Planning applications rise “nearly a third” - TerraQuest

New home planning applications increased by nearly a third in England between April and June 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to Planning Portal operator TerraQuest.

In its latest Planning Portal Application Index for Q2 2025, TerraQuest found that 69,597 new homes were applied for during Q2. This is up from the 52,282 of Q2 2024.

During the reporting period, seven out of eight English regions saw an increase in new home applications against the same period a year earlier. The index recorded a rise of 71.7% in planning applications for the West Midlands.

At the same time, TerraQuest, whose index represents 95% of the planning applications submitted to local authorities in England, acknowledged the “persistent challenges” facing housebuilders, including delays to signing section 106 agreements, nutrient and water neutrality requirements, resource issues within planning authorities delaying determinations and infrastructure funding gaps.

But on the Q2 figures, Geoff Keal, TerraQuest’s ceo, said: “There are clear signs of sector recovery, with our data revealing a notable rise in planning activity, contrasting with some of the less positive trends reported further along the development cycle, such as in construction. Because our data captures the very first …