Communities minister and Bath MP Don Foster has announced proposals to scrap a raft of building industry red tape.
He says abandoning the dozens of unnecessary and confusing measures imposed on house builders by councils and government should support growth and get high-quality homes built.
The Liberal Democrat insists that essential safety and accessibility rules will not be changed, but more than 100 other rules will be cut to single figures.
More than 1,500 pages of guidance will be reduced to fewer than 80, although no changes are being made to planning rules.
The Government last week published its latest figures on house-building starts, showing an increase of a third on the same period last year.
Among the rules to be scrapped include requirements for rainwater harvesting in places that do not suffer from water shortages, and demands for solar and wind energy equipment that cannot physically fit on to the roofs of apartment buildings.
Mr Foster said: "It's essential the Government plays its part by taking off the bureaucratic handbrake that holds back house building and adds unnecessary cost."
