Three North East contractors have secured spots on Gentoo’s new £170m housing improvement framework in Sunderland.

PHS Solutions, Esh Construction and RE:GEN Group have been selected to deliver a decade-long programme of internal upgrades to thousands of homes across the city.

The trio are the first firms appointed under Gentoo’s new ‘Gentogether’ partnering model, which aims to drive long-term collaboration and strip out traditional competitive tendering.

Over the next 10 years, the contractors will carry out planned works including kitchen and bathroom replacements and electrical rewires. Around £36.5m will be spent in the first three years alone, covering improvements to 3,000 homes.

The Gentogether programme is expected to generate over £32m in social value, with a strong emphasis on local employment, apprenticeships, and skills development.

Customer involvement played a key role in the procurement process, with residents sitting on interview panels and shaping a bespoke Customer Charter to monitor performance.

Gentoo has brought in 4i Solutions as an independent adviser to oversee innovation and ensure collaborative working across the framework.