Planning permissions for homes in England fall to record low
Just over 30,000 projects - ranging from single homes to large housing developments - got the go ahead, the lowest full-year figure since records started in 1979 and a further fall from 2023.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has pledged to deliver 1.5 million new homes before the next general election and a rise in planning applications would be one of the first positive signs.
Despite the low, experts said there was optimism in the sector because the government had "an intent to build", and that turning around the planning system would take time.
Labour's plans include giving councils new powers to seize land and speed up building.
The number of decisions on housing, included those rejected, was also at a record low in 2024.
The figures cover the number of permissions granted, not the number of individual homes. They include minor projects of fewer than 10 homes and major projects of 10 or more.
Data analysed by BBC Verify suggests the number of completed new homes also decreased during the second half of 2024.
Every council in England has been given a target for new homes that they should help deliver each year. In some areas, this means more than five times as many new homes as they typically add.
You can see the figures for your area in the BBC's housing tracker.
Click here to see the BBC interactive
Geoff Keal of Planning Portal, which is used by councils for people to apply for planning permission, said there needed to be a "substantial" increase in planning applications being made, to make up for applications that get rejected and those where no development takes place.
But he added: "The government has an intent to build and that's really powerful for [developers], knowing they're going to be supported and they're going to remove blockages.
"I think there are reasons to be optimistic, for sure."
Plan to make it easier for councils to seize land for housing
Housing tracker: Find out about new homes in your area
Housing market analyst Neal Hudson, of BuiltPlace, said: "It can take longer to turn the planning pipeline around than a container ship, and developers are currently squeezed on both sides by high interest rates and constrained viability."
The government said it was bringing forward "pro-growth" measures to fix a "broken" planning system.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "These figures show the scale of the housing crisis we inherited along with a broken planning system that stunted growth.
"That's why we're already bringing forward pro-growth measures to fix this and deliver the 1.5 million new homes we need, including mandatory housing targets through an updated National Planning Policy Framework and our newly introduced landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill that will overhaul planning committees to fast track and streamline decisions.
"This is alongside an additional £100m to bolster local resources with increased planning fees to cover costs, and funding to recruit 300 planning officers, making sure councils have the staff and capacity needed to approve homes for local people."
What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sarina Wiegman savours Lionesses' ‘very special' Downing Street reception after Euro 2025 title
Sarina Wiegman says she 'felt love all over' as the England women's football team attended a reception at Downing Street following their European Championship success. England defeated Spain in Sunday's final and upon returning to the UK on Monday, the Lionesses travelled from Southend Airport to attend a reception in Downing Street, London, hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland for talks with US President Donald Trump. 'Downing Street, you don't come there normally and it was really nice how they built it up like this,' Wiegman said, pointing in the direction of the England flags and bunting surrounding the buildings of No 10 Downing Street, the traditional residence of the serving British Prime Minister. 'It is very special to be able to go inside and also in the garden. The people there were very nice, they also put up some pictures of what we have done at the Euros. 'It was lovely, a very warm welcome. I've felt love all over but today even more so.' Wiegman has now won three successive European Championship titles as head coach — one with the Netherlands and two with England, who had never previously won a major international title. The 55-year-old Dutch coach was questioned on speculation linking her to an honorary damehood — a traditionally British honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry. 'I haven't thought about that,' Wiegman said. 'I feel so much respect from England, the Royal Family too. I think the most important thing is feeling valued. It's very special to get so much respect from England.' The Lionesses will have an open-top bus parade in central London on Tuesday, along with a procession along the mall and a ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. England, International Football, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Sarina Wiegman savours Lionesses' ‘very special' Downing Street reception after Euro 2025 title
Sarina Wiegman says she 'felt love all over' as the England women's football team attended a reception at Downing Street following their European Championship success. England defeated Spain in Sunday's final and upon returning to the UK on Monday, the Lionesses travelled from Southend Airport to attend a reception in Downing Street, London, hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland for talks with US President Donald Trump. 'Downing Street, you don't come there normally and it was really nice how they built it up like this,' Wiegman said, pointing in the direction of the England flags and bunting surrounding the buildings of No 10 Downing Street, the traditional residence of the serving British Prime Minister. 'It is very special to be able to go inside and also in the garden. The people there were very nice, they also put up some pictures of what we have done at the Euros. 'It was lovely, a very warm welcome. I've felt love all over but today even more so.' Wiegman has now won three successive European Championship titles as head coach — one with the Netherlands and two with England, who had never previously won a major international title. The 55-year-old Dutch coach was questioned on speculation linking her to an honorary damehood — a traditionally British honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry. 'I haven't thought about that,' Wiegman said. 'I feel so much respect from England, the Royal Family too. I think the most important thing is feeling valued. It's very special to get so much respect from England.' The Lionesses will have an open-top bus parade in central London on Tuesday, along with a procession along the mall and a ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. (Richard Pohle –)
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Doug Ford backs down on plan to issue work permits to asylum-seekers
Doug Ford is walking back a plan for Ontario to begin issuing work permits to asylum-seekers less than a week after he touted it at the annual premiers' conference , citing frustration at the cost of housing them and federal processing backlogs. The abrupt turnaround follows a flurry of questions about how Ontario and other provinces could legally bypass the federal asylum claims approval process — with even senior staff in Ford's office unsure of next steps. 'We aren't taking it over,' Ford acknowledged Monday. But the premier repeated his call for the federal government to speed up processing and urged a continuation of funding to support the cost of putting up asylum-seekers in hotels and other accommodations, as well as providing them health care and education. 'We're frustrated. The premiers are frustrated,' he said when asked to explain the about-face. It came five days after he pledged 'I'm not waiting any longer' to issue work permits because the accommodations and other supports are 'costing our province an absolute fortune.' He maintained there is overlap between federal and provincial powers over immigration under Section 95 of the Constitution that leaves room for the provinces to step in. Ford made those comments last Wednesday in his closing news conference as chair of the Council of the Federation, a group representing the premiers which held its annual meeting at a resort in Huntsville, Ont. Ford passes the role to Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz on Friday. At the premiers' conference, the provinces stressed they need more control over immigration to their jurisdictions, in the same way Quebec enjoys. 'We need increased autonomy so that we as a province are able to bring in and support the kind of economic immigrants that are going to support certain sectors of and ensure people have a pathway to contribute,' said Labour Minister David Piccini, standing beside Ford on Monday outside his Queen's Park office. 'To give you all an example, right now, we don't know what happens when an asylum claimant is rejected,' he added. 'The federal government (is) processing fewer asylum claimants and are being made in the province of Ontario today.' Ford said Ontario would like to work more closely with the federal government to get a better handle on the system, claiming that some people in hotels in his riding of Etobicoke North have been waiting two years for work permits. But Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says they are usually issued within 45 days .
