Liz Truss will today set out plans to remove planning restrictions and other regulations to boost housebuilding and other development in new ‘investment zones’.

Truss, who is now odds-on to beat Rishi Sunak to become Conservative leader, said the new zones are ‘at the heart of my vision for levelling up”

She said: “We will work with local communities to identify sites ripe for transformation across the country through lower taxes, reduced planning restrictions and red tape. These zones would open the floodgates to new waves of investment.”