The number of housing projects granted planning permission in England in 2024 hit a record low, according to new government figures.
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.
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.”
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.”
Victoria Hills, chief executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: “These latest figures show that developers are submitting fewer applications, significantly limiting the number of projects that planners can approve.”
She said securing planning permissions would not automatically translate into new homes, adding: “The planning system is more than just numbers; it’s about building quality places for the future, protecting nature and ensuring communities can adapt to climate change.”
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.”
