England’s rivers at risk as Michael Gove rips up rules on new housing

Exclusive: Announcement set to anger environmentalists, but builders say nutrient neutrality laws are exacerbating housing crisis

Michael Gove is planning to rip up water pollution rules that builders have blamed for exacerbating England's housing crisis but which environmental groups say are essential for protecting the country's rivers.

The housing secretary, alongside Therese Coffey, the environment secretary, will announce the move on Tuesday, according to several people briefed on the plans, alongside hundreds of millions of pounds' worth of extra funding to mitigate the potential impact on England's waterways.