Eastleigh council puts £100m One Horton Heath contract out to tender

Eastleigh Borough Council has fired the starting gun on a three‑year design‑and‑build deal for Upper Acre, the second major residential phase at One Horton Heath.

The tender, published on July 10, invites bids to deliver 424 new homes on the 310-acre site.

This includes new roads, drainage, landscaping and green spaces, with work anticipated to start in March 2027, with a planned completion date of May 2030.

It comes two years after work started on the Lower Acre area of the development, which is still underway.

Those interested in the contract– which is valued at £100 million excluding VAT – must complete a questionnaire by August 6, before shortlisted bidders submit full tenders ahead of a November 17 deadline.

In a statement, the council said Upper Acre is “about much more than building 424 homes”, promising a mix of properties for different needs and budgets, including affordable homes to rent and buy through shared ownership.

Lower Acre, One Horton Heath. Photo: Maya George, LDRS

In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the local authority said borrowing linked to the wider One Horton Heath project stood at £184 million as of January 2026.

However, the council stressed that it manages debt “corporately” rather than tying it to individual assets.

A spokesperson said: “The project is closely monitored through regular financial reporting, councillor scrutiny, external audit and independent external reviews.”

They added that the business plan and risk profile for the scheme were last examined by the audit and resources committee seven months ago – in December 2025.

The tender for Upper Acre only seeks one contractor to undertake the works, which the council said gives clear responsibility for delivering homes and infrastructure.

The council said the contract is open to local and regional companies as well as larger national players, adding that future phases could be divided into smaller packages to attract local businesses “of all sizes”.

Lower Acre homes, One Horton Heath. Photo: EBC

The tender comes after the finer design details for Upper Acre, including layout, appearance and landscaping, were approved in March this year, following an application submitted in December 2025.

According to the council, the new neighbourhood at Upper Acre is being designed for “greener living”, with zero‑carbon heating and safe walking and cycling routes among schemes included in the plans.

The tender is published on the Government’s ‘Find a Tender’ online service.