New jobs created after Staffordshire house-builder named on £1bn city council framework award

Burntwood-based developer Keon Homes says more jobs are expected to follow indirectly in the supply chain, after the firm was named as a preferred contractor on over 20 development sites in the city and surrounding areas. 

In 2023, City of Wolverhampton Council invited bids from local contractors for the design, pre-construction services, demolition, construction and delivery of new homes as part of a four-year housing-development framework set to generate work worth up to £1bn. 

Keon was named as one of six preferred companies as part of the framework award process.

“This is arguably the biggest deal in our history, with the opportunity to support the redevelopment of some key housing sites in Wolverhampton and, then potentially, further afield," said Matt Beckley, Partnerships Director at Keon Homes.

“Our track record for bringing challenging schemes to market and then completing them on time and to budget played a key role in the award, that and our passion for creating communities where individuals and families can thrive. It’s more than bricks and mortar to us.”

It is about to start construction work on the £40m New Park Village remodelling project in the summer and is shortly getting underway with the first phase of 99 new bungalows at Lincoln Green in Bushbury. 

“New Park Village and Lincoln Green are two sites that drastically needed remodelling, especially the latter where old, prefabricated accommodation was coming to the end of its lifecycle in terms of structural integrity and energy efficiency," he added. 

"We’re replacing these with highly energy efficient properties that will be built using the latest construction techniques and with green spaces at their heart, meeting the needs of local residents.”

The Wolverhampton Housing Development Framework is in place for four years initially with the opportunity for it to be extended further.

Councillor Steve Evans, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Our new Housing Development Framework is helping speed up the delivery of good homes in well-connected neighbourhoods across Wolverhampton, while providing affordable housing to residents.

“It will also allow our housing team to plan estate regeneration and gain advice from contractors and developers, like Keon Homes, on buildability and viability as we work in partnership to ensure value for money.

“This will prove to be an effective way to deliver new homes and, crucially, increases the city’s housing stock when it needs it most.”