Michael Gove has confirmed overnight briefings that the government is tearing up “nutrient neutrality” waterway pollution rules to unleash housebuilding across the UK. The restrictive EU laws, which blocked certain housing developments even when planning permission had already been granted, will be scrapped to allow up to 100,000 new homes to be built by 2030. The government estimates this will give an £18 billion boost to the economy…

Gove said this morning:

“We are committed to building the homes this country needs and to enhancing our environment. The way EU rules have been applied has held us back. These changes will provide a multi-billion pound boost for the UK economy and see us build more than 100,000 new homes. Protecting the environment is paramount which is why the measures we’re announcing today will allow us to go further to protect and restore our precious waterways whilst still building the much-needed homes this country needs.”

The minimal polluting discharge from new homes will be offset with a £280 million investment in a Nutrient Mitigation Scheme run by Natural England. Developers will no longer be obligated to offset the pollution at cost themselves. Time to get building…

Thames Water has today published an interactive map showing sewage dumping via storm overflows in real-time, after pressure from environmental campaigners. The scale of current failings in the system is pretty remarkable, with Thames Water saying the move shows they are “absolutely committed to protecting and enhancing our rivers.”

Naturally, Guido thought to check locally and see the state of SW1’s waterways. It turns out that the storm overflow on Horseferry Road has been pouring sewage into the Thames for nine hours now, starting at 6.45am.

We’re used to politicians talking sh*t, now they’re responsible for dumping it in the Thames too…