UK-based housing association Great Places Housing Group has unveiled the names of bidders selected for its four-year Innovation Chain North (ICN) framework. 

The framework is aimed at facilitating the construction of new homes across Northern England.  

This initiative is set to assist housing associations and local authorities in the region. 

The latest renewal of the framework is said to have seen a 23% rise in applicants, with 206 companies vying to supply it.

Many of these companies submitted bids for multiple categories, resulting in a total of 802 bids being assessed across 37 lots. 

The updated framework includes new categories such as apartment construction, mechanical and electrical engineering, and retrofit consulting.  

Out of the applicants, 103 suppliers - comprising 34 contractors and 69 consultants - have been selected. 

These suppliers were chosen based on their technical expertise, pricing, and dedication to social value.  

The improved framework, valued at £1.5bn ($1.90bn), is scheduled to be operational until June 2028. 

Great Places development performance manager Joanne Whitehead said: “The new framework will continue to ensure Great Places and our peer organisations have tried-and-tested partners to help us to deliver our extensive development programmes and to help our collective ambitions to tackle the housing crisis.” 

Esh Construction has secured its place on the framework.  

Specifically, the affordable housing division of Esh Construction has been appointed to Lots 3, 4, and 5, which cover developments of up to 34 units, as well as Lot H2 East for larger projects of 35 units or more. 

Areas included in these lots span Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and more. 

Other companies selected for the framework include Seddon Housing Partnerships, AEW, Eric Wright Construction, and Sutcliffe, among others.