New home planning approvals hit record low

The number of planning permissions granted for new homes in England has fallen for a third quarter to hit a fresh low, according to the Home Builders Federation, which has warned that planning changes will worsen the shortfall. The trade body’s Housing Pipeline report for Q3 showed 2,447 projects were granted planning permission, falling by a fifth year-on-year to the lowest volume since the report was first published in 2006. At 50,316, the number of individual homes approved was down by 12% on the previous quarter and 28% lower than the third quarter of 2022. The figures come ahead of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework expected this week, which are set to water down housing requirements placed on local authorities. Stewart Baseley, executive chairman at the Home Builders Federation, said: “This is the inevitable outcome of several years of anti-growth policy and rhetoric. “Businesses have warned for some time that the impact of government action would be severe but now there is now a mounting body of evidence. If ministers continue with the proposals to rid the planning system of targets and consequences, no matter how it is packaged, it will result in fewer new homes and represents another victory for NIMBY backbenchers.” Baseley added: “Removing the requirement for local housing needs assessments and allowing councils to plan for as few homes as they wish will see housebuilding in some areas collapse with investment in jobs and communities all suffering. “Putting politics and party management above the interests of those households struggling amidst a worsening housing crisis may seem attractive in the short term but the long-term consequences for the economy and society are horrendous.” To send feedback, e-mail tim.burke@eg.co.uk or tweet @_tim_burke or @EGPropertyNews Photo by Geoffrey Swaine/Shutterstock (13573812i)