Daily News: 01/12/2025
A report highlights rising pressure on London’s electricity grid and the need to coordinate planning for both digital infrastructure and new homes. It warns that areas like West London face stretched capacity, with data centre growth likely to continue even as the housing crisis is at its worst. London Gov.UK
Kingston Council will borrow £63.1m to buy 150 homes, including former Right to Buy properties, aiming to reduce reliance on costly temporary accommodation and provide families with permanent housing. Pembrokeshire Council has spent £3.5m acquiring 16 homes to boost local supply, while Hartlepool Council has approved the purchase of nine new Persimmon homes to expand its affordable housing stock. MyLondon, Western Telegraph, and Teesside Live
Data shows over 1,000 more empty homes in North East England in the past year-the smallest regional increase. Across England, long-term empty homes (vacant over six months) rose 14%, compared with 7% in the Northeast. BBC
Basildon Council is set to consider a major overhaul of how it manages its council housing after agreeing to let a controversial maintenance contract lapse next year. The decision follows concerns raised at a cabinet meeting that contractor Morgan Sindall had not adequately performed its housing maintenance duties. Echo
Families in a Surrey community where 35 Guildford Borough Council-owned homes have been left empty due to subsidence say they do not feel safe in their own homes. BBC
Birmingham’s supported housing firm Midland Livings CIC has gone into liquidation, owing over £12.2m, amid claims of threats, arson, and dishonesty, affecting around 1,000 vulnerable tenants and exposing issues in the ‘exempt supported housing’ sector. Meanwhile, graphene company Versarien has filed a notice to appoint an administrator, raising concerns over its future. Birmingham Live, Construction Enquirer
UK housing construction activity in October 2025 saw an 8% decrease in project starts year-on-year, a 15% drop in main contract awards, and a 58% fall in detailed planning approvals compared to 2024, indicating a slowdown in residential project starts and planning approvals. Construction News (register)
Regional energy retrofit firms warn of a potential supply-chain collapse after the UK government moved to axe the £6.5bn ECO4 scheme, which upgraded damp, mouldy, and draughty homes for low-income households. Meanwhile, wood-burning stoves could face a partial ban under Labour’s updated environment plan, which sets out pollution targets and nature recovery projects to address environmental concerns linked to housebuilding. Construction Enquirer, The Guardian
Telford Homes and Poplar HARCA plan to revive a 3.7ha east London scheme with up to 580 homes, 675 shared-living units, and 650 student rooms. In Scotland, 333 homes are set for approval on the former AECC site. Over 270 objections have been raised against Bloor Homes’ 245-home plan in Fair Oak over traffic concerns. In Warrington, Habiko is consulting on 240 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments at Academy Way. Housing Today (register), Scottish Housing News, Daily Echo, and Place North West