Construction Management is the highest circulation construction-based publication serving the UK built environment.
News
35% of planning agreements take longer than a year to finalise
Cristina Lago Deputy Editor
The average time to finalise S106 agreements has increased by 20% over two years (Image: Peter Cox via Dreamstime.com)
Over a third (35%) of Section 106 agreements took longer than 12 months to complete between 2022 and 2024, new research by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) shows.
Local authorities have reported a 20% rise in Section 106 (S106) negotiation timelines, with housebuilders now waiting an average of 515 days to finalise infrastructure agreements.
S106 agreements are legally binding planning obligations negotiated between a local planning authority and a developer. They set out the contributions developers must make to support the local community, such as funding for schools, roads, public spaces and affordable housing.
This is not a paywall. Registration allows us to enhance your experience across Construction Management and ensure we deliver you quality editorial content.
Registering also means you can manage your own CPDs, comments, newsletter sign-ups and privacy settings.
Responses to a freedom of information request to local planning authorities reveal that the average time to finalise S106 agreements has increased by 20% over two years, from 425 days in 2022/23 to 515 days in 2024/25.
The longest recorded timescale was seven years (2,679 days).
Impact on SME developers
HBF said that while these delays affect developments of all sizes, they are particularly challenging for small- and medium-sized (SME) developers, which often lack the financial reserves to absorb prolonged delays and rising costs.
Neil Jefferson, chief executive at HBF, said: “The delays in negotiating Section 106 agreements are a clear example of how a lack of capacity in local authorities and inconsistencies in the planning process are affecting the delivery of much-needed homes.
"Homebuilders are proud of the contributions their developments make to local services and infrastructure and want these to be delivered in a timely fashion. With over £7bn delivered through S106 agreements each year, we cannot afford for the system to keep failing.”
Jefferson added: “While government has acknowledged the staffing constraints and taken welcome steps to address delays in the planning process, we now need to see meaningful action to increase capacity at a scale commensurate with the importance of the challenge.”
The November/December 2025 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
Powered Access
CM, in partnership with IPAF, has launched a new survey to explore the industry’s views and experiences with powered access machines on construction projects.
This is not a first step towards a paywall. We need readers to register with us to help sustain creation of quality editorial content on Construction Management. Registering also means you can manage your own CPDs, comments, newsletter sign-ups and privacy settings. Thank you.
