Daily News: 16/02/2026
The total value of UK housing stock has reached a record £9.18tn, over 3.8 times the FTSE100’s year-end market capitalisation, reflecting strong property market growth despite ongoing affordability and delivery pressures. Savills
Birmingham City Council received over 50,000 complaints about dampness, condensation and mould across five years, highlighting persistent stock condition challenges. The council is also reviewing its housing waiting list policy, with more than 20,000 applicants and proposals to prioritise specific groups for social housing access. Birmingham Live, Birmingham Live
London’s affordable housing delivery is lagging behind revised targets, with fewer than 8,000 homes started under the 2021-26 programme. Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan faces a shortfall of nearly 10,000 homes in the final three months to meet the reduced target. The Scottish Conservatives have pledged to deliver 80,000 new affordable homes by 2031 as part of a broader strategy to address Scotland’s housing emergency. BBC, Scottish Housing News
Building safety approval delays at Gateway 3 are holding back housing supply, leaving thousands of completed flats empty. FOI data from Irwin Mitchell shows 44 schemes unresolved beyond three months, with the longest delay at 550 days-pointing to major regulatory bottlenecks affecting occupancy and delivery timelines. Construction Enquirer
Bromford and Taylor Wimpey will deliver 116 affordable homes in Bromsgrove. Graham secured a £286m Manchester student accommodation scheme, delivering over 2,300 bedrooms through a university joint venture. Kier Construction won a £35m contract for the Southern Gateway scheme at Bristol Temple Meads, supporting station-led regeneration and connectivity upgrades. Housing Digital, Construction Enquirer, and Construction News (register)
Onespace Group has entered administration despite delivering more than 500 projects, underscoring ongoing financial pressures and insolvency risk across the UK construction supply chain. Ayr Advertiser
Henry Boot won an appeal for outline permission for 1,000 homes in Kent. In Southend-on-Sea, plans to convert a landmark office block into 557 flats and a pocket park have cleared the final approval stage. Developer Acorn Property Group secured permission for a £50m Chippenham town centre riverside redevelopment, including 225 homes. Councillors approved 205 homes in Nunthorpe, while 187 homes were sanctioned on Derbyshire village’s “last green space”. Up to 315 homes are proposed for Cricklade, and 295 houses for a greenfield estate in Uttoxeter. Housing Today (register), Essex Live, Construction Enquirer, Teesside Live, Derbyshire Times, This is Wiltshire, and StokeonTrentLive