JV North’s £560m housing tender launches

The consortium of North West housing associations and councils has opened a framework to build more than 4,000 homes across the region.

JV North, whose members manage a total of around 125,000 homes, is inviting contractors and consultants to bid for places on its four-year framework.

Consortium members include Bury Council; Community Gateway; Johnnie Johnson Housing; One Manchester; Peaks and Plains Housing Trust; Plus Dane Housing, Sovini; Stockport Homes in partnership with Stockport Council; Torus; Trafford Housing Trust; Weaver Vale Housing Trust, and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.

For construction lots, large and regional SME contractors are being invited along with a wide range of consultants. The framework offers three construction bands valued at £1m to £4m, £4m to £10m, and £10m and over. Contractors can apply to join any two bands.

To increase opportunities for SMEs, schemes valued up to £2m will be made available on a dedicated DPS (dynamic purchasing system) portal that aims to simplify the procurement process.

In addition, the consortium is also seeking contractors to deliver offsite projects using modern methods of construction (MMC) via the DPS portal. These works will be unlimited in contract value, according to JV North.

This latest framework will also see an increase in consultant opportunities, with architects, employers’ agents, purchaser agents, principal designers, mechanical and electrical engineers, structural engineers, valuers, planning consultants and clerk of works all being sought.

Sean Stafford, director of social housing consultancy Saffer Cooper, which manages JV North’s development and framework programme, said: “Our previous three frameworks have seen excellent work carried out, helping members build the equivalent of three-and-a-half homes every working day.

“JV North is adopting the ‘building back fairer’ principle to this framework and all work it undertakes to help create more rounded communities.”

Last week, the £625m Cutting Edge framework launched, managed by an eight-strong consortium of housing associations seeking contractors to build residential schemes across the North of England.

The consortium for that four-year framework is led by Liverpool-based Riverside Group and also includes Regenda Group, Salix Homes, Together Housing Group, Onward Living, Progress Housing Group, Magenta Living, and Irwell Valley Homes.