Daily News: 05/02/2025
The Church of England Pensions Board has secured a £50m revolving credit facility from NatWest to expand its retirement housing portfolio. Meanwhile, West Kent Housing Association has obtained £30m in new loan funding through the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme, backed by Homes England, to support its plans to develop more affordable homes across Kent. Church of England, West Kent Housing Association
Brighton & Hove City Council has proposed establishing a new council-owned housing company as part of its 2025/26 budget plans to address local housing challenges. Meanwhile, Stockport’s largest landlord has come under scrutiny, with councillors raising ‘grave concerns’ over its management of social housing, following complaints from frustrated tenants. Brighton & Hove City Council, Manchester Evening News
The UK government has announced a record £2.65 billion investment to build or maintain up to 1,000 flood defences, aiming to protect over 66,000 homes and businesses from flooding. Meanwhile, West Midlands mayor Richard Parker has launched an ambitious green retrofit initiative to upgrade 10,000 homes, improving living standards and tackling fuel poverty for low-income households. GOV.UK, Housing Digital
Cardo has secured a major regional contract with Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for older people, to deliver repairs and works. A2Dominion has partnered with Totalmobile and Manifest Software Solutions to enhance its repairs service, improving efficiency and customer experience through a new integrated online system. Housing Executive, A2Dominion Housing Group Ltd.
Places for People has acquired land on the outskirts of Edinburgh to deliver over 1,300 new homes. Caddick has won a £43m contract for the first phase of the Digbeth Regeneration Scheme in Birmingham, delivering 211 apartments. Vinci has been selected as the preferred contractor for Stockport 8, a £350m regeneration project. MCI Developments and Great Places Housing Group have partnered in an £11m deal to convert the former Bedford Cotton Mill in Oldham into 53 affordable homes. Places for People Group, BDC Magazine, The Construction Index, and TheBusinessDesk.com
VINCI Construction has completed its acquisition of FM Conway, finalizing the agreement on Friday, 31st January 2025, to fully integrate the infrastructure services business. PBC Today
Demand for heavyside materials increased in late 2024, according to the Mineral Products Association (MPA), which urges the Government to translate pledges into policies supporting growth. Meanwhile, brick deliveries rose by 9.1% in December 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Builders Merchants News, GOV.UK
The annual Survey of Londoners by the cross-party London Councils group found that 56% of respondents support housebuilding on the “grey belt”—previously developed Green Belt land like car parks and old petrol stations—while 18% oppose it. Additionally, 74% of Londoners back local housebuilding if homes are affordable to residents. Meanwhile, a Savills report highlights the Labour Government’s focus on large-scale developments, particularly New Towns, as a key strategy for increasing housing supply. However, a Parliament.uk report suggests that the grey belt policy is having only a marginal impact, with tensions persisting over Green Belt protections despite the government’s ambitious 1.5 million-home target. London Councils, Savills, and Parliament.uk
Plans for a 350-home development on the former RAF Lichfield base in Fradley have been approved by Lichfield District Council. Similarly, a 149-home development in Bulkington, near Bedworth, has been approved. New plans for 968 properties on land originally earmarked for Southend United’s stadium have been revealed, while plans for 325 homes at Sandbach Heath in Cheshire have also been submitted. Lichfield Live, TheBusinessDesk.com, Yellow Advertiser, and Cheshire Live