Docklands News

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has accused water companies and councils of worsening the housing crisis by stalling nearly 30,000 homes, including 7,000 affordable units, over wastewater capacity concerns. A survey found 80% of developers face delays despite paying £2.3bn to water companies since 2020. Anglian and Thames Water were highlighted, with £330m and £440m received respectively, yet thousands of homes remain blocked. The HBF criticised misalignment between planners, utilities, and policy, while Water UK cited regulatory flaws. The Government has pledged £104bn to upgrade water infrastructure by 2030. 

The Times (01/09/2025)  

Canary Wharf is defying predictions of decline, with office values rising, major firms renewing commitments, and diversification into housing, retail, and life sciences boosting appeal, supported by renewed demand for in-person work. The average property price on the peninsula stood at £612,925 over the last year, out of reach for many first-home buyers. However, a more affordable community sits just three stops away from Canary Wharf, at Hyde New Homes' Stories Wharf. Launching for sale in late summer 2025, the new homes, just a quick step from King George V DLR station, are set around an inviting communal garden, with direct access from every building. Every property, which comes with its own private balcony or terrace, includes private outdoor space, contemporary kitchen units with integrated appliances, fitted wardrobes, ensuites, quality flooring included and an NHBC warranty for complete peace of mind. Prices start from £144,000 for a 40% share of a one-bedroom apartment with a full market value of £360,000.

City AM (22/08/2025)   Financial Times (24/08/2025)  

Criminals are driving up London house prices by £11,000 through illicit cash, according to SmartSearch. Since 2016, over £11bn of suspicious money has entered the UK property market, inflating average prices by £3,000. More than half of this money comes from shell companies in British Overseas Territories, which are often linked to money laundering. The all-party parliamentary group on anti-corruption warns that the trend exacerbates the housing crisis for ordinary families. 

The Mail on Sunday (24/08/2025)  

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has not ruled out an overhaul of council tax that could mean higher bills. While Labour had previously said reforms such as a revaluation, adding extra bands or raising rates for more valuable properties were not on the agenda, the Treasury has refused to repeat the pledge, saying only that Reeves wants to "keep taxes for working people as low as possible." Writing in the Observer, Andrew Rawnsley says that council tax is outdated, regressive and in urgent need of reform, still being based on 1991 property valuations. He says that while scrapping stamp duty may be politically difficult, modernising council tax offers Reeves the best chance to act as a reforming chancellor. Updating bands or introducing proportional property or land value taxes could make the system fairer and more effective, he adds.

The Observer (24/08/2025)   The Sunday Telegraph (24/08/2025)  

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has praised the New Homes Accelerator as a tool to speed up the construction of new homes. The initiative, set up last year, has helped local councils tackle capacity issues in their planning systems and removed regulatory hurdles. It has led to 36,000 new homes being sped up across England, with 63,000 homes also being driven forward. The New Homes Accelerator has dispatched experts to stalled developments across England, aiming to dismantle obstacles to schemes that have been delayed by planning and red tape.

Daily Mail (26/08/2025)   Daily Mirror (26/08/2025)   The Daily Telegraph (26/08/2025)   The Independent (26/08/2025)  

Government data shows London had the lowest rate of new home starts in England last year, with just 1.04 per thousand existing dwellings - a 73% drop from the year before - fuelling concerns over the capital's housing shortage. While 32,000 net additional dwellings were created, the low number of new starts suggests output will fall sharply next year, with only 347 affordable homes begun in the first quarter of this year. Nationally, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to build 300,000 homes annually, but analysis by Britain Remade indicates the government is on course to deliver barely half that figure. The think tank also highlighted London boroughs as among the worst-performing areas, citing Islington, where developers sought permission for just 67 homes against a target increase of more than 1,200. 

The times (16/08/2025)