黑洞社区

A high-profile bid for the ODPM鈥檚 拢60,000 house competition is understood to be among the winners of the programme despite being rejected by CABE, the government鈥檚 design watchdog.

黑洞社区 understands that the ODPM and development agency English Partnerships have selected up to six teams of architects and developers out of a shortlist of 33 as winners of the competition.

However, it is also thought that the scheme submitted by the Richard Rogers Partnership was not on the list of recommended designs submitted to the ODPM and EP by the government鈥檚 architectural watchdog CABE. RRP was bidding with housebuilder George Wimpey.

CABE鈥檚 panel looked at the design quality of all the entries and was said to be unimpressed by some.

One source said: 鈥淢ost volume housebuilders can build houses for 拢60,000 anyway so we were looking for some real innovation. But most of the submissions didn鈥檛 measure up."

Most of the submissions didn鈥檛 measure up. We were not impressed at all

Source close to CABE panel

The ODPM/EP panel is understood to have reinstated the scheme on the final list, which is set to be released next week. It is thought the judging criteria for the competition had a wider remit than simply design, with viability, continuous performance and secure by design also key factors in the decision.

Fifty-three consortiums submitted designs for the competition. This was whittled down to 33 teams two months ago.

A spokesperson for EP said any information on the winners would be revealed only when they were announced, and a spokesperson for the ODPM would also not be drawn on the identity of the winners prior to the announcement, which is likely to be next week.