The number of planning approvals for new homes granted in the final quarter of last year was 62% higher than the year before, according to the Home Builders Federation’s latest Housing Pipeline report.<br> <br> In the three month period to December 2012, local authorities granted approvals for 45,041 new homes in England, 33% up on the previous quarter and the highest quarterly number since Q1 2008 according to the survey compiled by Glenigan.<br> <br> HBF says that the number is still short of the 60,000 required each quarter but the increase is significant as it points to potential improvement in the planning system since the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework in March 2012.