{"id":2009,"date":"2025-09-12T13:19:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T12:19:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/?p=2009"},"modified":"2025-09-12T13:19:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T12:19:04","slug":"red-tape-and-rising-costs-stifling-new-build-availability-across-the-capital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/london-property-market\/red-tape-and-rising-costs-stifling-new-build-availability-across-the-capital\/","title":{"rendered":"Red tape and rising costs stifling new-build availability across the capital"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757656064_House-build-extention-iStock-1341828092-WEB-300x200.webp\" alt=\"Red tape and rising costs stifling new-build availability across the capital\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2010 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757656064_House-build-extention-iStock-1341828092-WEB-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757656064_House-build-extention-iStock-1341828092-WEB-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757656064_House-build-extention-iStock-1341828092-WEB.webp 900w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/>The latest analysis from London estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed how protracted building timelines are preventing the capital\u2019s housebuilders from delivering the level of new-build housing stock required to meet demand, with new homes currently accounting for just 7.5% of all properties listed for sale across London. <\/p>\n<p>Benham and Reeves analysed the latest figures on London\u2019s development timelines, showing that it now takes an average of 25.7 months for a new project to progress from planning application to a spade in the ground. This is two months longer than the previous year and the longest timeline seen in more than a decade.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not just the process of securing planning permission that is slowing the pace of delivery. Even once permission is granted, it currently takes an average of 16.3 months before work begins on site. <\/p>\n<p>This marks a 3.9-month increase in just a year and again represents the longest timeframe seen across the last ten years.<\/p>\n<p>Further analysis of current for-sale listings, conducted by Benham and Reeves, shows how this protracted process is choking off supply. <\/p>\n<p>Across London as a whole, new-build homes currently account for just 7.5% of all available stock listed for sale on the market. <\/p>\n<p>While in some boroughs, such as Newham (12.9%), Hackney (12.8%) and the City of London (12.4%), new homes account for more than one in ten listings, in others the proportion is far lower. <\/p>\n<p>In Richmond upon Thames, for example, new builds make up just 2.4% of current for-sale stock, with similarly low levels found in Kingston upon Thames (2.7%), Redbridge (2.9%) and Havering (3.2%).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Marc von Grundherr, Director of Benham and Reeves, commented:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cLondon\u2019s housebuilders are more than willing to deliver the homes this city so desperately needs, but they continue to face obstacle after obstacle. From the red tape of planning delays to the ballooning cost of labour and materials, as well as higher borrowing costs and subdued buyer appetite, the challenges are substantial.<\/p>\n<p>The end result is that new homes account for less than 8% of total listings, with some boroughs seeing barely 2% to 3% of their available stock built within the last few years. This is nowhere near the level of delivery required in a city of London\u2019s size and demand.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that 2025 already looks to be a year of greater momentum. As market confidence improves and more developers are encouraged to bring schemes forward, we should begin to see a healthier pace of delivery and a growing share of new-build homes hitting the market.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-responsive mb20\">\n<table class=\"press-table textfLeft table-fixed font-12\" border=\"1\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"bg-table-blue\">\n<th colspan=\"3\" style=\"text-align:left;\">Building timelines in London &#8211; median months<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"bg-table-blue\">\n<th style=\"text-align:left;\">Year<\/th>\n<th>Months From Application to Start on Site<\/th>\n<th>Months From Full Planning to Start on Site<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>2013<\/td>\n<td>13.4<\/td>\n<td>8.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2014<\/td>\n<td>16.4<\/td>\n<td>9.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2015<\/td>\n<td>16.8<\/td>\n<td>10.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2016<\/td>\n<td>18.2<\/td>\n<td>10.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2017<\/td>\n<td>15.7<\/td>\n<td>9.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2018<\/td>\n<td>17.7<\/td>\n<td>9.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2019<\/td>\n<td>20.9<\/td>\n<td>13.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2020<\/td>\n<td>21.9<\/td>\n<td>12.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2021<\/td>\n<td>25.4<\/td>\n<td>12.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2022<\/td>\n<td>25.6<\/td>\n<td>15.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2023<\/td>\n<td>23.7<\/td>\n<td>12.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2024<\/td>\n<td>25.7<\/td>\n<td>16.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Annual change n<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2.0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>3.9<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Annual change %\t<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>8.4%<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>31.5%<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<div class=\"table-responsive mb20\">\n<table class=\"press-table textfLeft table-fixed font-12\" border=\"1\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"bg-table-blue\">\n<th colspan=\"4\" style=\"text-align:left;\">Est new build proportions<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"bg-table-blue\">\n<th style=\"text-align:left;\">Location<\/th>\n<th>Est total available stock<\/th>\n<th>Est total available NB stock<\/th>\n<th>NB proportion<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Newham<\/td>\n<td>2,090<\/td>\n<td>270<\/td>\n<td>12.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hackney<\/td>\n<td>1,554<\/td>\n<td>199<\/td>\n<td>12.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>City of London<\/td>\n<td>251<\/td>\n<td>31<\/td>\n<td>12.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hammersmith and Fulham<\/td>\n<td>2,618<\/td>\n<td>317<\/td>\n<td>12.1%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Barking and Dagenham<\/td>\n<td>719<\/td>\n<td>77<\/td>\n<td>10.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Tower Hamlets<\/td>\n<td>3,986<\/td>\n<td>418<\/td>\n<td>10.5%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Haringey<\/td>\n<td>1,487<\/td>\n<td>153<\/td>\n<td>10.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Greenwich<\/td>\n<td>2,581<\/td>\n<td>265<\/td>\n<td>10.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wandsworth<\/td>\n<td>4,197<\/td>\n<td>425<\/td>\n<td>10.1%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ealing<\/td>\n<td>3,053<\/td>\n<td>299<\/td>\n<td>9.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lambeth<\/td>\n<td>3,211<\/td>\n<td>295<\/td>\n<td>9.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Waltham Forest<\/td>\n<td>1,148<\/td>\n<td>101<\/td>\n<td>8.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Barnet<\/td>\n<td>4,091<\/td>\n<td>345<\/td>\n<td>8.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Brent<\/td>\n<td>2,501<\/td>\n<td>209<\/td>\n<td>8.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Southwark<\/td>\n<td>2,788<\/td>\n<td>215<\/td>\n<td>7.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Enfield<\/td>\n<td>1,798<\/td>\n<td>133<\/td>\n<td>7.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Merton<\/td>\n<td>1,808<\/td>\n<td>130<\/td>\n<td>7.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bexley<\/td>\n<td>1,312<\/td>\n<td>94<\/td>\n<td>7.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hounslow<\/td>\n<td>2,059<\/td>\n<td>142<\/td>\n<td>6.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Westminster<\/td>\n<td>5,634<\/td>\n<td>382<\/td>\n<td>6.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Sutton<\/td>\n<td>1,327<\/td>\n<td>84<\/td>\n<td>6.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Camden<\/td>\n<td>2,485<\/td>\n<td>157<\/td>\n<td>6.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Croydon<\/td>\n<td>3,506<\/td>\n<td>216<\/td>\n<td>6.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hillingdon<\/td>\n<td>1,940<\/td>\n<td>97<\/td>\n<td>5.0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Islington<\/td>\n<td>1,478<\/td>\n<td>72<\/td>\n<td>4.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Kensington and Chelsea<\/td>\n<td>3,701<\/td>\n<td>174<\/td>\n<td>4.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lewisham<\/td>\n<td>2,186<\/td>\n<td>95<\/td>\n<td>4.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Harrow<\/td>\n<td>1,950<\/td>\n<td>80<\/td>\n<td>4.1%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bromley<\/td>\n<td>2,623<\/td>\n<td>92<\/td>\n<td>3.5%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Havering<\/td>\n<td>1,542<\/td>\n<td>49<\/td>\n<td>3.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Redbridge<\/td>\n<td>1,295<\/td>\n<td>38<\/td>\n<td>2.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Kingston upon Thames<\/td>\n<td>1,350<\/td>\n<td>37<\/td>\n<td>2.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Richmond upon Thames<\/td>\n<td>1,838<\/td>\n<td>45<\/td>\n<td>2.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>London<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>76,107<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>5,736<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>7.5%<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-top:10px; font-size:12px; font-style:italic;\" class=\"mb20\">\n\u25cf Median building timeline data sourced from Bloomberg, August 2025.<br \/>\n\u25cf Analysis of new-build stock as a proportion of all current for-sale listings sourced from Rightmove (August 2025).\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The latest analysis from London estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed how protracted building timelines are preventing the capital\u2019s housebuilders from delivering the level of new-build housing stock required to meet demand, with new homes currently accounting for just 7.5% of all properties listed for sale across London. Benham and Reeves analysed the latest &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/london-property-market\/red-tape-and-rising-costs-stifling-new-build-availability-across-the-capital\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Red tape and rising costs stifling new-build availability across the capital&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[463],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-london-property-market"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2009"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2011,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009\/revisions\/2011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/press-release\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}