1.5 million homes by 2025 – we break down the data to see how the government is performing against its targets.
The latest data confirms it: Homes England has hit its annual housebuilding targets a- rare win in the often-challenged world of planning and development.
According to provisional figures, targets for starts, completions, and site acquisition have all been surpassed for 2024–25.
Here’s a breakdown of the key stats;
- Completion of more than 36,000 homes, up 14% from 23/24
- Facilitated the start of construction for an additional 38,000 homes, up 6% on 23/24
- Unlocked land capable of delivery 79,000 further homes
It’s a positive signal that momentum is building. But beyond the headlines, the reality is more complex. You can read the full article here.
Short-Term Win, a Long-Term Challenge
Labour’s national pledge to deliver 1.5 million homes by 2029 remains under scrutiny. The Office for Budget Responsibility predicts just 1.3 million will be delivered, and industry experts agree: the math doesn’t yet add up.
As construction output declines for a fourth consecutive month and regulatory pressures intensify, some speculate that headline figures can paint a false sense of progress.
The Roadblocks Are Systemic
From tax changes to planning delays, the sector is grappling with:
- Falling construction output – The UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) has recorded four consecutive months of decline, highlighting a clear slowdown in actual delivery. While planning approvals and targets may look promising on paper, the translation into shovels in the ground is not keeping pace.
- Labour and skills shortages- The construction and planning sectors are experiencing a skills squeeze, from surveyors and planners to engineers and builders. This not only slows projects but also reduces the system’s overall capacity to respond to demand.
- Cost pressures and regulatory reform- From rising materials costs to changing tax and employment policies, developers and contractors are under significant pressure. Recent changes to National Insurance, Business Property Relief, and stricter building regs only add to the burden.
- Complex, manual site assessment and planning processes – Too often, site assessments rely on outdated spreadsheets, subjective judgment, or static reports. This slows decision-making, introduces bias, and makes it hard to defend decisions under scrutiny.
These challenges mean that even when targets are met, the bigger vision remains at risk. We’ll be waiting to see the next report from Homes England to see how these figures continue track, they have a lot to overcome if they are to come close to hitting this target.
What can Local Authorities do to hit their targets?
It is no surprise that the pressure to fulfil housing targets is being felt by Local Authorities with fewer resources than ever and increasingly complex policy many are looking to LANDCLAN.
At LANDCLAN, we work with local authorities, developers, and housing associations to unlock land faster, assess site viability instantly, and remove barriers to growth using spatial intelligence that’s clear, traceable, and ready to act on.
With LANDCLAN, you can:
- Identify and prioritise suitable development sites in seconds
- Automate complex assessments across thousands of parcels
- Ensure consistency and transparency in planning decisions
- Support Local Plans and SHLAAs with defendable, policy-aligned insights
We worked with one council to identified 384 high-potential development sites from a portfolio of 7,048 council-owned parcels – a level of insight and efficiency not previously possible- all automated, all back by evidence that their team could then take and apply their expertise and knowledge to.
LANDCLAN helps turn potential into delivery – whether you’re starting your housing strategy or accelerating delivery, we ensure data is no longer the bottleneck – but the breakthrough.