Barnet social housing approvals lag two years behind northern cities
Clarion Housing Group says London councils take twice as long as Manchester to sign off affordable homes
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Only one named source (Clarion CEO) and no direct document cited.
Higher is stronger
No affected residents or local officials quoted; vague national framing.
Higher is stronger
Headline overstates claim with 'worse than any other city' without comparative data.
Lower is better
Social housing projects in Barnet and the rest of London take more than twice as long to approve as those in Manchester, York or Leeds. Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest housing association, said London councils are the slowest in England to sign off affordable homes.
The group waited 26 months for permission to build 249 homes in Merton, as reported by the *Evening Standard*. A separate 145-home project in Tower Hamlets faced 21 months of delays. By comparison, a 505-home development in Manchester, where 60% of the homes were affordable, took 11 months to approve.
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Clare Miller, Clarion’s chief executive, told the *Telegraph* that London’s planning system is “very severe” and lacks the resources to handle applications. She said Manchester’s system is faster because local politicians support housing delivery and allocate sufficient staff.
We are developing all over the country. Certainly in Manchester, we got planning permission pretty quickly. That’s a system that’s resourced and where politicians are behind it and they want to see action.
Clare Miller, Chief Executive, Clarion Housing Group
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Edward Clarke, an associate director at planning consultancy Lichfields, said delays across England are “crippling”. He explained that long approval times push up construction costs, making some projects financially unworkable before they begin.
The Greater London Authority has not met its affordable housing or housebuilding targets, the *Evening Standard* reported. In May, the authority announced reforms to speed up approvals, but it is unclear when these will take effect in Barnet or other boroughs.
What Barnet residents can do
Residents can check the status of local planning applications on Barnet Council’s website. The council’s planning committee meets monthly to review major applications. The next meeting is scheduled for 12 September 2024. Residents can submit comments on live applications or attend meetings to observe decisions.
Clarion has not disclosed whether it has any pending applications in Barnet. The group’s last approved scheme in the borough was a 68-home development on Brunswick Park Road, completed in 2022.
Questions this report answers
+How long do social housing projects take to approve in London?
Clarion Housing Group said London councils take over two years to approve social housing developments, as reported by the *Evening Standard*. This is more than double the time taken in Manchester, where a 505-home project was approved in 11 months.
+Why are London planning approvals slower than in other cities?
Clarion’s CEO said London planning authorities are under-resourced and lack political support for housing delivery. The *Evening Standard* reported that Manchester’s system is faster because it has sufficient staff and local backing.
+What happens if planning delays continue in Barnet?
Edward Clarke, a planning consultant, said long delays push up construction costs, making some projects financially unviable. The *Evening Standard* reported that the Greater London Authority has missed its housing targets due to these delays.
+How can Barnet residents track local planning applications?
Residents can check the status of planning applications on Barnet Council’s website. The council’s planning committee meets monthly, with the next meeting on 12 September 2024. Comments can be submitted on live applications.
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