{"id":10066,"date":"2026-02-04T12:32:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T12:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/?p=10066"},"modified":"2026-02-04T12:32:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T12:32:49","slug":"wednesday-04-02-2026-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/daily-news\/wednesday-04-02-2026-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Wednesday: 04\/02\/2026 \/ News"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"blue-color\">\n<h6>Daily News: 04\/02\/2026<\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NatWest has set a \u00a310bn funding target for the UK social housing sector to be delivered by the end of 2028, having already provided over \u00a325bn in commercial loans and capital market support between 2018 and 2025. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.natwestgroup.com\/news-and-insights\/news-room\/press-releases\/enterprise\/2026\/feb\/natwest-sets-new-10bn-funding-ambition-for-uk-social-housing.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NatWest Group<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Welsh Government has announced over \u00a360m in funding to boost housing delivery across Wales, with Cabinet Secretary Jayne Bryant confirming the investment aims to increase supply and support communities nationwide. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/media.service.gov.wales\/news\/more-than-gbp-60-million-to-deliver-housing-across-wales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Welsh Government<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tenant satisfaction is rising across Lambeth Council, with council-managed homes seeing improved ratings over the past year amid ongoing service improvements. White Horse Housing Association also reported positive survey results, praising staff, service quality, and value for money. Winchester City Council acknowledged progress but noted further work is needed to boost tenant satisfaction. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/love.lambeth.gov.uk\/tenant-satisfaction-rises-across-lambeths-housing-services-as-journey-of-improvement-continues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lambeth London Borough<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehorsehousing.co.uk\/article\/114\/tenantsurvey26\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White Horse Housing Association Ltd<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk\/news\/25817805.winchester-city-council-areas-improvement-tenants-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hampshire Chronicle<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Southend-on-Sea Borough Council will upgrade council homes on the Balmoral estate with ground source heat pumps to cut energy bills, supported by \u00a33.47m from the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and match funding from the Housing Revenue Account. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.southend.gov.uk\/news\/article\/3482\/major-upgrade-to-balmoral-estate-council-homes-will-cut-energy-bills\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Southend-on-Sea Borough Council<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firms are on alert for the renewal of the government\u2019s largest construction framework, with ProCure24 and major project tenders due next month. Meanwhile, the Northern Housing Consortium has appointed Acivico FM to its Active Fire Framework, providing members with pre-qualified fire safety expertise. Elsewhere, Brighton &amp; Hove City Council faces criticism over a \u00a319m temporary housing contract for homeless households. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructionenquirer.com\/2026\/02\/04\/government-puts-firms-on-alert-for-mega-framework-renewal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction Enquirer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fmindustry.com\/2026\/02\/04\/northern-housing-consortium-appoints-acivico-fm-to-fire-safety-framework\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FM Industry<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightonandhovenews.org\/2026\/02\/03\/council-criticised-over-19m-temporary-housing-contract\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brighton &amp; Hove News<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developers and landowners-including Berkeley, Taylor Wimpey, Urban&amp;Civic, Hallam Land, and Gallagher-back Milton Keynes\u2019 plan as a next-generation UK new town, controlling land for around 40,000 homes with supporting infrastructure. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructionenquirer.com\/2026\/02\/04\/developers-rally-behind-milton-keynes-new-town-ambition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction Enquirer<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build-to-rent giant Grainger has reported \u201cstrong\u201d rental growth in line with expectations, with the UK\u2019s largest listed residential landlord fully letting a 132-home scheme in London in less than four months. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingtoday.co.uk\/news\/build-to-rent-giant-grainger-reports-strong-rental-growth-in-line-with-expectations\/5140553.article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing Today (register)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern energy-efficient homes could cut household energy bills by around \u00a3420 a year and lower carbon emissions compared with older properties, according to the Home Builders Federation and Octopus Energy. Meanwhile, Currie &amp; Brown forecast global construction costs will rise 2.4% in 2026, with the UK up 3.6%, amid ongoing economic and market uncertainty affecting project delivery. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbf.co.uk\/news\/energy-efficient-new-build-homes-slash-bills-by-420-a-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home Builders Federation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/global-construction-costs-are-set-to-increase-by-2-4-in-2026-but-uncertainty-will-test-delivery\/158901\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PBC Today<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1,600 homes near a Herefordshire town divides opinion, though a local shopkeeper supports it. A Shropshire developer proposes up to 300 homes on a town edge. Hallam Land seeks outline permission for 225 homes in Alton, sparking historic preservation concerns. 125 homes are planned north of Haywards Heath, Sussex, and a public consultation in Keynsham considers 110 homes (nearly half affordable). <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c7v0prm5mjjo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BBC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shropshirestar.com\/news\/local-hubs\/bridgnorth\/much-wenlock\/2026\/02\/03\/plans-for-300-new-houses-on-edge-of-shropshire-town-lodged\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shropshire Star<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.altonherald.com\/news\/call-to-protect-altons-history-as-plans-for-225-homes-revealed-875779\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alton Herald<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theargus.co.uk\/news\/25816843.125-new-homes-planned-land-north-haywards-heath\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Argus<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bristolpost.co.uk\/news\/local-news\/hundreds-new-homes-could-built-10792733\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bristol Live<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Daily News: 04\/02\/2026 NatWest has set a \u00a310bn funding target for the UK social housing sector to be delivered by the end of 2028, having already provided over \u00a325bn in commercial loans and capital market support between 2018 and 2025. NatWest Group The Welsh Government has announced over \u00a360m in funding to boost housing delivery [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10066"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10070,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10066\/revisions\/10070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}