Daily News: 17/09/2025
The Regulator of Social Housing has issued a C4 grading to Tandridge District Council following an inspection that uncovered very serious failings, with fundamental changes required to address the issues. GOV.UK
Peabody has reported an 18% fall in its annual surplus, with figures showing £47m for the year to 31 March 2025 compared to £57m the previous year. The housing association attributed the drop to higher spending on maintenance and investment in existing homes. Housing Today (register)
Northern Ireland’s social housing crisis is worsening, with only 41 new social homes started since April 2025 against much higher targets, despite 404 completions. The latest Housing Bulletin also reports rising homelessness, adding to mounting pressures. Belfast Telegraph
United Infrastructure’s subsidiary, Social Infrastructure, has secured an £8.2m contract from Phoenix Community Housing to deliver energy efficiency upgrades across South London homes, while Jewson Partnership Solutions has won a materials supply contract with Ongo to support its day-to-day repairs and long-term investment programmes, with a new base in Scunthorpe established to deliver the contract and ensure timely material supply. FMJ, Housing Digital
Barratt Redrow’s costs to remediate building safety defects have now exceeded £1bn, while Galliford Try reported its fifth consecutive year of growth, more than doubling profits and reaching £238m in cash as it hit a 3% margin milestone earlier than expected. Meanwhile, Unite Students’ proposed £700m takeover of Empiric Student Property is under review by the UK competition watchdog. Construction Enquirer, Construction Enquirer, and Business Live
A cross-party group of MPs has backed a nine-point plan by developer Pocket Living that calls for exemptions to ease regulatory burdens on SME housebuilders. Meanwhile, new ONS data shows construction vacancies have dropped by 25% over the past year to 40,000, even as overall sector employment continues to rise. Housing Today (register), Construction News (register)
Royal Greenwich Council has approved three new social housing schemes as part of its drive to deliver 1,750 council homes across the borough. Elsewhere, a developer has unveiled plans for 730 homes and a new school in Kent, while schemes for 450 homes near Northampton and 450 in Witney are progressing despite local concerns. In Somerset, an outline application has been submitted for 325 homes in Crewkerne, with the land put up for sale. Meanwhile, residents will get the chance to question developers behind plans for 242 homes in a national park, with more than half proposed as affordable under a local occupancy clause. In North Yorkshire, Miller Homes has submitted plans for 167 new homes at Kirby Hill. Greenwich London Borough, BBC, Northampton Chronicle, This is Oxfordshire, Chard and Ilminster News, BBC, and The Press