Daily News: 09/02/2026
Most social homes continue to provide tenants with safe and warm accommodation, but progress in meeting the Decent Homes Standard has nearly stalled since the pandemic, leaving just under 430,000 social homes below standard, with issues such as damp and overcrowding on the rise. Parliament.UK
The Mayor of London has announced a £1.5bn City Hall Developer Investment Fund (CHDIF), providing low-interest loans to housing associations to accelerate delivery of affordable and social homes across the capital, aimed at unlocking stalled schemes and increasing supply. London Gov.UK
A new Local Government Association survey warns that one in three councils may need emergency government bailouts within three years, prompting calls for increased funding in the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement to support essential services and national priorities like housing, growth, and social care. Local Government Association
Renfrewshire Council has appointed Clark Contracts to its multi-trades framework for housing repairs and maintenance, while Muse will lead the redevelopment of Wakefield’s Ridings shopping centre into a new quarter delivering over 1,000 homes. Scottish Housing News, Construction Enquirer
Developer Salboy has opened its in-house construction arm to external clients, targeting time-critical and distressed housing schemes after initially supporting its own projects. Meanwhile, Robertson Construction Group has returned to profitability following a tough previous year, while a subcontractor narrowly survived after being left owed a six-figure sum following the collapse of offsite specialist Merit. Separately, brick merchant Brickability has rebranded as Brick. Construction Enquirer, Construction Enquirer, Construction News (register), and The Construction Index
The Scottish Government’s Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund (SHNZHF) supports projects aimed at decarbonising social housing, with the February 2026 report summarising funded initiatives across the sector. Scottish Government
The developer of the 1,800-home O2 Centre regeneration has proposed cutting 280 social housing units and delaying construction by up to five years, raising concerns about affordable housing delivery in the area. Camden New Journal
Comer Homes secured permission to convert Southend’s long-vacant HMRC tower into 557 flats. Elsewhere, plans are progressing for 300 homes in Wiltshire, 475 homes near a proposed new town in Oxfordshire, and major schemes in London, including 287 homes in Ealing and 258 homes in Blackheath. Regional regeneration plans also continue in Prestwich with up to 250 homes as part of a £100m scheme, while proposals for 117 homes near Guisborough have sparked local opposition. Construction Enquirer, Gazette & Herald, Oxford Mail, Harrow Online, Southwark News, Bury Times, and The Northern Echo