The new £500m framework pares down its contractor panel from around 24 firms to 15, with Galliford Try and Willmott Dixon among contractors dropping out of the preferred list.

The London and south east housing association completed 1,127 new homes last year and achieved a record surplus of £114.5m.

It now plans to build 3,850 homes by the end of 2020 and will divide projects between contractors based on three main project value bands.

Works under the framework will predominantly be new-build and may include refurbishment.