The majority of local government planning departments in England and Wales are understaffed, according to new research from the Home Builders Federation (HBF).
Nine out of 10 local authority planning departments are operating below full staffing capacity, according to the Planning on Empty report, produced by the HBF and Paragon Bank.
The report is based on a Freedom of Information survey of councils across England and Wales examining staffing levels, vacancies, staff turnover and the use of agency workers during the 2025/26 financial year.
On average, councils employ fewer than 36 planning staff despite requiring around 44 to operate at full capacity.
The majority of planning departments have only 80% of the staff they say they need.
In its bid to target the building of 1.5 million new homes, the government has recognised the staffing and resource pressures facing planning departments and has committed to recruiting 1,400 additional planners during this parliament.
There has been £100 million of government investment in planning capacity since 2024. The HBF’s report finds these measures do not go far enough to address the shortfall in planners needed, particularly with the new requirements introduced in the recently published National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Councils now require an estimated 2,660 additional planners to reach full staffing levels, a 20% increase on last year’s estimate of 2,200.
Planning officers and senior planners account for almost half of all vacancies across planning departments, while average staff turnover stands at 11%.
The HBF says staffing shortages are contributing directly to delays throughout the planning process. Only around 20% of major planning applications are determined within the statutory 13-week target, while recent HBF research found that Section 106 agreements take an average of 515 days to complete.
Neil Jefferson, chief executive of HBF, said: “Planning reform will only succeed if local planning authorities have the staff and resources to deliver it. Our research shows planning departments are operating with significant staffing shortages, making it harder for councils to process applications efficiently.
“At the same time, planning teams are being asked to manage an increasing number of responsibilities, placing even greater pressure on already stretched departments and slowing the delivery of new homes.
“If the government is to achieve its ambition of building 1.5 million homes, it must match planning reform with sustained investment in local planning authority capacity and skills.”
Neal Moy, managing director at Paragon Development Finance, added: “Paragon sees first-hand the consequences of understaffed planning teams, with many of our customers experiencing prolonged delays and inconsistent decision-making.
“This has ramifications across the market and impacts the delivery of much-needed new homes. In some cases, we see applications from capable developers rejected, only to win consent on appeal months later, creating additional cost and delays.
“The prime minister has made clear he wants to achieve growth in every postcode. Housebuilding is a proven tool for economic growth and SME developers, who possess the local expertise, should be at the heart of delivery. To do that, we need to see government invest in planning capacity.”
