The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has received 132 completed submissions from a range of construction and development companies, to the Pre-Qualifying Questionnaire (PQQ) for a panel being set up to develop its sites, which can also be used by Local Authority partners for developing their land.

The Delivery Partner Panel framework will exist for three years and be split into three regional clusters - Northern, Central and Southern panel - each with 6 to 12 members. Panel members will cover the full range of development activity including but not limited to, the raising and/or deployment of development/construction finance, the design and construction of residential and other buildings (including infrastructure), and the sales/lettings and marketing of properties. Panel members will be responsible for securing sales of completed homes either themselves or by working with partner organisations.

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The majority of the submissions were made by construction and developer companies with around a fifth of submissions from RSLs, and a small number from a mix of consultancies and other organisations. The bids are now being assessed by the HCA and an invitation to tender is expected to be issued at the end of September, to the shortlisted organisations. There will be up to 20 firms shortlisted for each panel. Of the bids received, 29% expressed an interest in all three regional clusters, 45% expressed an interest in two and 45% had a preference for one regional cluster only.

Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive at the HCA said: "In the current climate it is crucial that we have a range of players on the pitch to deliver much needed new homes at an affordable price in places that people want to live. The extremely high response we have had to the PQQ shows that there is real appetite out there, and the interesting proposals we have seen show that partners are thinking creatively about this."

Once appointed to the panel in late November, members will have the opportunity to work on the national housing and regeneration agency's projects including a range of regional schemes and the Public Land Initiative, which was announced as part of the government’s Housing Pledge in June. The initiative aims to bring publicly owned housing sites forward using a different approach to procurement and delivery. Rather than sell land outright to developers, public land owners would make their land available on a 'deferred payment' basis.

(CD/GK)