Affordable housing scheme for The Valley starting to take shape
Plans for dozens of new council homes in Winchester are closer to becoming a reality as plans for The Valley in Stanmore were discussed at Cabinet Housing Committee.
The planning application for the scheme, which will provide 76 new homes, was approved in the summer with the scheme set to include a mix of one, two and three bedroom flats, two and three bedroom homes and a three bedroom bungalow; with associated landscaping and parking.
Winchester City Council’s Cabinet Housing has now approved the outline business case for the project and is seeking tenders for the scheme - a mini competition will be conducted out under the Southern Construction Framework. The Council will also submit a grant funding bid to the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) to help with the capital cost of the project.
Leader of Winchester City Council and Portfolio Holder for Housing Cllr Caroline Horrill said,
There is a huge problem of housing affordability locally and the City Council is committed to providing new council homes to tackle the problem, including proposals for The Valley. The Valley is a key part of our strategy to double the number of Council homes built between 2017 and 2020, and provide good access to affordable housing options for our residents.
To minimise risk, and help ensure the scheme is delivered on time and on budget, a two-stage tender process is being used, meaning that contractors can price elements of the contract works at an advanced stage. Once a contractor is selected they can tender the remaining contract elements with the council to establish a final price. This approach ensures the Council is fully engaged with the contractor from an early stage, and it allows for an early start on site, and means designs can develop and variations and changes can be negotiated.
Andrew Palmer, Head of New Homes Delivery at Winchester City Council said
This is the largest new homes project the Council has developed to date and will provide modern, well designed flats and houses with very low running costs for our tenants.
The full business case is likely to be put forward before cabinet for approval in February 2018.