{"id":9968,"date":"2026-01-22T12:43:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T12:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/?p=9968"},"modified":"2026-01-22T12:43:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T12:43:23","slug":"thursday-22-01-2026-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/daily-news\/thursday-22-01-2026-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Thursday: 22\/01\/2026 \/ News"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"blue-color\">\n<h6>Daily News: 22\/01\/2026<\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Churchill Living is partnering with Housing 21 to deliver over 300 social rented homes for older people across five sites, expanding its retirement housing and affordable housing offer. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingtoday.co.uk\/news\/churchill-announces-300-home-deal-with-housing-21-as-it-eyes-affordable-housing-growth\/5140316.article\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing Today (register)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government has published updated national guidance for new builds, focusing on design quality, climate resilience, and well-connected neighbourhoods with local amenities, while supporting modern living through home working and flexible, adaptable layouts. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/new-design-guidance-to-raise-the-bar-for-new-build-developments\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GOV.UK<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Regulator of Social Housing has confirmed fee increases for 2026\/27, with charges rising by 1.8% for large registered providers and by 5% for local authority landlords. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingtoday.co.uk\/news\/rsh-confirms-18-fee-increase-for-large-rps-and-5-for-councils\/5140326.article\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing Today (register)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hackney Council reports improved tenant satisfaction with repairs and maintenance but acknowledges more work is needed. Manchester City Council will review its approach to bringing empty homes back into use, as its wider housing strategy remains on track to exceed its target of 10,000 affordable, social, and council homes. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.london-now.co.uk\/news\/25784192.hackney-council-says-improvements-made-housing-service\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">London Now<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.manchester.gov.uk\/news\/article\/9855\/manchester_to_review_approach_to_bringing_empty_homes_back_into_use\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manchester City Council<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An \u00a38.3m retrofit programme will upgrade nearly 650 social homes in the North East over three years via a five-provider consortium, while RPS Group secured a \u00a31.1m contract for gas servicing and repairs across 2,570 council homes for Westmorland &amp; Furness Council. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingexecutive.co.uk\/8-3m-retrofit-programme-to-upgrade-650-social-homes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing Executive<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/northwest\/news\/2165796-wigan-contractor-wins-1.1m-gas-servicing-and-repair-deal-for-2570-council-homes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TheBusinessDesk.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Up to 3,500 homes in south Birmingham progressed after Lovell was awarded the Druids Heath redevelopment contract. In London, Wates and Mount Anvil will deliver at least 360 council homes across Southwark, while JJ Rhatigan secured a \u00a378m contract to create the city\u2019s first co-living development, converting a 1950s office into 174 homes near the Barbican. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/westmidlands\/news\/2107549-plans-to-deliver-3500-homes-in-south-birmingham-take-a-step-forward\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TheBusinessDesk.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theconstructionindex.co.uk\/news\/view\/wates-and-mount-anvil-to-build-southwark-homes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Construction Index<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructionenquirer.com\/2026\/01\/21\/jj-rhatigan-lands-78m-city-office-conversion\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction Enquirer<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government announced a \u00a31.5bn capital programme to repair, refurbish, and maintain museums, libraries, and cultural venues across England, addressing a long-standing repair backlog from years of underfunding. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructionenquirer.com\/2026\/01\/22\/government-rolls-out-1-5bn-to-tackle-cultural-buildings-repair-backlog\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction Enquirer<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mears expects its turnover and adjusted pre-tax profit to hit the top end of market guidance after strong trading and contract wins. Meanwhile, seven of the UK\u2019s largest housebuilders face a class action lawsuit alleging anticompetitive behaviour that inflated new-build home prices. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingtoday.co.uk\/news\/mears-says-profit-at-upper-end-of-expectations-after-contract-wins\/5140325.article\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing Today (register)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingtoday.co.uk\/seven-housebuilders-face-class-action-lawsuit-over-alleged-anticompetitive-behaviour\/5140302.article\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing Today (register)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of November 2025, the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) has installed 120,500 measures in 89,800 households, while the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) delivered around 4.4m measures across 2.6m homes. The government also published the final evaluation of PRS MEES, assessing compliance and impacts to inform future energy efficiency policy. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/statistics\/great-british-insulation-scheme-release-january-2026\/summary-of-the-great-british-insulation-scheme-january-2026\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GOV.UK<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/statistics\/household-energy-efficiency-statistics-headline-release-january-2026\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GOV.UK<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/media\/696b6c69749cbde8ccd36563\/prs-mees-evaluation-final-report.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GOV.UK<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The report Broken Ladder: The Affordability Gap highlights a worsening home ownership crisis, as the gap between what buyers can afford and actual house prices continues to widen, leaving millions, particularly young and first-time buyers, unable to get on the property ladder. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbf.co.uk\/documents\/15189\/Broken_Ladder_-_The_Affordability_Gap_Report.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home Builders Federation<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vistry and Kier secured approval for 289 mixed-tenure homes at Great Haddon, Peterborough. In Plymouth, a \u00a37.3m land deal could deliver around 500 homes, while Bridgwater\u2019s 220-home plans face thousands of objections. Wain Homes submitted plans for 137 homes in Preston, and 103 homes in Chelford are recommended for approval. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk\/business\/vistry-and-kier-secure-reserved-matters-approval-for-289-new-homes-at-great-haddon-peterborough-5485367\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peterborough Today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.plymouthherald.co.uk\/news\/plymouth-news\/plymouths-win-win-73m-land-10765747\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plymouth Live<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/clymdrkp35zo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BBC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.placenorthwest.co.uk\/wain-homes-submits-plans-for-137-preston-homes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Place North West<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk\/news\/25785998.plans-build-103-homes-chelford-recommended-approval\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knutsford Guardian<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Daily News: 22\/01\/2026 Churchill Living is partnering with Housing 21 to deliver over 300 social rented homes for older people across five sites, expanding its retirement housing and affordable housing offer. Housing Today (register) The government has published updated national guidance for new builds, focusing on design quality, climate resilience, and well-connected neighbourhoods with local [&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-9968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968","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=9968"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9974,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968\/revisions\/9974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.locarla.com\/insight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}