At a Glance:
UK’s latest Contracts for Difference round secures 14.7 GW of new clean energy capacity, including a record 4.9 GW of solar.
European Energy wins CfDs for three English solar schemes totalling 116 MW, adding to the 157-project solar pipeline.
More than 20 Welsh renewables projects gain support, amounting to over 530 MW and thousands of prospective green jobs.
Ferrovial’s £80m upgrade of Slough Sewage Treatment Works advances Thames Water’s long-term environmental compliance programme.
Housebuilding indicators remain weak for 2026 despite modest house price growth and government moves to speed planning.
Today’s update: clean energy auctions are driving a sizeable new build-out pipeline just as policy reforms on planning and building safety edge closer to key 2026 start dates. At the same time, housing delivery indicators point to a potential “lost year”, even with modest price gains and evolving planning rules. Here’s what you need to know to stay ahead today.
Ongoing Stories
🏛️ Following earlier coverage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, today’s focus is on the wider 2026 regulatory horizon, with Building Safety Levy, biodiversity net gain and staircase rules all set to reshape viability and design for schemes moving into planning and procurement this year.
🌱 Returning to the clean energy planning and delivery theme tracked in recent issues, the latest CfD allocation confirms that grid, consenting and supply chain capacity will be under pressure as nearly 15 GW of projects move towards financial close and construction.
Top 5 Headlines
🌱 Record 14.7 GW clean energy secured in latest CfD round
The government has confirmed that recent Contracts for Difference Allocation Rounds 7 and 7a have locked in 14.7 GW of new clean generation capacity, enough to power around 16 million homes. The package includes 4.9 GW of solar across 157 projects, 1.3 GW of onshore wind, 20.9 MW of tidal stream and 8.4 GW of offshore wind awarded in January. Returning today as a key theme, this scale of pipeline will drive multi-year demand for civils, grid connections and specialist supply chains, while amplifying delivery and consenting risks in constrained regions. (Source: GOV.UK)
🌱 European Energy wins UK CfDs for 116 MW of new solar
Copenhagen-based European Energy has secured CfD support for three solar projects in Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Leicestershire with a combined capacity of 116 MW. The schemes form part of the record solar tranche in the latest auction and will add to regional grid and land-use pressures once they move through detailed design and construction. The awards underline growing international investor interest in UK solar and signal emerging opportunities for local contractors and balance-of-plant suppliers in the Midlands and South East. (Source: GOV.UK)
🌱 Wales secures support for 530+ MW of renewables projects
More than 20 Welsh renewable energy projects have received backing in the latest CfD round, totalling over 530 MW of capacity. The portfolio is expected to generate thousands of green jobs, with schemes likely spanning onshore wind, solar and potentially marine technologies. For developers and contractors, this concentrates a significant new-build pipeline in Wales, reinforcing the case for local skills, port and grid upgrades to capture value. (Source: GOV.UK)
🚆 Ferrovial lands £80m Slough Sewage Treatment Works upgrade
Ferrovial has been awarded an £80m contract by Thames Water to upgrade Slough Sewage Treatment Works, announced on 16 February. Design work is set to begin in late 2025, with construction expected to start roughly 15 months later, targeting tighter environmental performance standards. The scheme extends Ferrovial’s UK water infrastructure portfolio and flags a growing wave of regulatory-driven wastewater investment that will underpin civils and M&E workloads into the late 2020s. (Source: Ferrovial)
🏗️ 2026 housebuilding faces “lost year” risk despite modest price gains
Latest market intelligence shows UK house prices edging up 0.3% in January, with affordability improving outside London, but housing starts and detailed planning approvals remain sharply down year-on-year. Private new home registrations rose 12% in 2025 overall, yet London remains notably weak and developers warn 2026 could be a “lost year” for production amid subdued demand and macro uncertainty. Combined with evolving NPPF reforms and upcoming Building Safety Levy costs, this suggests a two-speed market where only the best-located and most de-risked schemes proceed. (Source: Brickweaver, House Builder)
Also in the news
🏛️ The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, in force since December, is now underpinning expedited planning routes for major housing and infrastructure, which promoters will need to align with as they programme 2026–27 starts. (Source: GOV.UK)
🏛️ Government consultations on a revised National Planning Policy Framework continue, including proposals for “medium” site categories and Building Safety Levy exemptions aimed at unblocking stalled housing delivery. (Source: GOV.UK)
🏛️ Key 2026 regulatory milestones are approaching, with the Building Safety Levy due in October, mandatory biodiversity net gain from May and two-staircase requirements for new buildings over 18m from September. (Source: GOV.UK)
🏗️ Industry project trackers report multiple billion-pound UK schemes progressing or starting during 2026, although few major contract awards have been formally announced in the 17–18 February window. (Source: Glenigan, Libraconstruction)
💰 Analysts highlight that, while private new home registrations climbed 12% in 2025, weaker London conditions and planning uncertainty are tempering investor appetite for land deals early in 2026. (Source: House Builder)
The Daily Build is written for people shaping the UK’s construction and infrastructure pipeline. If this briefing helps your 9 a.m. conversations, consider forwarding it to a colleague who needs the same edge.