The start date for the flagship development has been put back to autumn by Countryside/Taywood because of a planning dispute with Greenwich council over the HTA Architects-designed first phase of 90 homes. The developer is understood to be trying to renegotiate the guaranteed energy and cost savings and construction innovations that were a condition of planning permission.
The compromise is partly caused by government pressure to deliver the mixed-use development during the millennium year. The village was intended to showcase the use of prefabrication, but the long lead-in period for the materials may now force the use of more traditional methods and materials. The start date for the second phase of construction has also been brought forward.
Management shake-up
In a statement released this week, Countryside/Taywood said: "In the autumn, construction work will start on two phases instead of one as originally planned. The consortium expect work will be starting on 150 homes, including apartments and low rise housing. Applications for the second phase housing are to be submitted within the next two months." A recent management shake-up at Countryside/Taywood is intended give a fresh lead to the troubled project. Day-to-day responsibility has been devolved to Taywood Property subsidiary Taywood Capital Developments and Countryside subsidiary Copthorne Homes.
These two firms have taken over because they are seen as more innovative than their parent operations.
This is particularly important because the village, which was hailed as a showcase for Egan-style construction techniques, has struggled to live up to this billing in the design stage.
Urban regeneration specialist Taywood Capital Developments will project-manage and develop the first phase of 90 apartments.
Copthorne Homes is to develop the second sub-phase of low-rise housing designed by architect Proctor Matthews. Proctor Matthews is to join the Millennium Village team, as is Montagu Evans as planning consultant, Waterman as structural engineer and WSP as services engineer.
Prescott monitors progress
We will be looking at usability versus sustainability so the developers can understand how we are going to phase the innovations
Taywood Spokesman
The Countryside/Taywood joint venture will continue to share all financial liabilities for the project. These are currently estimated at £2m-3m.
This sum covers the cost of consultants and lawyers that worked on the development agreement and the planning application. Some of these fees have not yet been paid. The joint venture is to hold a two-day workshop in a fortnight's time to examine new ways to build the project.
A Taywood Capital Developments spokesman said: "We will be looking at usability versus sustainability and life-cycle costings so the developers can understand how we are going to phase the innovations and still provide value for money."
Meanwhile, veteran concept architect Ralph Erskine is still understood to be keen to use brick and other traditional building materials in keeping with his craft-based vision. Asked whether he would attend the innovation workshop, he said: "I do not get involved too much in that side of things. I will see what I am doing when it comes around, but I travel a great deal. As long as there is some degree of innovation, I think it is enough."
Deputy prime minister John Prescott has been monitoring progress on the project since the end of 1998, when Lord Rogers wrote to him, urging him to watch it closely.
Senior DETR officials have been trying to ensure that the project meets the competition brief launched by Prescott, and that it is deliverable during 2000. The project consortium made a presentation to the DETR three weeks ago.
Consortium members fear that pressure from the government may squeeze Taywood/Countryside's capacity, and will, to innovate.
One said: "After a slow start, we now have two developers that are keen to do it properly. But there is pressure on them to get something up just to get the pressure off the deputy prime minister."
- A team led by Bellway is favourite to be named next week as housebuilder for the second Millennium Village, at Allerton Bywater, near Leeds.
