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Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract details notice
Published 16 Feb 2026, 16:24 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

HAR6174: Riverside Poplar Phase 2

Official notice

Authority: London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Local council)

Direct award
Sectors: Construction & Civil Engineering (45)Architecture & Engineering (71) Delivery: London (UKI)
Awarded value£47,840,000published award · exc. VAT
Awarded 12 Feb 2026no call for competition
Awarded to St Williams Homes LLP

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets (the Council) has identified an opportunity to acquire 223 affordable housing units at Blocks A and B at Heron Wharf, Poplar Riverside, Leven Road (the Site).

The Site is currently owned by St William Homes LLP (SWH), a subsidiary of Berkeley Homes (BH). SWH is developing residential housing as part of Phase 2 of the Heron Wharf scheme (the Scheme).

The planning permission and associated s106 agreement obtained for the Scheme requires SWH to sell the affordable flats to be delivered, to a Registered Provider, which in this case would be the Council.

As part of the Scheme, the Council has agreed to acquire 223 affordable units as set out below.

When the construction of the units reaches "golden brick" stage (above foundation level - being the point at which the units are treated as a zero-rated supply for VAT purposes) the Council will purchase the land interest from SWH (so the Council becomes the owner of the land on which the 223 affordable units are to be delivered). The Council will also, at the same time pay SWH the costs associated with the delivery of the works up to "golden brick".

The Council will also enter into a Development Agreement with SWH for the delivery of the 223 affordable housing units. The Development Agreement will place a legally enforceable obligation on SWH to commence and deliver housing on the Site in accordance with agreed specification requirements as set out in the Development Agreement. The Council will pay for the costs of the works associated with delivering the affordable housing units in monthly instalments. The completed outputs will then be handed over to the Council's ownership on practical completion.

The opportunity offered to the Council by SWH comprises two linked transactions: (i) the purchase of the Site and "golden brick" works that the 223 affordable housing units are to be delivered on by the Council from SWH; and (ii) the award of a works contract (Development Agreement) by the Council to SWH. The Council considers these to be inseparable components of the transaction which can only be delivered by SWH.

For the reasons set out in this notice, the Council considers that only SWH would be able to deliver the works because of exclusive rights (SWH's current ownership of the Site) and that there are no reasonable alternatives to these works.

The value stated refers to the estimated capital costs of the works which will be the subject of the Development Agreement.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Awarded
Delivery: London
45100000 Site preparation work45210000 Building construction work45233100 Construction work for highways, roads45233161 Footpath construction work71000000 Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
16 Feb 2026, 16:24 GMT
Last source update
9 Apr 2026, 13:06 BST
Authority reference
HAR6174
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-032388
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Delivery area
London (UKI)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06554d Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights
Published justification

The Council, relying on paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023 intends to award a contract to SWH for the delivery of housing on the Sites (as described in this notice). The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract: (a) due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. SWH own and are developing the wider 'Estate' in which the Site sits. Accordingly SWH are responsible for the construction of and the laying of the major services and infrastructure which will serve the Site. Such services and infrastructure will remain in the ownership of SWH. On this basis it is not commercially feasible or workable from a technical or engineering perspective for another contractor to construct the Site on behalf of the Council. The Site is located within an area of housing need for the Council and is designated for residential development in the Council's Local Plan. The Site already has detailed planning permission and so far as the Council is aware this is the only Site in the area which has planning permission and can deliver the scale of the affordable housing required by the Council to meet local housing need. The Council has secured GLA grant funding to assist with its acquisition of the Site. Under the terms of the GLA grant, the Site must be delivered by the GLA grant utilisation date of 31 March 2030. So far as the Council are aware there are no other schemes in the locality that can be delivered to the scale and cost of the Site in the timescales required to use the grant it has secured. Whilst the Council will become the owner of the Site at 'golden brick', the Development Agreement that the Council will enter into will cover the golden brick works and beyond. In addition as referred to above, since SWH own and are developing the wider Estate and will be responsible for the services and infrastructure it is not commercially feasible or workable from a technical or engineering perspective for another contractor to construct the Site on behalf of the Council as this would likely cause significant interface issues which would likely result in the Council incurring a substantial and disproportionate amount of additional cost.

Review and risk notes
Risks

The contract is an Agreement for Lease being entered into with the developer for the sale and purchase of the land and property at Golden Brick, and a Development Agreement with the developer for the design and construction of the units forming the Property.

Known risks are:

Programme delay: Delays due to Building Safety Act / Regulator delays, supply chain management, statutory or utilities delays, adverse weather, or poor performance.

Change instruction: Delays due to instructions and variations.

Developer or subcontractor default: Insolvency or underperformance by developer or subcontractors.

Supply chain disruption: Unforeseen events leading to delays regarding labour or materials.

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

25 Feb 2026 → 9 Apr 2026 · 2 dates
  1. Standstill ends237 days ago
    25 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
  2. Notice published194 days ago
    9 Apr 2026, 13:06 BST

Notice history

4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 16 Feb 2026
  1. Transparency notice published
    16 Feb 2026, 16:24 GMT
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    16 Feb 2026, 16:33 GMT
    UK6
  3. Contract signature expected
    26 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  4. Contract details notice published
    9 Apr 2026, 13:06 BST
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £47,840,0001 award exc. VAT
Contracts signed 1latest 27 Feb 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
St Williams Homes LLP27 Feb 2026 – 31 Mar 2030 · up to 31 Mar 2032Extensions: The Development Agreement provides for a longstop date of 31 March 2032. £47,840,00012 Feb 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • HAR6174 Riverside Poplar Phase 2 · St Williams Homes LLP

    Signed
    27 Feb 2026
    Value
    £47,840,000
    Period
    27 Feb 2026 – 31 Mar 2030 · up to 31 Mar 2032 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    The Development Agreement provides for a longstop date of 31 March 2032.
    3 agreed KPIs: Schedule Performance · Quality Control · Safety Compliance
    • Schedule Performance
    • Quality Control
    • Safety Compliance

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Tower Hamlets

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PQBL-2673-MVYG New Town Hall, London, London, E1 1BJContact name, email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • St Williams Homes LLPAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PZXP-8528-CVNT 15B St George Wharf, London, London, SW8 2LEContact email

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender