Number of new homes fell in Labour’s first year but applications rise

The number of new houses in England fell during the first year of labor in the office, but the application for the construction of more roses in the last six months.

The Housing Tracker of BBC Verifai shows that 201,000 homes received their first energy performance certificate (EPC) in June 2025 from 12 months, which was 8% below a year ago, which has started falling under conservatives.

But the data of the planning portal showed permission requests for new houses outside London between January and June, which were 49% above last year.

A government spokesperson said that he would “inherit an acute and disgusting housing crisis”, but would meet his target of 1.5 million houses by the next election and “restore the homeowner’s dream”.

EPC is a good indicator of new homes as every property must be one within a few days of completion. Housing may take years to complete with the permission of planning and go for EPC requirement.

Experts have warned that it can take a complete parliamentary term until the government gives speed to the time for applications, before they start construction.

You can use your postcode to know how many houses were added in your local area and in which target it is set in our interactive tools.

Earlier this month, Housing Minister Matthew Penicook said that the government had expected “being low for some time”. He said that it would not give a national annual target, but “there is a need to increase the supply in the years after Parliament”.

The target of 1.5 million houses in England in five years will be equal to 300,000 properties every year. That level of the building has not been seen since the 1960s. However, back There were many demolitionsBroadly due to slum clearance, which meant that net profit was at the same level.

In December 2024, local authority areas were given targets for new housing Based on how many houses were already there And how cheap they are.

In Milton Keins, 1,995 EPCs were registered in new houses for 12 months in June, which is more than 1,724 in a year, until it can maintain construction rates.

54 -year -old Lindsay works in the city as a nursery practitioner and said that if she does not have a council property, she will “live here” because she is the “price” of the region.

He said that there is a need to have more economical housing so that people like “who are working in regular jobs, not high-devotional jobs” can reach the house.

Leader of Milton Keins City Council Peter Marland said many places saw the government’s target as maximum rather than opportunity to “for the target”.

The Labor Counselor admits that the city has a geographical advantage compared to other areas, which may have a lot of greenbelt land or “maximize” their location.

While Milton Keins is building houses at a rate that will meet the goals of the government, Eastborn in Sussex is one of the several councils who have a long way to go. It has been set a target of 702 houses in a year, but only 127 EPCs were registered in the last 12 months.

The 19 -year -old Amber, works in a cafe in Eastborn and lives with his parents. He said that most of his friends were in the same situation.

He said: “I think, because it is a seaside city, it is quite expensive, so it is not easy for young people … especially if you are on your own.”

Her colleague Bella, also 19 and living with her parents, says that she had rented the first one in the second country, but “you just don’t keep money”.

Cabinet member Liberal Democrat Councilor Peter Diplock said the government housing target for the region was “completely unreal” and did not take care of “geographical and environmental obstacles” on development in the city.

He said that Eastborn was seen by the English channel and South Down National Park and had “intricate flood issues” and “limited land for development, but said that the houses were built every year.

Show official figures The number of new houses fell in the final two years that conservatives were in power, with the latest data, another decline was indicated since labor.

Number of planning applications given Last year also collapsed to record climb.

However, the number of requests for the permission of the plan has increased – although experts have warned that it may take years to convert them into homes.

The data shared with the BBC was verified by the Planning Portal, which is used by the councils across the country for planning applications, it suggests that outside London, 132,000 additional houses were requested that the proposals were once calculated to demolish others, in 2024, 88,500 to 49% in the same six months.

But the figures are still not back where they were in 2023.

Jyoff Kyle from the planning portal said: “It’s still hurry, still, but we are looking at an optic. It’s good. We really need to see it [in the next six months] To give a degree of confidence. The government’s intention is really quite clear, giving confidence to those who are behind changes. ,

The planning portal had its busy day in March, which puts people down trying to defeat the increase in application fee in April. This meant that April to June figures were below January to March, but still more than the same quarter of 2024.

From Rechhel Clements, Planning Consultancy Litchfields, the developers said that the developers were gaining confidence to pursue planning applications outside London, until the process was terminated, “could take the length of a parliamentary term before construction of homes”.

The government has said that it will speed up the process with a new AI tool for councils to scan hundreds of files in seconds. Housebuilders will be expected to be committed to the construction of timescles before getting permission.

A spokesman for the housing, communities and the ministry of the local government said: “We have already taken action to achieve the UK building, which includes overhale of the National Planning Policy structure, furthering our landmark planning and infrastructure bills and leveling the playground for small householders.

“It is at the top to promote the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation with £ 39bn in the next decade, to unlock £ 16BN National Housing Bank, private investment to unlock £ 53BN.”

BBC takes analysis for housing tracker by verified Energy display certificate And every council shows for the field whether they are up or down a year ago.

EPC is a major indicator of new homes as each property needs to be united within a few days of completion by law, although numbers may vary from official figures published once a year in the autumn.

Additional reporting by Naresh Puri