Social Housing Approvals Down 41%

The number of new social housing property approvals has dropped by 41%, a new report reveals. There were 3,200 approvals in this year's second quarter - unchanged on the same period last year - but 41% down on 2012's first quarter.  The data, compiled by Glenigan for the Home Builders Federation (HBF), shows that planning permissions across the board have slumped to a three year low.  There were fewer than 25,000 approvals in the second quarter, well under half the 60,000 needed per quarter to meet housing requirements.  The number of permissions granted in quarter two of 2012 - the first quarter since the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) came into force in March - was the lowest number of housing permissions granted in England since 2009, and well under half the level (55,466) granted in the same quarter in 2007.  Download a copy of the report from the HBF website.