A number of exciting new development projects will bring as many as 2,500 new “residential units” to Barking and Dagenham.
According to Construction News, the local council’s regeneration company, Be First, is currently recruiting contractors to assist with a new £1 billion plan which comprises of more than 44 development projects.
The projects span from proposals to build thousands of new homes to plans to drastically improve infrastructure – such as libraries, community centres and schools – in the area, it has emerged.
A spokesperson on behalf of Be First told reporters that the organisation would be taking a quality over quantity approach towards its appointment of contractors and construction companies.
“We want to have a limited number of contractors who end up on the framework… we are looking for contractors who want to build quality product to time and to budget,” said Iain Ferguson, Be First’s Commercial Director.
“We have the benefit of two key assets: we own a lot of the land so we’re not having to worry about whether and when and how we get land, and we have access to funding which others don’t,” he added.
Mr Ferguson also indicated that the group would be looking towards local contractors “who live and work in the borough” to work on some of the new framework’s “smaller range” plans.
“There are some [projects] in the smaller range and we would like to work with not only the small and regional contractors, but also encourage contractors that live and work in the borough to put their name forward,” he said.
Be First says it will be accepting applications from contractors up until 9 July, with successful applicants to be named in October.
