A prior condition for building houses is having permission to build them. We have found that the planning system is exerting a significant downward pressure on the overall number of planning permissions being granted across Great Britain. Over the long-term, the number of permissions being given has been insufficient to support housebuilding at the level required to meet government targets and measures of assessed need.
In particular, we have seen evidence of three key concerns with the planning systems which we consider are limiting its ability to support the level of housebuilding that policymakers believe is needed: (a) Lack of predictability; (b) Length, cost, and complexity of the planning process; and (c) Insufficient clarity, consistency and strength of LPA targets, objectives, and incentives to meet housing need.
We have also seen evidence that problems in the planning systems may be having a disproportionate impact on SME housebuilders.