Tavistock homeless housing project struggles to find contractor

The project went out to tender in April, with a deadline of Wednesday 8 June

Plans for a development to house 11 homeless families fails to get off the ground as a district council struggles to find a contractor.

Planning permission was approved for the scheme at Spring Hill in Tavistock in December.

The project went out to tender in April, with a deadline of Wednesday 8 June, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

However, the council did not receive any submissions.  

At a committee meeting of West Devon Borough Council on Tuesday, project manager for the council Dan Field said the situation was "disappointing but not unexpected".  

The construction industry was facing many challenges with fuel prices, the availability of supplies, and Brexit, Mr Field suggested.

But councillors and officers argued the development, which was also backed by Tavistock Town Council, was important and should be pursued. 

The borough council now plans to work with the Southern Construction Framework (SCF), a joint venture between Devon County Council and Hampshire County Council created by public sector organisations, to get the project off the ground.

Although questions were asked about whether a delay in the project would cost the council money, it was explained that housing people in temporary accommodation around the town could be even more expensive. 

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