Firms will deliver improvements to housing association properties over the next five years

Housing Association First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) has appointed contractors including Mitie, Lovell, Kier and Vinci to a new £90m framework.

The agreement is part of an overall £149m investment designed to improve FCHO’s properties over the next five years.

FCHO’s chief executive Cath Green confirmed the contracts on Thursday and pledged that local people will benefit from the multi-million pound investment:

“The money will be spent improving tenants’ homes and estates - but this is about more than just bricks and mortar. Just as important are our contractors’ commitments to creating new apprenticeship schemes. We are working with local employment and training organisations to make sure that local people get those opportunities.”

Local companies from Oldham, Rochdale, Manchester and Lancashire are among the 14 specialists that have been appointed.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, cabinet member for housing, transport and regeneration, said: 

“The council is delighted that the new framework of contractors has been announced. When we first agreed to consult tenants on transfer we could see the enormous benefits that it could bring to the whole community.

“First Choice Homes has hit the ground running and is carrying out the promises we made to tenants. This is a good day for the whole borough.”

The full list of contractors is as follows:

Jackson, Jackson & Sons

Mitie Property Services

Enterprise

New Charter Building Company

The Casey Group

Herbert T Forrest

Bramall Construction

Cruden Construction

Lovell Partnerships

Kier Support Services

Bullock Construction

Vinci Construction UK