Daily News: 18/12/2025
Clarion Housing Group reported a resilient half-year performance to September 2025, with turnover of £522m, down from £542m the previous year due to a challenging development sales market, partially offset by inflation-linked rent rises. Clarion Housing Group
NatWest has announced it is doubling its ringfenced social rent loan fund from £500m to £1bn in response to strong demand, with the move aimed at accelerating the delivery of homes for social rent across the UK. NatWest Group
The government has announced plans to establish a single Construction Regulator to oversee and unify standards across buildings, construction products, and professionals, aiming to enhance safety, accountability, and consistency across the sector. Meanwhile, its Public Bodies Review of the Regulator of Social Housing concluded that a full-scale review of the regulator is not required at this time. GOV.UK, GOV.UK
The government’s landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill has received Royal Assent, becoming law and enabling faster home delivery, improved transport links, and cleaner energy projects, with millions of working people and families set to benefit from the reforms. GOV.UK
Latest government data shows that of 16,990 social housing buildings reported in England, 1,867 have life-critical fire safety defects linked to external wall systems, while more than 99.9% have now had a fire risk assessment completed. GOV.UK
South East Consortium has appointed 33 firms to its new £300m Fire Safety Works Framework covering London and the South East. Separately, McLaren Property has named McLaren Construction Midlands and North as the main contractor for its £160m Upper Brook Street student accommodation scheme in Manchester. Construction Enquirer, The Construction Index
Higgins Group reported a strong year as turnover rose 51% to £315m and its secured workload topped £1.1bn, driven by its Partnerships arm. Applebridge Construction is targeting revenue growth in 2026 under a new expansion strategy, while administrators of collapsed groundworks firm Corbyn Construction have received nearly 100 unsecured claims worth £2.7m. Construction Enquirer, Construction Wave, and Construction News (register)
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has warned of rising uncertainty after workloads slipped to -1% in its 2025 Q3 survey, the first negative reading since 2020. Separately, the CMA said the civil engineering market is caught in a “negative cycle” and is developing proposals to improve public procurement in roads and rail. CECA, The Construction Index
A new report, funded by the Scottish Government, suggests Scotland’s home energy efficiency market could attract up to £37bn in private investment, with improved consumer awareness and supportive policies potentially unlocking around £17bn. Green Finance Institute
The City of London Corporation has had its busiest year for planning applications in a decade as overall demand grows. Elsewhere, plans include 315 homes at Ewloe Green in Flintshire, 120 homes on a former care home site in Bridgend, and 224 homes on the former Kenilworth School site. Construction Enquirer, Herald.Wales, Kenilworth Nub News, and Herald.Wales