Fewer applicants for planning permission were received and granted.
In Q3 district level planning authorities in England received and granted fewer applications for planning permission, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
During this time period district level planning authorities received 106,5000 applications for planning permission, down 4% year-on-year and granted 90,600 decisions, down 3% from Q3 2018.
The authorities granted 11,5000 residential applications in Q3, down from 3% from the same period last year.
Andy Sommerville, director at Search Acumen, said: “The end of the decade can’t come soon enough for those in the housebuilding trade.
“Since the financial crisis we’ve seen rates of planning applications flat line for nearly a whole decade.
“Q3 2019 was not inclined to buck this trend.
“The last three years of destructive political wrangling over Brexit have not helped and led to inevitable inertia within the industry which is also to blame.
“Instead of wallowing in gloom we should look to the 2020s as a chance for a fresh start and some new thinking.
“There have been encouraging initiatives in government and a renewed energy on digitalisation such as local authorities collating data on brownfield sites.
“With the right financial incentives, and a tech positive attitude, construction will be well placed to take advantage of an exciting new decade.”
