Scotland Excel’s £1.5bn framework aims to deliver 10,000 homes

Scotland Excel’s £1.5bn housebuilding framework could result in 10,000 homes being built across Scotland, with the first homes expected to be delivered next year.

The framework is open to all 32 local authorities in Scotland and Scotland Excel’s associate members, and the homes would be primarily for social rent, although framework users can develop mixed or other tenure schemes.

There is also scope for the delivery of accommodation such as care homes, supported living accommodation, student housing and temporary accommodation.

A number of Scottish SME builders including Paisley-based Clark Contracts and Aberdeen’s Chap Group have been appointed to the framework, as has Engie Regeneration, owned by the French utility giant Engie.

Jenny Bowles, Scotland Excel’s new-build residential construction framework specialist, said the framework had SME builders in mind, adding that there were requirements which included creating apprenticeships and graduate trainee places on the various jobs and working with local materials suppliers and labour.

“We’re also looking to deliver housing for varying needs and the framework will allow councils the option to use project bank accounts. Indeed we actively encourage this,” Bowles added.

Bowles said building work on a number of homes was expected to start next year.

“The 10,000-homes figure is obviously dependent on how many councils use the framework, but between construction of 1,000 to 2,000 is expected to start in the summer of next year,” Bowles said.

The Scottish government has ambitions to build 50,000 homes across the country by 2021, with 35,000 of these being affordable, having beaten its target of delivering 30,000 affordable homes by 2016.

Set up in 2008, Scotland Excel is the Centre of Procurement Expertise for the local government sector.