Planning Portal, the digital platform through which more than 95% of planning applications in England are submitted, reports a 68% year-on-year rise in new home applications in the third quarter.
And in the nine months to 30th September 听2025, the number of new homes seeking planning permission was up 50% year-on-year.
Applications for proposed units in Q3 2025 through the Planning Portal stood at 98,723, compared to 58,929 in Q3 2024.
This is highest for a single quarter in almost four years, with Q4 2021 the last time applications were above the current level.
This is a far cry from the gloomy picture painted by the Home Builders Federation, whose latest housing pipeline report showed that in the second quarter of 2025 planning permission was granted for just 44,520 new homes in England 鈥� a 17% drop on Q2 2024 and the lowest quarterly figure recorded since 2012. [See report here.]
Planning Portal鈥檚 Planning Application 猛料视频 for Q3 2025 shows that development ambitions are strong across England, with all but two regions 鈥� the southwest and the northeast 鈥� showing substantial year-on-year growth in housing applications. The northwest, east of England and the southeast all saw the number of homes applied for in Q3 more than double compared with the same period last year.
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Geoff Keal, chief executive of TerraQuest, which operates Planning Portal, said: 鈥淭his is a clear statement of intent from house-builders, taking to heart the government鈥檚 determination to drive housing delivery. The figures will also be welcome news beyond the housing sector, with new homes widely recognised as a cornerstone of the country鈥檚 future economic prosperity.
鈥淲hat is less clear, however, is how these promising housing application figures will translate into delivery. We typically see some attrition along the way from application to delivery, whether through applications being refused, changes of plans on the part of developers, or economic changes rendering plans unviable.
鈥淲ith the government鈥檚 recent commitment to get spades in the ground on the first three new towns before the next election, we can already see the focus turning to delivery, which is a promising sign.
鈥淭he industry now needs to come together, alongside government, and take the proactive steps necessary to get the country building.鈥�
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