New research shows that planning application approval has increased 9.5% since 2010. In 2010 planning permission was granted to 73.5% applications, while now it is 80.5%.

The report was conducted by estate agency comparison site GetAgent. It noted that market conditions meant applications had dropped last year by 4%, however approvals had gone up by an average 30k each year since 2014. This is likely due to the ‘presumption towards approval’ ethos from National Planning Policy Framework.

As a result, despite the decline in applications, actual houses being built has increased by 30% to 42% since 2010. Heightened approvals have also meant builders have “picked up the pace” and completions are happening at a faster rate.

The report suggests that had the remaining 58% of planning approvals that have been “land banked” been built., there would have been an additional 236,170 new homes on average every year.

Response to the planning permission approval growth…

GetAgent Chief Executive Officer Colby Short said: “An increase in the number of planning applications granted and the number of homes built is, of course, a positive thing, but when you consider the housing deficit that still remains between the number of homes being approved for construction and the amount actually being delivered, it shows how much further we still have to go.”

“We know it can be done as despite a recent increase in the number of approvals, completion levels have kept pace and have increased in tandem. Of course, it wouldn’t make sense financially for a developer to reduce profits by flooding the market with housing stock, particularly in these current tougher market conditions. But for those unable to make that step onto the ladder due to the issue of housing affordability, the annual profits of these companies are probably far from their first thought.”

Hunter Dunning Managing Director Joe Synes said: “It is great to hear that despite the doom and gloom you often hear from the media about ‘market conditions’ there is still growth in our market. More approvals mean more builds which means more jobs during build and post-build management and maintenance. Great news for the market and even better for our candidates looking for their next challenge.”

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