Propertymark has published a new position paper warning that reforming the planning system alone will not deliver the number of new homes the UK needs. The paper, Meeting UK house demand: moving beyond the planning system, argues that a wider set of constraints must be addressed if the government is to meet its target of building 1.5m homes during the current parliamentary term.

While planning reform is often presented as the solution to the housing shortage, Propertymark points out that changes to the system have not historically resulted in a sustained increase in housing delivery. Governments across the UK have prioritised planning reform in recent years, yet large numbers of approved homes remain unbuilt.

Over the past 25 years, the UK has delivered an average of around 180,000 new homes a year, well short of what is required. The paper notes that although planning approvals have increased and decision times have improved, the gap between permissions granted and homes completed has continued to widen, with fewer than half of approved developments progressing to construction in some years.

According to Propertymark, this indicates that planning is not the primary barrier to delivery. The paper highlights the reduced role of local authorities in housebuilding, the growing backlog of consented but undeveloped sites, and skills shortages within the construction sector as key factors limiting supply.

The paper also cautions against an overreliance on large-scale developments, arguing that smaller builders and sites could deliver homes more quickly but are often overlooked. Propertymark is calling on governments to take a broader approach to housing delivery, including supporting council-led development, encouraging smaller developers, tackling construction skills shortages and ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with new housing.

Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said: “There is no doubt that the planning system needs reform, but it is not the sole reason the UK is failing to build enough homes. For decades, homes were delivered at scale under the same planning framework because local authorities were building, skills were available, and developments were incentivised to progress quickly.

“If we continue to treat planning reform as the single solution, we risk ignoring the wider structural problems that are holding back delivery. To genuinely meet housing demand, governments across the UK must take a more holistic approach that supports builders, councils, and communities alike.”

The position paper sets out ten recommendations for policymakers, including empowering local authorities to build more homes, supporting smaller developers, coordinating infrastructure planning, and launching a national construction skills and recruitment campaign.

Propertymark warns that without action across these areas, the UK will continue to fall short of its housing targets, regardless of how streamlined the planning system becomes.

The position paper can be read in full, here.