Devanha
partnership formed
North-east
housing associations have formed a partnership to build almost £19million
of housing in the region over the next two years. Castlehill, Grampian and
Langstane Housing Associations, Tenants First Housing Co-operative and
Aberdeenshire Housing Project are joining Communities Scotland to form the
Devanha Initiative, in a move which is the first of its kind in
Scotland.
The
associations got together following Government criticism of the
construction industry. Two Government documents, the Egan Report and the
Latham Report, found a lack of training in the industry had led to
shortages of skilled labourers. They recommended a partnership approach
would produce better value and quality housing.
The
north-east associations responded by putting all their projects into one
large tender valued at £l8.8million, which was won by Stewart Milne
Construction and Robertson Construction.This
means that 235 new houses will be built over the next two years in areas
including
Aberdeen
, Inverbervie, Kintore, Fochabers, Fraserburgh and
Tomintoul.
Sandy
Murray, Chief Executive of Tenants First, said: "The local office and
the area director of Communities Scotland were committed to the idea of
challenging traditional procurement models and we shared their enthusiasm."
Due
to the size of the contracts, the partnership was able to include terms
stating that apprentices must be hired. Through this method of bulk
procurement, developments which had previously proved too costly will now
be possible.
Mr
Murray said: “This is the first bulk procurement by housing associations
in
Scotland
so it’s really cutting-edge. "We are not just
looking at cost, but cost in use — for instance, the cost of heating to
tenants. We believe it is the first time all the houses in a project will
achieve this level of energy efficiency."
He
added that all houses will be suitable for individuals with certain
disabilities, which means a tenant who suffers a disability during his or
her tenancy will not have the upheaval of moving.
The
project will include housing for single people, families, people with
special needs and elderly people. Alan Grant, Chief Executive of Langstane
Housing Association, said: "We have been very pleased to be involved
in this partnership project because it has enabled us to keep our
development projects going across the area and also to build in
lnverbervie and Tornintoul.’"
Mr
Murray said it was the biggest contract of its kind in the housing
association movement. “We are interested in learning as much as we can
—that’s the whole point of partnering."
Building
work started in March and the first home will be ready by the end of the
year.
