Daily News: 24/06/2025
The Housing Forum has cautioned that the Government’s proposals to accelerate housing development by addressing build-out rates could backfire and potentially slow the pace of new housebuilding. The Housing Forum
England’s worsening housing crisis is hitting disabled people hardest, says a new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report urging councils to prioritise accessibility. Meanwhile, the CIH Awarding Organisation has launched top-up units to help housing professionals with partial qualifications meet the Competence and Conduct Standard. Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Chartered Institute of Housing
The City of Edinburgh Council has launched an £81.2m tender for a residential development on the former Castlebrae High School site. Construction New (register)
TfL’s property company Places for London has chosen Ballymore as a joint venture partner to redevelop the former Crossrail site at Limmo Peninsula in east London into a new neighbourhood with 1,400 homes. At the same time, Southwark Council has appointed Bouygues UK to deliver around 150 affordable homes for key workers in the borough. Construction Enquirer, Bouygues UK
The Welsh Government Energy Service has awarded a record £107.7m in grants to support energy-saving projects across Wales’ public sector. Procast Group has secured £8.4m from Net Zero Fund Management to retrofit social housing in Scotland and northern England. In contrast, Wirral Council faces a £7.2m repair bill and may need to close some buildings without urgent maintenance. Welsh Government, Project Scotland, and Liverpool Echo
Mears is on track to exceed profit forecasts for the year following a strong first half of 2025, driven by growth in housing maintenance work. Construction Enquirer
Tender prices rose by an estimated 0.5% between Q1 and Q2 2025, leading to an annual increase of 2.3% in the BCIS All-in Tender Price Index. BCIS
Construction is now the fastest-growing sector for employee ownership, with one in seven UK employee-owned businesses in the industry, according to the UK Employee Ownership Business Register. However, despite a 2% workforce decline in 2024, the sector still employs over 2.6m people and is projected to grow by 1.6% in 2025. Construction News (register), Construction Industry Training Board
Just 10% of Building Safety Gateway 2 submissions for new builds are approved, costing nearly £28,000 on average, says consultancy Cast. At the same time, a fire destroyed Manchester’s derelict Hotspur Press mill, halting city centre transport and forcing evacuations. Housing Today (register), Place North West
Plans for 700 homes near York have been approved despite cemetery concerns. Proposals for 1,200 homes near Reading and 525 near Bristol, despite objections, are progressing. Story Homes seeks to build 350 homes in Chorley. West Northamptonshire Council has dropped affordable housing from a 330-home scheme due to viability issues. Nottingham Forest FC’s 170-home stadium expansion is set for re-approval, while Stroud Council awaits Homes England’s £5m support to find a new developer for a 150-home canalside project. BBC, BBC, Bristol Live, Construction Enquirer, Cambridgeshire Live, Housing Today (register), and Housing Today (register)