The British Property Federation (BPF) has released data indicating that planning consent for build-to-rent schemes takes 15 months, 150% longer than the statutory time limit
Due to planning and building regulations, rental planning consent is taking months longer to secure than the statutory limit.
These delays pose an issue for the government’s 1.5m homes target, as 80% of build-to-rent applications contain over 100 new homes.
Built-to-rent makes up 8% of all new homes in the UK
The BPF’s research, conducted in partnership with Savills, also shows that the time to secure planning consent for build-to-rent schemes in London has doubled over the last six years, with the time being eight months in 2020 to 15 months in 2026. Across the rest of the country, applications take up to 14 months.
The number of build-to-rent homes in planning has increased by 2% on the year across the country, and is up 6% in London with 41,968 in Q1 2026, up from 36,559 in Q1 2025.
Despite this increase, the number of homes at the detailed application stage has fallen by 17% since Q4 2025, and the number in construction has fallen again for the ninth quarter in a row, from 59,874 to 49,984. In London, the numbers are down 29% from 17,138 to 12,134.
The BPF uses this evidence to indicate that planning reforms and changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework will assist in decision-making, but the divide between proposed changes and actual implementation is continually delaying decisions and new home delivery. As a result, the BPF estimates that 3,000 new planners are needed to boost capacity and strengthen local plans to catch up with delivery of build-to-rent
Build-to-rent “needs a more supportive operating environment”
Danny Pinder, director at the British Property Federation, said: “The contribution that build-to-rent makes to the overall housing mix is essential to meeting demand, with 8% of the 210,000 homes delivered last year purpose-built for rent. Despite this, the rental market continues to come under intense pressure, with supply constrained and development challenging – exacerbated by entirely avoidable impacts of the incoming Renters’ Rights Act and renewed discussion of rent controls.
“The steady increase in the time it takes to determine applications reflects poorly on the planning system, with schemes on average taking 150% longer than the statutory requirement. Planning reforms to date have been helpful, but they are not sufficient to turn the tide on development.
“We need to see the Government go further to reform tax barriers to new homes, and that the increasing costs of construction are offset by a reduction in Section 106 and CIL requirements.”
Jacqui Daly, director at Savills Residential Research, said: “With the UK facing a housing shortage, build to rent is playing an increasingly important role in boosting overall supply, now accounting for close to one in ten new homes delivered.
“The sector has demonstrated its ability to adapt in the face of rising costs, tighter regulation and viability pressures, but continued delays across planning and the building safety regime are holding back delivery.
“If build-to-rent is to realise its full potential as a scalable and reliable source of new homes, it needs a more supportive operating environment, one that improves planning efficiency, provides regulatory certainty and enables schemes to progress quicker from consent to construction.”
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