MPs from the four coalition government parties – VVD, D66, CDA and ChristenUnie – plan to introduce draft legislation which will remove the requirement that all new homes be connected to a gas supply from the statute books.

Instead, new homes should be connected to alternative sources of heating, such as geothermal systems or city heating schemes using warmth generated by industry, the parties say.

The aim is to speed up the switch to alternative sources of energy and reduce reliance on gas from Groningen, in an effort to reduce the risk of earthquakes.

The MPs say that new homes should only be connected to the gas grid if there are ‘heavyweight reasons’ for doing so, such as the cost to residents. City heating schemes have come under fire in the past for being expensive.

The new coalition wants to ensure that all six million homes in the Netherlands are cut off from the gas supply by 2050.

The MPs hope the draft legislation would come into effect in 2019.