Portsmouth City Council has unveiled a major framework programme worth up to £120m aimed at accelerating fire safety improvements and building remediation works across its residential housing portfolio.
The six-year framework is designed to address safety requirements in a number of higher-risk residential towers, as well as selected medium and low-rise buildings. The council intends to appoint up to six contractors to deliver the programme, with appointments expected to be finalised by October.
The total value of the framework is estimated at between £60m and £120m over its maximum term, reflecting the scale of the planned investment in building safety and compliance works.
A notable aspect of the procurement strategy is the pre-allocation of four workstreams, each comprising three higher-risk residential buildings. Contractors will first compete for the remediation contract at Mill Gate House, a project valued at approximately £5.5m. Performance and ranking within the framework will then determine access to subsequent packages, each expected to be worth between £7m and £9m.
Mill Gate House, a 21-storey residential tower containing 76 flats, has been selected as the framework’s initial project. Planned works include the replacement of fire doors, repairs to compartmentation systems, installation of new smoke ventilation equipment, upgrades to electrical infrastructure and improvements to water services. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2027.
The council is seeking contractors with substantial experience of working within the requirements of the Building Safety Regulator. Bidders will be required to demonstrate at least two successfully completed Gateway 2 approvals and show experience of operating as both principal designer and principal contractor on higher-risk residential remediation projects.
Works delivered through the wider framework are expected to include fire stopping measures, compartmentation upgrades, replacement fire doors, sprinkler installations, evacuation alert systems, smoke ventilation systems, emergency lighting improvements, structural repairs, asbestos removal and lift modernisation programmes.
Through the framework, Portsmouth City Council aims to create a long-term delivery model capable of addressing safety, compliance and refurbishment requirements across some of its most complex residential buildings while maintaining a consistent pipeline of work for appointed contractors.
