Daily News: 25/02/2026
The RSH found serious consumer standard failings, giving Runnymede Borough Council a C4 rating and both City of London Corporation and Rugby Borough Council C3 gradings after inspections, with Runnymede cited for very serious tenant outcome shortcomings. GOV.UK
Homes England has opened bidding for its 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, offering grants from a fund worth at least £27bn as part of the UK government’s wider £39bn plan to boost social and affordable housing supply. GOV.UK
Kim McGuinness announced a £22m investment to support 1,122 new homes across the North East Combined Authority. Meanwhile, Westminster City Council allocated £160m for a new affordable housing pipeline in its 2026/27 budget, and Caerphilly County Borough Council approved its HRA Business Plan 2026/27, setting long-term maintenance and investment priorities. North East Combined Authority, Westminster City Council, and Caerphilly County Borough Council
Bristol City Council said the troubled rollout of the NEC Housing system was “regrettable but normal” after service disruptions. The system, supplied by NEC Corporation and used by 100+ councils and housing associations, is under scrutiny over implementation and performance. Bristol Live
Sheffield, Capital&Centric, Great Places Housing Group, and Igloo Regeneration will deliver up to 1,300 homes at Furnace Hill and Neepsend. In Birmingham, Winvic Construction secured a £112m contract from Clarion Housing Group for a 481-home tower in Digbeth. Meanwhile, Portsmouth City Council advanced the Somers Orchard scheme for 175 social rent homes from 2027. GOV.UK, Construction Enquirer, and Portsmouth City Council
Scape Scotland has unveiled plans for a £4bn construction framework to deliver public sector projects across Scotland, with procurement set to support a long-term pipeline of infrastructure and building work. Construction News (register)
Barnet Council plans to require clerks of works on construction projects to strengthen building safety oversight, drawing lessons from Grenfell Tower and aiming to improve on-site quality assurance and accountability. Construction News (register)
Morgan Sindall Group exceeded £5bn in annual revenue, with pre-tax profit up 35% to £233m. In student housing, Unite Group cut rents at some universities and raised £186m from a London site sale amid softer international demand. Meanwhile, Elivia Homes increased turnover but stayed loss-making due to higher interest costs. Construction Enquirer, The Guardian, and Housing Today (register)
CMA has warned housebuilders to “stop and think” before sharing commercially sensitive information with competitors, reinforcing fair competition expectations following last year’s price-sharing investigation. Housing Today (register)
Planning reform proposals from the UK government face criticism for potentially limiting councils’ ability to set stronger low-carbon housing standards. Meanwhile, data from TerraQuest shows England recorded a decade-high level of residential planning applications in Q4 2025, signalling renewed pipeline momentum. The Guardian, The Construction Index
Olympian Homes secured Gateway 2 approval for the UK’s tallest co-living tower at Canary Wharf – 46 storeys and 833 studios. Elsewhere, 160 homes were approved on appeal in Oxfordshire, and 650 homes in Essex are paused over Southend Airport concerns. A 600-home estate in Yarm is recommended for approval. Up to 500 apartments are proposed to replace St John’s Shopping Centre, and Royal London submitted Wilmslow’s first build-to-rent scheme, delivering 286 homes. Construction Enquirer, Oxford Mail, Essex Live, The Northern Echo, Place North West, and Place North West