House builders urge ministers to stand firm on planning reforms as permissions fall

The government must "stand firm" over its proposed planning reforms, the Home Builders Federation has said after publishing statistics suggesting a significant fall in residential planning permissions.

According to the HBF’s Housing Pipeline report, there were 25,171 such permissions in the second quarter of 2011. This was 24% fewer than the previous quarter and 23% fewer than Q2 in 2010.

The figure is also the second lowest number of permissions granted in a quarter over the last five years.

The HBF claimed that around 60,000 homes were required per quarter to meet the current housing shortfall.

Publication of the report comes amid a fierce dispute over the likely effect of the government’s planning reforms and the National Planning Policy Framework in particular.

“What should have been a sensible debate into the most important planning changes since WWII, has been hijacked by sensationalist and inaccurate claims from a number of anti-growth organisations determined to fight all and any development,” the Federation said, adding that there had been “emotive and misleading claims” about development on greenbelt.

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.”

Basely called on the government to ignore “irresponsible scaremongering” and deliver a planning system that supported home building and economic growth. “If it doesn’t, the social and economic implications will be felt for generations,”  he claimed.

The HBF’s members account for 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year.