MORE than 28,000 homes across Yorkshire are still waiting to be built after being given planning permission, according to new research published today by the Local Government Association.

The study, commissioned by the LGA, showed that the backlog had grown by more than 32 per cent in the last year.

In 2015/16 the total number of unimplemented planning permissions in the region was estimated at 21,617, rising to 28,597 in 2016/17.

Nationally the figures were 365,146 in England and Wales in 2015/16, rising to 423,544 in 2016/17, a rise of almost 16 per cent.

The LGA said the findings suggest developers are taking longer to build new homes.

It now takes 40 months, on average, from schemes receiving planning permission to building work being completed - eight months longer than in 2013/14, the LGA said.

The LGA, which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, said however that the planning system is not a barrier to building.

Councils are approving nine in every 10 planning applications and granted planning permission in 2016/17 for 321,202 new homes - up from 204,989 new homes in 2015/16.

It said its analysis did show however that local authorities need powers to act on uncompleted schemes, including making it easier to compulsory purchase land where homes remain unbuilt, and to be able to charge developers full council tax for every unbuilt development from the point that the original planning permission expires.

The LGA also reiterated its calls to scrap the cap on council borrowing so that local authorities can quickly build additional new homes that are affordable.

Councillor Martin Tett, LGA housing spokesman, said: “To tackle the new homes backlog and to get the country building again, councils also need the freedom to borrow and invest in desperately needed new homes.”

He continued: “Our national housing shortage is one of the most pressing issues we face.

“While private developers have a key role to play in solving our housing crisis, they cannot meet the 300,000 house building target set by the Government on their own.

“We have no chance of housing supply meeting demand unless councils can get building again.”

But the Home Builders Federation claimed the study was “overly simplistic”.

Andrew Whitaker, planning director at the federation, said: “Housing delivery is up 74% in four years and the fact more applications are being submitted demonstrates builders’ commitment to build more.”

He added: “The majority of permissions in this overly simplistic study are on sites where construction is already under way, or where a full permission that allows builders to actually start work has not yet been granted.”