England planning permissions fall to 45,315 homes in Q2, the lowest quarterly total since 2012

Planning permission was granted for 45,315 homes in England in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest quarterly total since 2012, according to Home Builders Federation data published on 1 October. The HBF points to weak demand, constrained mortgage lending and higher build costs, so fewer sites are moving towards construction. For buyers, thinner future supply tends to support prices over the longer term; for sellers, the effect is slow rather than immediate. Permissions are not completions, so current stock is unaffected.