New measures may be introduced to break the planning logjam caused by nutrient neutrality measures for new homes.

Industry figures from the Home Builders Federation suggest more than 100,000 residential properties are held up in the planning system nationwide, including many in Dorset, the South and South East.

Now, reports have indicated that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Housing Secretary Michael Gove are considering an amendment to the government’s flagship Levelling Up Bill to break the impasse.

This could include regulations allowing homes to be approved ahead of the implementation of new infrastructure and measures to achieve nutrient neutrality.

It has also been suggested that the government will seek to quash a decision by the EU Court of Justice from November of 2018 which led to guidance from Natural England for local authorities about new housing developments which add to the nutrient load on internationally protected sites.

Nutrient neutrality is a complex issue involving agricultural pollution as well as the impact of housing development.

However what is straightforward, is that a breakthrough is urgently needed one way or another to deliver much needed homes to help relieve the national housing crisis.