Tenders sought for construction on local authority land
Housing in Westmeath is to receive a boost to its future supply of social homes with a call to building contractors to tender for "design and build" social homes on local authority lands. This call is linked to the Accelerated Delivery Programme involving local authorities’ delivery of social housing using design and build and incorporating modern methods of construction.
Construction contractors are now being invited to tender to participate in a multi-supplier framework for the provision of local housing projects by Westmeath County Council and neighbouring local authorities.
This and other future framework agreements will enable local authorities to be agile and commission construction works with pre-qualified building contractors through a design and build tender process. Neighbouring counties of Meath, Cavan, Louth, Monaghan and Longford County Councils may also commission design and build construction from contractors who are successful in qualifying for the Westmeath framework, once it has been established.
Design and build schemes are structured to increase the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which can speed up the delivery of construction projects by between 20% and 60%. MMC uses a range of innovative construction processes to deliver quality and environmentally sustainable housing - including offsite construction techniques such as mass production and factory assembly as well as onsite innovations.
Local authorities have a key role to grow the use of MMC through social and affordable housing delivery, as part of the Government’s housing plan Housing for All.
Commenting on the scale of the opportunity, Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien TD said:
“We know that schemes which incorporate modern methods of construction can deliver social homes at pace, reduce costs and increase construction sector productivity and sustainability while also allowing for a diversity of high quality contractors.
“This Accelerated Delivery Programme involving Local Authorities has an initial target of 1,500 new-build social homes using Design and Build. In addition to this programme, the establishment of regional design and build frameworks will help grow our pipeline of social housing delivery over the next four years.’’
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is continuing to work with the local authority sector to support the development of social housing on sites in the ownership of local authorities.