Planning permissions have increased 10% year-onyear in the first quarter of 2012 with a 33% increase on the previous quarter, according to HBF's latest Housing Pipeline report.<br> <br> In Q1 2012, 36,761 English homes were granted approval against 27,732 in Q4 2011, and 33,450 in Q1 2011. 31,078 of these were private approvals, representing a 37% rise on Q4 2011 and an 18% increase on Q1 2011.<br> <br> But social housing approvals in Q1 2012 sank 28% year-on-year to 4,313.<br> <br> HBF said that the figures covered the period just before the National Planning Policy Framework was published.<br> <br> The figures were part of a wave of statistics hitting the industry during June which included:<br> <br> Halifax reporting house prices up 5% in May UK house prices up 1.4% in the year according to the Office for National Statistics The ONS also reporting a 13.7% drop in private housing orders over the year The Homes and Communities reporting nearly 60,000 housing completions last year, down 8%, while affordable housing starts slumped 68% <br> This latter figure was at the heart of a row between housing minister Grant Shapps and his shadow Jack Dromey over what the Labour man claimed was …