Councillors have clashed following a major housing development being sent back into limbo after plans to relax environmental rules were scrapped.
North Norfolk district councillors, Christopher Cushing and Andrew Brown, clashed after prime minister Rishi Sunak and local government secretary Michael Gove's plans to axe the 'nutrient neutrality' rules were voted down in the House of Lords earlier this month.
It means councils across the region will not be able to grant planning permission to new homes in catchment areas of the Broads and river Wensum.
Now the two district councillors are clashing about what it means for housing development in the district, including the Fakenham Urban Extension.
Mr Cushing, leader of the Conservative group at NNDC, said: “We are now in the curious position where unelected Liberal Democrat peers helped to overturn legislation from the elected House of Commons which means the Liberal Democrat regime in North Norfolk will not be able to deliver desperately needed housing in key areas of the district which includes the Fakenham Urban Extension.
“Nobody wants to see more nutrients in our water. This is why the government has proposed to invest £280 million to offset the small amount of additional nutrient discharge from new housing by 2030.
"Unless a compromise can be found it will mean housing shortages in our area will get considerably worse.”
The plans to build 950 new homes were in limbo due to rising costs including for development of a new roundabout. The environmental rules meant a search for additional funds was put on hold.
Andrew Brown, portfolio holder for planning and enforcement at NNDC, said: “An irony lost on Councillor Cushing is that government reforms to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill would have delayed the progress made by NNDC over the last 18 months, because of the time it would take to enact the necessary legislation.
“The government needs to recognize their statutory responsibility to protect our precious environment and its biodiversity which caused so much concern when we negotiated our exit from the European Union instead of playing roulette with our natural habitats.”
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