The Home Builders Federation says delays and inconsistent requirements in the adoption of new roads are adding cost and uncertainty to housing delivery. Its report argues that long timescales, rising bond values and variable local authority fees are undermining the viability of new developments and increasing ongoing charges for residents on unadopted estates.
New research from the Home Builders Federation says nine in ten local authority planning departments in England and Wales are operating below full staffing capacity. The report links these shortages to slower decision-making, with major application determination rates and Section 106 completion times both cited as evidence of pressure on the system.
The Law Society of England and Wales has warned against extending judicial review reforms beyond Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects without stronger evidence. It argues that any wider changes to planning regimes, including housing, should be based on published data and must preserve access to justice and public participation.
