A new £1.5 billion regional major works framework—known as YORbuild 2—has officially opened for tender, marking a significant opportunity for contractors operating across Yorkshire, the Humber, the North East, Lincolnshire and the East Midlands. The initiative is being coordinated by a consortium of local authorities and is expected to run for up to six years.
Key Facts of the Framework
- The opportunity covers two key lots: one for projects valued between £10 million and £30 million, and another for projects above £30 million.
- The framework is open to a wide range of public-sector clients, including local authorities, NHS trusts, blue-light services and housing associations.
- On the procurement side, the bidding deadline is set for 23 December 2025, with contract awards anticipated by April 2026 and mobilisation from May 2026 onwards.
- Eight incumbent contractors—BAM, B+K, Galliford Try, Tilbury Douglas, Kier, Morgan Sindall, Wates and Willmott Dixon—face competition to retain places on the new framework.
Why This Framework Matters
- Scale and timing: At £1.5 billion and a six-year term, YORbuild 2 represents a sizeable pipeline of work and provides visibility for contractors in a region seeking sustained infrastructure and capital-works investment.
- Regional coverage: The geographical span covers a broad swathe of England, allowing participants to deploy resources over a wide area and coordinate regional supply chains.
- Modern delivery expectations: Tender requirements emphasise modern methods of construction (MMC), low-carbon delivery, and local employment initiatives—reflecting current public-sector priorities in procurement.
- Competitive landscape: With established contractors already on the framework, newcomers or challengers must offer differentiated capability, value-added services and strong regional delivery credentials to win places.
Strategic Implications for Contractors
- Firms that win places on the framework may gain access to long-term work programmes and potentially secure preferred status with multiple public-sector clients—boosting revenue certainty and enabling investment in capacity.
- The emphasis on MMC, sustainability and regional employment means contractors will need to demonstrate not only technical competence but also environmental credentials and local-impact delivery.
- Regional supply-chain players, specialist contractors and off-site-manufacturing providers may benefit from heightened demand as framework contractors seek partners aligned with MMC and low-carbon credentials.
Challenges and Risks to Monitor
- Margin pressure: With broader public-sector investment frameworks, competition may be strong, and contractors may face pressure to deliver cost-efficiently while meeting higher sustainability and MMC requirements.
- Operational readiness: Mobilising across a large region, aligning supply chains, and ensuring workforce availability—especially in regional ecosystems—will be critical to delivery performance.
- Regulatory and contractual frameworks: Using NEC4 and JCT forms, contractors will need robust contract-management capability and risk-management practices suited to framework dynamics rather than one-off projects.
Final Thought
The launch of the YORbuild 2 framework is a major development for the UK construction sector. It offers a substantial pipeline of public-sector capital works across a wide region and signals a shift toward modern, sustainable delivery methods. For contractors with ambition, regional reach and the right credentials, this framework offers a compelling stage. The next six months of tendering will determine who secures advantage—and sets themselves up for much of the coming half-decade in regional construction delivery.