There was a 'significant' rise in the number of planning permission approvals granted across England during 2012, according to figures released by the Home Builders' Federation (HBF).

The HBF's Housing Pipeline report shows that 33,881 homes had planning approvals granted during Quarter 3 last year, an increase of 36% on the previous quarter, and 17% up on the same period in 2011.

HBF called this a "welcome improvement", though warned that the number is still well short of the 60,000 per quarter needed to meet demand, or the average 64,500 approvals being granted during 2006/07.

The Federation said the figures were a positive sign since the introduction in April 2012 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which gave local authorities more power over what is being built in their areas, as well as requiring them to ensure they allocate sufficient land to meet housing requirements. The NPPF also features a robust appeal system, and HBF said this was resulting in "an increasing number of successful appeals in instances were local authorities are behaving unreasonably".

Planning permissions granted now will, in the main, be built over the next three or four years. Around 110,000 homes a year in England are currently being built, against a requirement for 240,000, so there needs to be a continued and steady increase in the number of permissions granted.

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the HBF, said: "The increase is good news and hopefully a reflection of the positive planning principles of the new system. It is just one quarterly increase and we are still well short of the number needed but we hope it starts a trend that will continue in 2013.

"While we are hopefully seeing a turning point in planning permissions much more can be done - the policy announcements within The Growth and Infrastructure Bill coupled with measures to kickstart stalled sites and a real and concerted effort to reduce red tape are vital to continuing this important progress. Building the homes we need would take millions off social housing waiting lists and enable beleaguered first time buyers to get a foot on the ladder. It could also create half a million new jobs, and give the country a massive and much-needed economic boost."