Data from planning portal operator TerraQuest has revealed that the number of planning applications for new homes in England jumped by a third year on year in Q2.

According to the data, between April and June 2025, 69,597 applications were submitted for new homes, up 33% from the 52,282 applications in Q2 2024.

TerraQuest said the data covered around 95% of all planning applications submitted to local authorities in England.

In seven out of eight regions, more new home applications were made in Q2 2025 than Q2 2024, with especially strong growth of 71.7% in the West Midlands.

TerraQuest chief executive Geoff Keal said the rise in applications reflected confidence among developers and housebuilders “driven by positive policy signals, including the revised National Planning Policy Framework and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill”.

He added: “While the figures don’t yet align with the government’s target of 1.5 million homes, they show a clear uptick in the planning pipeline. This growth signals renewed market intent, as the sector lays foundations for increased activity while planning reforms take time to bed in.”

Mary-Jane O’Neill, head of planning (London and South) at Lambert Smith Hampton, added: “While new homes are the government’s focus, we’ve seen more than double the enquiry volumes across homeowner products this year, particularly for conversions, extensions and other improvement works.

“This shift began tentatively in Q1 and has picked up pace as inflationary pressures ease and interest rate expectations stabilise.

“It’s encouraging but not unexpected. Underlying demand for housing never disappeared; developers and homeowners alike were simply holding off amid uncertainty. We’re now seeing cautious re-engagement.

“There are green shoots, although delivery still lags behind. Construction costs remain a key friction point, and planning bottlenecks persist in some local authorities, especially those still grappling with post-Covid staffing challenges.”