Daily News: 17/02/2026
Bristol City Council has around one in three council homes overdue for mandatory five-year electrical safety checks, increasing pressure to accelerate testing and contractor capacity, while Wiltshire Council has commissioned an independent forensic review of its Stone Circle housing companies, signalling heightened governance and delivery scrutiny of the council-owned development vehicle. Bristol Live, Gazette & Herald
The Chartered Institute of Housing has backed new supported housing strategy guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, urging councils to take a broader, coordinated approach to provision, while BSRIA has issued new technical guidance (BG 90/2026) to help landlords manage damp and mould risks, strengthening compliance and maintenance standards across social housing. Housing Today (register), FMJ
The former Northeye prison site in Bexhill has transferred from the Home Office to Homes England, progressing long-planned regeneration and enabling new homes while supporting wider government efforts to unlock public land for housing delivery. GOV.UK
Liverpool City Council is advancing two proposals that could deliver 400+ homes to boost supply and support residents to find suitable, stable housing across the city. Meanwhile, Stockport Council has approved £57.4m backing for four schemes via Stockport Homes Group to deliver 200 homes. Liverpool City Council, Place North West
PFI contracts boosted profitability at Equans E&S Infrastructure UK, while insolvency pressure continued with Artemis Interior Services Ltd filing an administration notice and land sales progressing from the collapsed Stewart Milne Group. Meanwhile, Celnor Group expanded through acquisition, signalling consolidation in compliance services. Construction News (register), Construction Enquirer, Scottish Housing News, and Construction Wave
A new professional pathway introduced by the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors enables civil engineering surveyors to achieve chartered status, strengthening technical standards across infrastructure and housing delivery, while SME housebuilders warn market pressures are weakening the apprenticeship pipeline, with many smaller firms citing constraints on recruitment and training despite viewing apprenticeships as vital to addressing skills shortages. The Construction Index, Home Builders Federation
The UK-wide overview of house building brings together quarterly data on new dwelling completions across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, offering a consolidated view of delivery trends in a devolved housing system, a key benchmark for tracking supply performance. Office for National Statistics
Up to 178 homes are proposed near the M5 in Bridgwater, outline consent is progressing for 160 homes in Skellow by Northern Trust Land Ltd, and a 155-home scheme was approved on appeal due to a land supply shortfall. Larger pipelines include early plans for 3,000 homes across Essex and a revised 450-home Sunderland proposal. Bridgwater Mercury, Northern Trust, Todays Conveyancer, Essex Live, and BBC