The House of Lords Built Environment Committee has today released a report calling on Government to deliver a new strategy to meet its housing and environmental ambitions.

The report, 'The impact of environmental regulations on development', argues that environmental regulations are currently having a disproportionate impact on smaller home builders, with nutrient neutrality requirements described as ‘unsustainable’.

Lord Moylan, who chairs the Committee, has warned that the Government’s current approach to managing the conflict between new homes and the environment is ‘failing to deliver for either side’, with the Government currently not on track to deliver either its environmental or housing goals.

The Home Builders Federation responds to the report: “The report recognises our key concern that whilst doing nothing to improve the state of our rivers, the political failure to find a solution is exacerbating our already critical housing crisis.

"The impact of the mishandling of the issue by politicians and Government quangos is having a devastating impact socially and economically, in particular on SMEs.

"With proper leadership it is eminently possible to deliver the homes the country needs and enhance our natural environment and after four long years of failure we urgently need politicians to implement a solution."