The Labour Government has some very ambitious targets for new housing. However, the current situation is far from achieving that. In fact, the Home Builders Federation said there needs to be urgent interventions to get the construction industry on the right path. We want to have a closer look at this topic here, including HBF’s recommendations. Then, if you want an architect in London to help you, you can rely on us.
Alarming figures
The most worrying stat is that, according to data from Glenigan, in Q3 2024 planning approvals were down to a record low. Just 2,260 sites got approval during the period. It is the lowest total for any quarter since 2006.
Another concerning figure is the rolling annual total for planning approvals. According to the figures, it was 10,180 sites. That is also a record low.
The data also shows some massive regional differences in approvals. Some areas like London actually had a slight increase in the number of sites getting a green light. However, even these were massively below historic highs. Plus, some areas saw a huge dip. The biggest was the North East, down by 61%.
Something needs to change
Whether you are an architect in London, a developer, a potential buyer, or any other stakeholder, it is clear that the current approval figures won’t be enough to hit housing targets. In fact, they would need to increase by 150% to achieve the goal. Even more worryingly, some local councils would need to deliver 400% more homes than they currently are.
HBF said the decline in planning approvals is “deeply concerning”. They recommend the Government look to targeted interventions to make the planning process more streamline, ensure there is infrastructure to support development, provide more support, and address the regional problems.
Crucially, HBF said that there needs to be a focus on delivering more affordable housing. The shortage of it is having a huge impact, hurting demand and confidence. Increasing the delivery is necessary to support communities and ensure stable demand.
Work with a fantastic architect in London
One of our goals at Coffey Architects is to ensure clients have the best support with designing properties and working to get planning permission. The latter can be very tricky. Sadly, it is why a number of projects don’t see the light of day. Sometimes it can simply be too difficult to get approval from a local council, especially with the various rules and regulations in place.
If you work with us, we’ll do all we can to make sure your proposal has the best chance of getting permission. We can even make changes and find solutions for obstacles. So, choose a creative, knowledgeable architect in London. Contact us and let us know what you have in mind.