Daily News: 12/12/2025
Orbit Group missed its development target but maintained a steady surplus while focusing on existing homes. Incommunities Limited reported a net surplus of £7.0m for the six months to September 2025, up from £5.7m and exceeding budget by £1.5m, while Karbon Homes Group saw turnover rise to £111.1m and operating surplus increase to £28.2m over the same period. Housing Today (register), Investegate, and Investegate
New research from the University of Manchester warns that millions of UK social homes are increasingly vulnerable to rising heat and higher energy costs, with current housing and climate policies failing to keep pace. The University of Manchester
A new report highlights growing awareness of energy efficiency, with 84% of people saying EPC ratings are important. However, half of homeowners and 63% of renters are unaware of their home’s rating, while average annual energy bills for EPC A-rated homes stand at £571. Rightmove
Social housing providers are facing growing difficulties in gaining access to tenants’ homes, driven by increasing regulatory and legislative requirements, which adds significant costs. In Scotland, the SFHA has called for fairer funding on building safety to help keep social rents affordable. National Federation of ALMOs, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
McLaren Property secured £160m forward funding from L&G to deliver 737 student beds on Upper Brook Street, Manchester. Sutton Housing Society has appointed Northvale Construction to add floors to its first block of retirement flats in a £7m project, while homes in Redcar are benefiting from a £6m investment programme led by Karbon Homes. The Construction Index, The Construction Index, and Housing Executive
United Infrastructure acquired John Wood Group’s UK transmission and distribution business, while Walters Group’s turnover rose 11.6% to £159.5m despite rising construction costs. The Construction Index, Construction Wave
Building tender prices in Scotland increased by 1% quarter-on-quarter in 4Q2025 and were up 3% compared with 4Q2024, according to the BCIS Scottish Tender Price Assessment Panel. BCIS
Total construction output in Great Britain fell by 0.3% in the three months to October 2025, while just over 200,000 new homes were built in England in the 12 months to September 2025, based on EPC data. Office for National Statistics, Savills
Havering Council has approved compulsory purchase orders to enable the development of a 1,070-home estate in Romford, while Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council plans to deliver 937 new council homes by 2035 as part of its long-term housing strategy. Yellow Advertiser, Bournemouth Echo
Manchester City Council has approved a 498-home scheme near the Etihad Campus, while Wakefield Council backed plans for 126 homes in Crofton despite hundreds of objections. Amro Partners has submitted a £650m Lewisham Retail Park redevelopment for 1,452 rental homes, and Chichester District Council will soon decide on 1,300 homes in Tangmere. Additional approvals include 140 homes in North Petherton and around 120 homes in Killinghall, North Yorkshire. Housing Executive, BBC, Construction Enquirer, The Argus, Somerset Live, and Property Wire