Issue - meetings

Canal Quarter, Lancaster - Use of Reserves

 

 

Meeting: 19/01/2021 - Cabinet (Item 100)

100 Canal Quarter, Lancaster - Use of Reserves pdf icon PDF 870 KB

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hamilton-Cox

 

Report of Director for Economic Growth & Regeneration

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hamilton-Cox)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Director for Economic Growth and Regeneration to consider the route and approach to implement the economic regeneration of key council land interests, particularly the area known as Cooper’s Fields which is dominated by the Upper and Lower St. Leonard’s Gate surface car parking and bounded by Lodge Street, Alfred Street, Seymour Street / Edward Street and St Leonards Gate. Cabinet was requested to approve the use of Reserve Funds to commission a full professional services master planning team to deliver the next key phase of the Canal Quarter project.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1: Approve £120K to procure a master-planning team through an existing Framework Agreement to progress the council’s preferred masterplan/ development solution

Option 2: Approve £120K to procure a master-planning team through open competitive tender to progress the council’s preferred masterplan/ development solution

Advantages

Officers are experienced in progressing UK directive compliant tenders via Frameworks to appoint masterplan/design teams for projects.

 

 Use of a pre-approved UK directive compliant Framework will reduce the administrative burden on officers in managing a legally compliant tender process.

Greater likelihood of securing a high-quality team and detailed design solution for the project.

 

Greater “reach” in securing interest from a range of design practices.

 

Enables a wider range of national and international practices to participate.

Disadvantages

“Reach” of the council’s tender may not be wide enough to secure innovative thinking or creative solutions from smaller firms if a Framework is used.

Officer resource commitment would be higher particularly under an open competition with an element of negotiation/ dialogue.

Risks / Mitigation

A quality design team would be appointed who progress a feasible masterplan / design solution to meet the council’s and community’s objectives as expressed through the CQSRF.

 

 The risks are therefore around whether the Framework route delivers the best possible range of expertise.

Officers are experienced in securing design teams to the requirements of UK public procurement law.

 

 While the demands on officer time will be higher, a wider range of national and international practices will be able to participate.

 

 

 

Option 2 is the preferred option. There is an onus on the council to drive forward economic regeneration initiatives as part of the pandemic recovery process. The high degree of Member, public and commercial interest (including from MCHLG and Homes England) and the complexity of addressing key issues raised through CQSRF consultation (such as car parking, traffic movement and integrating open space provision) means the progression of a detailed development masterplan is essential to make further progress.

 

The funds for the detailed work will be sourced from the Canal Quarter Reserve (agreed under the Outcome-Based Budgeting process of as part of the Regeneration Development Reserve) and split over the current financial year and early part of next financial year (refer to Financial Implications).

 

Following completion of the procurement stage the recommended master-planning team  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100