Clarion Housing Group warns that London faces the longest planning delays in England for social and affordable housing, with approvals often taking more than two years. The association cites waits of 26 months in Merton and 21 months in Tower Hamlets, while comparable schemes in Manchester, York and Leeds were decided much faster. Experts say long determination periods, higher construction costs and weak demand are undermining project viability and national housebuilding targets. The Mayor has pledged measures to speed up approvals for schemes with at least 20% affordable housing.
Clarion: London Faces England’s Longest Planning Delays for Affordable Housing
Clarion Housing Group said planning officials took 26 months to sign off on a 249-home development in Merton - Richard Newstead/Moment RF
London is experiencing longer planning delays for social and affordable housing than any other city in England, Clarion Housing Group — the country's largest housing association — has warned. Clarion, which manages about 125,000 homes and builds roughly 1,400 homes a year, says planning officials in the capital are routinely taking more than two years to grant permission for social housing schemes.
The association contrasted these waits with much faster decisions elsewhere: a 26-month wait for a 249-home scheme in the London Borough of Merton and a 21-month delay for a 145-home project in Tower Hamlets, versus 11 months to secure permission for a 505-home, 60% affordable project at Brewery Gardens in Manchester. Similar schemes in York and Leeds took about 13 and 18 months respectively.
Why Developers Are Worried
Lengthy determination periods add financial risk. Edward Clarke, an associate director at planning consultancy Lichfields, warned that slow approvals nationwide are "quite frankly crippling" and can make previously viable projects unworkable as construction costs and financing assumptions change during long delays.
Sir Sadiq pledged earlier this year to fast-track approval of affordable housing developments - Ben Whitley/PA
Clare Miller, Chief Executive of Clarion: "The delays in London are very severe."
Clarion says the problem in London reflects under-resourced planning teams and political inertia compared with some other city authorities. The association argues that faster, better-resourced decision-making is essential to get affordable homes delivered at scale.
Political Response and Wider Headwinds
Mayor Sadiq Khan has pledged to prioritise social housing and announced plans to fast-track approvals for developments that include at least 20% affordable homes. A spokesperson for the Mayor noted that housebuilding in London is also being constrained by wider pressures including high interest rates, rising construction costs, pandemic-related disruption, Brexit effects and delays caused by the Building Safety Regulator.
Analysts say these combined pressures are contributing to a national shortfall in new homes. Data from specialist firm Molior shows that starts on new homes in London fell by 84% in the decade to 2025, and recent analysis suggests the government may deliver less than half of the 1.5 million homes pledged by the end of the current parliament.
What This Means
Planning delays affect not only individual developments but wider housing policy goals: they increase uncertainty for developers and housing associations, push up costs, and slow delivery of affordable homes at a time when demand is acute. Clarion and other industry voices are calling for better resourcing and faster decision-making to reverse the decline in housing starts and protect project viability.
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