An introduction from Lichfields

This is the third edition of Lichfields ’ award-winning research on the build out of large-scale residential development sites . First published in 2016 and then updated in 2020 , the report is established as an authoritative evidence base for considering housing delivery in the context of planning decisions , local plans and public policy debates . In this update , we have expanded the sample size ( with an extra 82 large sites delivering 500 or more dwellings , taking our total to 179 large sites , equivalent to over 365,000 dwellings ). Small sites data has also been updated with 118 examples totalling over 22,000 dwellings in this third edition . We have used the latest monitoring data where available , up to 1st April 2023 . The context for considering the delivery of development sites has evolved since our last edition and this has shaped the focus of our analysis . In 2020 a recently re-elected Conservative government was gearing up for radical planning reform including proposals aimed at boosting rates of onsite delivery following Sir Oliver Letwin ’ s independent review of build out . As of 2024 , the business models of housebuilders and land promoters – and allegations of perceived ‘ land banking ’ – have received fresh examination by the Competition and Markets Authority ( CMA ) which published its Market Study in February 2024 . The CMA found that land banking is a symptom of the planning system rather than a cause of under delivery of housing . We have cross referenced our latest findings with the CMA ’ s work .

Our aim is to provide real-world benchmarks to inform consideration of housing delivery trajectories .

aimed at build-out via the use of Commencement Notices ( s111 ), Progress Reports ( s114 ) and Completion Notices ( s112 ). Regulations to determine the practicalities of these measures are awaited but their design and application will benefit from a sound evidencebased grasp of how strategic housing schemes are implemented . Our research continues to focus exclusively on what has happened on the ground , how long things took and what has been built . We do not include forecasts of future delivery . Our aim is to provide real-world benchmarks to inform consideration of housing delivery trajectories . This can be particularly relevant in locations with few contemporary examples of strategic scale development . It also provides some context for when Government considers the recommendations of the CMA . The research excludes London because of the distinctive characteristics of housing development in the capital . However , our sample does include apartment schemes on brownfield land in regional urban centres . Recent policy shifts – increasing the focus on boosting housing supply on previously developed sites – mean it will become more important to understand the distinctive delivery profile of such schemes . Finally , the housing market has

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (‘ LURA ’) introduced new measures

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