Daily News: 12/01/2026
FCHO will deliver at least 600 new affordable homes and refurbish thousands of existing properties following a £110m funding deal with Santander UK. In County Durham, Believe Housing and Karbon Homes are partnering on a £28.5m scheme to deliver 115 affordable homes across five sites. Meanwhile, Wandsworth Council is investing in new council homes and estate improvements, reducing reliance on temporary accommodation by £3.7m a year. Housing Executive, Believe Housing Ltd., and Wandsworth London Borough
Hastings Borough Council is set to vote on the future of its wholly owned housing business, following a cabinet recommendation to wind up the Hastings Housing Company amid concerns over poor management and substantial debts. Housing Today (register)
Thenue Housing in Glasgow faces scrutiny after 11 board members resign amid a governance probe by the Scottish Housing Regulator. Leicestershire Council’s £17m housing reserve is nearly depleted after being used to repay government borrowing and upgrade council housing. Meanwhile, Kirklees Council has reduced the backlog of damp, mould, and condensation cases in its properties by 90% over the past year, while mould expert Jeff Charlton has warned that the recently introduced Awaab’s Law, as currently written, may actually increase risks to residents. Housing Today (register), Leicestershire Live, Examiner Live, and Facilitate Magazine
Councils are progressing the re-procurement of the £4.5bn Southern Construction Framework, with contractors invited to a bidders’ day in London as the next phase begins. Separately, WPS, part of the Wates Group, has secured a renewal of its long-term facilities management partnership with Mott MacDonald. Construction Enquirer, FMJ
Premier Technical Services Group has boosted its lightning protection capability by acquiring Earth Tech LPS Ltd, while graphene construction specialist Versarien has entered administration. Demolition contractor John F Hunt faced softer profits following a client collapse, and Robertson Residential posted an £8.7m loss after a major write-down and slower sales. In legal and policy news, a client settled for £1.25m with the defunct FEL Group over a faulty project, while family-owned builders warn they remain under threat despite inheritance tax changes. The Construction Index, Construction Enquirer, The Construction Index, Housing Today (register), Construction News (register), and Construction News (register)
UK housing construction fell sharply in November 2025, with starts and contract awards down 11% and planning approvals down 47%, highlighting pressure on the pipeline even as the market stabilises. Meanwhile, plumbing and heating sales values rose 0.8% due to 2.9% inflation, while volumes fell 2.1%, showing subdued demand. Construction News (register), Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index
In Swindon, residents have voiced anger over proposals for 2,380 homes as part of the New Eastern Villages expansion, while a 340-home scheme near Oxford faces hundreds of objections but is still expected to be approved. In Cheshire, a decision is imminent on a 330-home estate in south Warrington, and Suffolk sees revised plans for a 220-home development in Stanton. Bellway Strategic Land has also submitted outline proposals for up to 140 homes near Eccleshall, Staffordshire. Swindon Advertiser, Oxford Mail, Cheshire Live, East Anglian Daily Times, and TheBusinessDesk.com