Southwark Council seeks construction partner to improve speed and quality of new council house-building

17 June 2020

Southwark Council has announced it is seeking a construction partner to deliver a new generation of council housing to meet the needs of residents.

The New Homes Programme, the most ambitious in London, is committed to building 2,500 council homes across the borough by 2022, and 11,000 in total by 2043. Southwark has more than 10,000 households in need of a council home.

Southwark’s 2018-2022 Council Plan agreed the objective of setting up a ‘Southwark Construction Company’ in partnership with an existing construction firm, to find new and innovative ways to build more housing and transform lives across the borough. The council is currently carrying out ‘soft market testing’ by inviting companies to respond to a short questionnaire, which will enable the council to draw up a shortlist of companies that it will progress discussions with.

Councillor Leo Pollak, Cabinet Member for Social Regeneration, Great Estates and New Council Homes, said, "Southwark is now expanding and accelerating its delivery of high-quality, well-designed council housing, responding in force to the housing emergency we face. Our commitment to creating a new construction vehicle, integrated into our development process, is intended to improve the speed and quality of delivery as well as help build a local skills base for our future pipeline of work. The survey we have will be testing the ability and appetite of existing builders to bring in additional skills and supplier relationships through a new construction partnership to help us achieve these ends."

The New Homes Programme is focused on delivering high-quality, good value and environmentally friendly homes at council rents. Any construction partner must meet the council’s high standards of commitment to quality, ethical employment practice, social value and transparent community engagement.

The Southwark Construction Company will benefit Southwark’s residents by providing safe, sustainable, affordable housing to thousands of households in need of council homes, and generating jobs and training opportunities for local people which benefits the wider community. The council recognises that some of its temporary housing is in need of improvement, which is an influential driver in creating a construction company that can meet those demands.

Page last updated: 17 June 2020