Just over 300,000 homes have been added to Britain’s housing stock in the first 18 months of this parliament — a pace that leaves ministers well short of the 1.5 million homes promised in the manifesto. New data show annual completions near 200,000 and planning permissions down 15% to a 12‑year low, even as ministers press ahead with planning reforms and threaten to overrule councils that resist development.

Shortfall in output and permissions

  • Official counts: just over 300,000 homes added since the parliament began — well below the roughly 300,000 a year needed to hit 1.5 million by the next election.
  • Completions proxy: energy performance certificate registrations indicate about 204,000 new homes in England in the latest January–December period (ONS figures cited by industry analysts).
  • Planning permissions: approvals fell about 15% to roughly 208,000 units in the 12 months to September (down from 245,000), the lowest level since 2013.

Fewer permissions directly reduce the pipeline of projects that can start and complete. Even where developers are willing to build, delays in the planning system constrain activity.

Labour’s reform push and political pressure

The prime minister has made the 1.5 million figure central to the government's voter pitch and launched a major consultation to overhaul the National Planning Policy Framework. Keir Starmer has said he will step in where local leaders "dodge their responsibilities" and oppose developments his government judges necessary for growth and housebuilding.

The housing department said the planning overhaul is the first step to unblock the system, and housing secretary Steve Reed said changes will build on previous reforms to restore mandatory housing targets and prioritise brownfield development.

Local resistance and environmental concerns

The reform drive has met resistance from councils across the political spectrum. Several local authorities, including Labour councils, describe central targets as "very challenging, if not impossible to achieve" and warn that top‑down mandates risk clashing with local plans and capacity.

Conservation bodies including the RSPB, the National Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and Greenpeace wrote to the prime minister expressing dismay at attacks on environmental rules and regulators. They say years of funding cuts and political interference have already slowed approvals and the application of safeguards, which they argue undermines the aim of speeding up building while protecting natural assets.

Industry capacity and the workforce gap

Industry groups point to chronic delays in approvals, shortages of workers and pared‑back affordable housing rules as key obstacles. Places for People estimated about 140,000 vacancies across construction in 2025 and warned roughly a third of the workforce may retire by 2035, creating longer‑term pressure on labour supply.

Training providers report rising demand for construction courses but note that the prevalence of short‑term projects and churn can make long‑term careers harder to sustain.

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Housing secretary Steve Reed said: "We’ve already laid the groundwork to get Britain building, but our planning overhaul was only the first step to fix the housing crisis we face. And today I’m going further than ever before to hit 1.5 million homes and place the key to homeownership into the hands of thousands more hardworking people and families."

This article was created with AI assistance.