New-build planning permission tumbles
Friday, 26 August 2011 1:58 PM
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has urged the Government to ignore scaremongering about its proposals for planning, and stand firm on its commitment to growth.
The HBF said today its latest Housing Pipeline report demonstrates that the decrease in planning permissions granted in the second quarter of 2011 – down to just 25,171 in England – further increased the gap between housing need and delivery.
The amount of planning permission applications that were given approval is the second lowest number in the last five years and 24 per cent fewer than were granted in the first three months of the year, the HBF said.
Around 60,000 homes are required per quarter to meet the current housing shortfall, the organisation added.
Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the HBF, said: “These new figures paint a bleak picture. We already have an acute housing crisis that is affecting the quality of life of families, young and old, across the country and the economy. Today’s extremely low levels of permissions will only make things worse in the short term."
The debate about planning was being “hijacked by irresponsible scaremongering from anti-growth groups”, Baseley added, as a result worsening the housing crisis.
“Government must stand firm and deliver a planning system that supports home building and economic growth. If it doesn’t, the social and economic implications will be felt for generations,” he said.
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