Planning applications comment from HTB

20 March 2025

Comment from Neil Leitch, Managing Director of Development Finance at Hampshire Trust Bank:

"A decline in planning decisions is disappointing but not surprising. Local authorities remain under strain, and many are still struggling with resourcing challenges. For developers, particularly those working on smaller sites, this means longer timelines, greater uncertainty, and delays to projects that are ready to progress.

"SMEs play a crucial role in delivering new housing, especially in regional markets where large housebuilders may overlook smaller, more complex sites. Their ability to move quickly and bring underutilised land into use is vital. But long delays in planning hit SMEs hardest - cashflow and timelines are critical at their scale, and they don’t have the luxury of sitting on sites indefinitely.

"Further investment in planning and efforts to improve efficiency are welcome, but real change will take time. Right now, the developers best placed to succeed are those who plan ahead - submitting well-prepared applications, engaging with planning officers early, and taking a proactive approach to navigating the system."