Timber frame is being used for the first two phases of a £50m urban regeneration scheme in south-east London.
Chichester-based contractor Geoffrey Osborne is already 15 months into a £7.8m first phase contract involving site clearance, design work, landscaping and construction of 73 homes on the Kender estate in New Cross. It has negotiated a further £1.3m agreement to build the next phase of 10 units.
A total of 434 homes will be constructed on the estate in phases over the next five years as part of a regeneration initiative being undertaken by Hyde Housing Association and the London Borough of Lewisham.
Osborne has used timber frame on eight previous developments and says benefits include speed of construction and the ability to bypass the industry’s skills shortage. Roofs at its Kender homes use a cassette system which span directly from ridge to eaves, avoiding the need for complex trusses in the void.
Hyde and Osborne are working in a partnering contract known as PPC2000 which means Hyde will continue to negotiate with Osborne for subsequent phases if it remains happy with its performance.
