Strata and Lowry Homes in race for Brodsworth Carbon Challenge

Local housebuilder and contractor Strata and team featuring Lowry Homes and architects PRP are about to find out who has won the latest Carbon Challenge project.

The two are the only bidders left in the race for the Homes & Community Agency scheme to build 500 zero carbon homes at Brodsworth near Doncaster.

A HCA spokeswoman said: “We’re hopeful a decision will be reached in the next few weeks.”

The four Carbon Challenge pilot projects must be built to Code for Sustainable Homes level six – equivalent to zero carbon – but have been beset by withdrawals and funding problems.

In February this year, procurement was halted on a Carbon Challenge for 650 homes on an 18.3 ha site at the former Bickershaw Colliery in Wigan. On behalf of the HCA, the North West Regional Development Agency began competitive dialogue with developers in March 2008 but the scheme was put on hold due to “financial viability.”

Procurement was due to re-start this summer but has been deferred until after the start of a £10m infrastructure job on the site. “[The] infrastructure contract has not been let yet as we are waiting for Treasury to approve it,” added the HCA spokeswoman.

The other Carbon Challenge projects are Hanham Hall, where Barratt secured planning permission to build 195 homes earlier this month, and Peterborough.

Barratt and consortia led by Galliford Try and Crest Nicholson walked away from phase one of the South Bank scheme in Peterborough. A team led by social housing provider Gentoo only took the deal after £16m of public subsidy was provided.