Government figures show that nearly half of residential buildings with life-critical fire-safety defects covered by the developer remediation contract had not yet started repairs by 30 September 2026. Of the 2,682 affected buildings, work had not begun on 1,266, indicating continued delays in progressing remediation.
Bury Market has secured a £10m government funding commitment, which could enable the reopening of its indoor market hall after it was closed in October 2023 because of RAAC concerns in the roof. The council says it will now consider options for the building’s future use as part of wider town centre regeneration plans.
Court documents have revealed that Laing O’Rourke queried the fire-safety compliance of Kingspan insulation specified for a Bury development in 2008. The issue emerged in the context of a £1.1m dispute, and the development was later remediated.
The administration period for Merit Group Services Ltd and Merit Health Ltd has been extended by 12 months to 17 November 2027, with a similar extension expected for Merit Holdings Ltd. The update follows the collapse of the Northumberland-based modular construction specialist, which owed creditors £31m and left several projects in difficulty.
New YouGov research commissioned by Safeguard Europe suggests damp and mould remain widespread in UK homes, with private renters and council tenants reporting the highest incidence. The article also references the introduction of Awaab’s Law for social landlords in England and notes that the Renters Rights Act 2025 could allow the regime to be extended to private landlords in future.
Residents in three blocks at the Royal Gateway development in Canning Town, London, were evacuated after serious structural problems were identified in buildings completed less than a decade ago. The issue is understood to relate to cracked transfer slabs, raising concerns about the integrity of relatively new residential construction.
A partial building and scaffolding collapse at a redevelopment site in Banbury has left two workers injured and prompted an HSE investigation. Emergency services attended the former car sales site, which is being converted into 19 apartments, and there were no reports of anyone trapped.
First Choice Homes Oldham has replaced Robwood Construction with John Southworth Builders on a £3.7m affordable housing scheme in Royton after significant delays and Robwood’s compulsory liquidation. The new contractor has identified defects in the existing works that will need correction, with completion now targeted for July 2027.
A witness in the Higgins Homes fatal lift case has denied fabricating his account of a crane incident that led to the death of a pedestrian in Bow, east London. The court heard conflicting evidence about whether the pallet of bricks struck scaffolding, how the load was secured, and who was responsible for the lift setup.
