Aug 14 2007
Competition is strong to deliver English Partnerships’ first eco-village achieving Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, as the national regeneration agency, reveals the seven developers shortlisted to build a 150 home site in Bristol.
An evaluation panel – advised by members from BRE and the Department for Communities and Local Government together with appointed consultants ENTEC and Jacobs – made its selection based on developers who demonstrated they understood, not only the aspirations of the Carbon Challenge, but also the opportunities presented by the site with its Grade II* listed building. Developers responded to a pre-qualifying questionnaire (PQQ) published in June. The shortlisted developers are:
Jayne Lomas, the Project Manager at English Partnerships responsible for the Carbon Challenge said, “We were extremely pleased with the level of response to the PQQ and have chosen seven bidders who clearly demonstrated how to address the dichotomy of achieving Code Level 6 housing together with skilled preservation work in the context of a heritage building.”
David Warburton, English Partnerships’ Area Director for the South West, said, “There is a wealth of talent and specialist knowledge within the seven shortlisted companies and I am excited about the prospect of working with one of them to deliver England’s first Carbon Challenge community in Bristol. We encourage those developers who did not make this shortlist to bid for the second site in Peterborough later this year.”
The seven shortlisted candidates will now be invited to submit a more substantive response to the detailed site brief issued by English Partnerships. This will include a target of the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6, which can be achieved by reducing carbon emissions, incorporating features to reduce water usage and energy consumption, minimising waste, and increasing biodiversity. The Carbon Challenge also calls on developers to demonstrate that Code Level 6 homes can be combined with cutting edge high quality building design while remaining affordable and economically viable on a commercial scale.
Hanham Hall – a 6.1 ha former hospital site in Bristol, owned by English Partnerships – has been identified as the first site in the country to be suitable for development under the agency’s Carbon Challenge.