HOUNSOME FIELDS

Projects
HOUNSOME FIELDS

HAMPSHIRE, UK

Hounsome Fields, a development located on the outskirts of Basingstoke, Hampshire, will provide 433 much-needed affordable homes to the local community. RLB has been supporting the project since 2020, acting as employer’s agent to VIVID, Hampshire’s largest housing association and the sixth-largest developer of new homes among housing associations in England.

The scheme, offering a mix of rented and shared ownership properties, is being constructed by Vistry Group, the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed tenure homes, with delivery of the final units forecast for spring 2026. RLB has worked closely with VIVID and Vistry across the scheme’s multiple phases to ensure an efficient contracting and delivery process which benefits both parties with an uninterrupted build programme and consistent cashflow.

At a glance

Client
VIVID
Services
Commercial Success, Contract Administration and Employer’s Agent
sector
Residential
Location
Hampshire, United Kingdom

Full assessment of development

At the outset of the project, our team carried out a comprehensive assessment of the proposed development, including an examination of planning conditions, flood risk, environmental impact and the ground investigation report. As part of the pre-contract negotiations, we reviewed the developer’s bespoke agreement and made VIVID aware of any risks regarding points that were agreed prior to contracting. A specification analysis was then carried out, identifying areas where specification enhancements were required, with costs negotiated and included within the contract to give VIVID cost certainty.

RLB’s other responsibilities included preparing the contract sum analysis, completing nationally described space standards (NDSS) assessments, and reviewing the Section 106 agreement. Our aim was to ensure VIVID had a clear audit trail with all project information on file at all times, including a key benchmarking report required for approval by its board of directors.

"At VIVID we’re determined to give as many people as possible the best chance of having a place to call home. Our new site at Hounsome Fields will provide affordable, bright and modern homes to meet local needs and aspirations and RLB’s expertise has been key to the development’s successful delivery."

John Crapper, Head of Construction, VIVID

Collaboration keeps project on track

Close co-operation and effective working relationships have been essential to the project’s ongoing success. RLB managed the design team, ensuring all parties worked collaboratively and had a good understanding of the main constraints and how they were to be mitigated. During construction, we have conducted regular site meetings and inspections to monitor quality, manage the defects and snagging process, and track progress and handover dates.

Energy-efficient and accessible homes

Hounsome Fields features a mix of flats, flats over garages, maisonettes and houses. With sustainability in mind, and to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations on the conservation of fuel and power in new homes, units completed in the early phases were fitted with mechanical ventilation heat recovery systems while those in the later phases feature photovoltaic panels. In compliance with regulations on accessibility, RLB’s project team also managed post-completion changes to properties that were adapted to meet the needs of tenants who are wheelchair users.