Thursday: 12/02/2026 / News

Daily News: 12/02/2026

Great Places Housing reported a £21m pre-tax surplus for Q3 to December 2025, £3m ahead of budget, with a 25.7% operating margin and all loan covenants met. Research Tree

Bidding for the £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme will open on 24 February, with funding distributed via strategic partnership and continuous market engagement routes, while early Housemark data shows social landlords are largely complying with Awaab’s Law requirements, although growing operational pressures are beginning to emerge. Housing Today (register), Housing Executive

The latest statistics for 2024-25 set out social housing sales and demolitions in England, covering Right to Buy, Preserved Right to Buy, Right to Acquire, other disposals, and stock demolitions, detailing annual changes to overall social housing supply. GOV.UK

WPS, Wates Group’s property services division, has secured four contracts worth £23.5m to deliver energy-efficiency upgrades to more than 2,500 social homes across the UK. Meanwhile, Hill Partnerships has won a £45m contract to build 103 flats for Maidstone Borough Council on the former Springfield Library site in Kent. Facilitate Magazine, Construction Enquirer

MJ Gleeson reported a 9.6% rise in half-year revenue but warned of margin pressures from build cost inflation and regulatory demands, signalling caution for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, Morgan Sindall is targeting a strong 2026 after lining up another profit upgrade, driven by record workload and strong performance in its Fit Out division. Construction Wave, Construction Enquirer

Total construction output in Great Britain fell by 2.1% in Quarter 4 (October to December 2025) compared with Quarter 3, with new work declining by 2.6% and repair and maintenance down 1.5%, according to the latest data. Office for National Statistics

A new survey of public sector housing professionals found that fewer than 1% believe the government’s target of delivering 1.5m new homes by 2029 is achievable under current policies, according to research by Pagabo. Meanwhile, a Barbour forecast suggests social housing could drive a rebound in offsite manufacturing following several high-profile sector collapses. BDC Magazine, PBC Today

More than half of construction workers feel “too old” to retrain, despite high levels of skills confidence across the sector, with internal barriers limiting wider apprenticeship uptake needed to secure the future talent pipeline, new research reveals. Builders Merchants News

Outline permission has been granted for 2,000+ homes near West Horndon despite objections, while a 203-home scheme at Flagstaff Road has been approved on appeal. Concerns also surround a proposed 900-home development on historic Essex farmland, plans for nearly 500 homes in Washington, and Bloor Homes’ revised 288-home scheme in Old Sarum, scaled down from earlier proposals. Your Thurrock, Gazette Standard, Essex Live, Sunderland Echo, and Salisbury Journal

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