do that work.

Mr Reed added that news homes had to be built "in a way that will protect and restore nature”.

Some housebuilders are unconvinced.

'Can't see the benefit'

Mr Winter from West of England Developments has for four years had problems in Somerset.

One project with just seven houses at present requires mitigation measures costing £130,000.

“My first impression of it is that we’re just kicking the problem further down the road.

“On the face of it, it may sound good, but at the moment I can't see the benefit for developers," he said.

Chris Winter said he was not yet able to see the benefit for developers

Also wary are environmental groups, who have long warned of the polluted state of watercourses on the Somerset Levels.

“We welcome any improvements that would allow homes to be built more quickly without weakening the protections,” says Ali Morse, water policy manager at The Wildlife Trusts.

But she added that “developers should not profit at the expense of the health of our rivers".