Three in race to regenerate London estate

One of the teams in contention for the £40m Pathfinder PFI contract is made up of Unitary, a joint-venture social housing contractor, Hyde Housing Association, John Thompson & Partners, management consultant Barony Group and Halifax. Another includes Paddington Churches Housing Association, Ujima Housing Association, PRP Architects, contractor Lovell Partnerships, and the Bank of Scotland. Social housing specialist Laing Partnership Housing, London and Quadrant Housing Trust, EDAW and BNP Paribas make up the third team. A decision is expected by the autumn.

Unitary consortium chairman Andrew Mickleburgh said: "Newham is arguably the most design-led of all the London Pathfinder PFIs given the number of opportunity sites and the far-reaching regeneration objectives." Eight Pathfinder PFIs are planned, to trial the procurement route on regeneration schemes. The Newham project includes refurbishment of 1200 units and some new-build homes on 1.8 ha of brownfield land. Commercial and social units are also expected.