Heres my two – penneth worth
A lot of major housebuilders put in planning applications pre-NPPF finalisation knowing that LPAs would be keen on ensuring they had a 5 year supply. this has a natural dropoff in the quarter since.
Post NPPF small scale developments encouraged on sites that previously would have been marginal or refused.
The increase in small sites in this quarter cant compensate for the natural drop off in large sites.
Either way starts as opposed to approval depend entirely on demand.
We shall soon see a return to normality – that is large sites coming on stream when local p[ans approved or when large developers lose patience and appeal. Of course in normal times approvals would translate into starts – we are nopt in normal times.
