Projects

Chapter Homes

County Durham

Overview

Customer:

Durham County Council / Chapter Homes

Contract value:

£12 million

Start date:

April 2014

Completion date:

Ongoing

Sector:

Residential

Services:

Project Management Cost and Commercial Management Employer's Agent / Contract Administration

Description

Chapter Homes is a new private housing company, set up by Durham County Council, to deliver much needed new homes for sale and market rent across the County. Identity Consult has acted as Technical Advisor for the new company, playing a significant role in the development of its initial business plan, its formation and in driving forward plans for its first site.

The role has included advising Chapter Homes of specialist support required to ensure that developments brought forward were attractive to the market, developing sales strategies for the developments and procuring a development partner who is incentivised to build to sales rates to maximise returns from the project.

Following this, Identity Consult managed the design and build team through the planning process for the Chapter Homes’ first site, Eden Field, in Newton Aycliffe.

This first scheme started on site in January 2016 and will deliver 144 new homes. Identity Consult are acting as Employer’s Agent for the contract stage, administering a contract which includes bespoke amendments which allow Chapter Homes to control the build out rate to reflect sales.

Following the successful delivery of the pilot scheme at Eden Field, Identity Consult were appointed to provide Development Consultancy, Project Management, Cost Consultancy and Employer’s Agent Services at two further sites which are now being delivered on site. The sites included the 67 unit scheme at Oakerside in Peterlee which is due to complete in the Summer of 2021, and the 60 unit scheme at Gilesgate in Durham which is due to complete in the Summer of 2022.

In addition to the two live sites with Chapter Homes, Identity Consult are providing development consultancy services and project management for two future projects in Tudhoe and Woolsingham and are managing the design and build team throughout the planning process.