Barking and Dagenham’s development firm Be First looking for developers to build 3,500 homes over next four years

Barking and Dagneham council’s housing company Be First is looking for development partners to build 3,500 homes in a deal with £1.5bn.

Developers have just over a month to send in tenders for the council-owned firm’s four-year development framework, which will last from 2024 to 2028.

Selected suppliers will work with Be First and its consultants to commission the design and construction of mixed-use schemes from RIBA stage 1, and will have the opportunity to construct the developments themselves.

wates

HTA Design’s plans for Be First’s redevelopment of the Gascoigne Estate, which are being built by Wates

The framework will also be open to call off services from other London boroughs, registered housing providers and housing associations in the capital.

It is split into two lots, one for projects worth less than £50m, with a total estimated spend of £664m, and the other for projects worth more than £50m, with a total estimated spend of £363m. 

>> See also: Wates lands more work on Barking estate makeover

The deadline for sending in tenders or requests to participate is 15 March with selected candidates to be invited to tender on 7 May. The council expects to invite 10 candidates for each lot.

Be First was established by Barking and Dagenham council in 2017 to facilitate the construction of more than 50,000 new homes by 2037.