Architects sought for £35m housing design framework

Architects are being sought for a £35m framework which will be used to design up to 3,500 new homes in east London.

Applications for the four-year deal open later this month. It is being set up by Be First, the urban regeneration developer wholly owned by Barking and Dagenham council.

The firm said it wants the homes, which will be located on a 400 hectare site in the borough, to be sustainable, attractive and high quality.

A number of design teams will be appointed to a single lot, with each team consisting of a lead architect and multiple sub contractors including landscape architects, structural, civil and MEP engineers and sustainability consultants.

Lead architects will also be required to actively seek relationships with smaller practices, including those led by under-represented groups, as sub contractors.

The framework will procure design stages RIBA 1 to 3 with preference for the lead architect to be appointed by the main contractor for the delivery stages of the scheme.

It is anticipated the lead architect will be required to provide £10 million PI cover, and an annual turnover in excess of £1.5 million.

Be First head of design Jacob Willson said: “We want to partner with a mix of large and small architect practices, landscape architects and engineers to deliver on this exciting opportunity of developing sustainable and vibrant neighbourhoods for our residents while maximising social value”. 

The company is chaired by Bob Kerslake, the former permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities who also chairs housing association Peabody.

Be First has built more than 2,000 affordable homes and has a target of building 50,000 homes by 2037. Its projects include an 850-home regeneration of the Gascoigne Estate (pictured).