Building Decarbonisation Projects at Williamson Park, The Storey and City Lab

The ITT for this tender opportunity will go live on the 3rd Feb 2025. In the meantime, documents, including timescales, site details and designs, have been provided to allow tenders to prepare and book site visits.

Lancaster City Council (LCC) declared a Climate Emergency on 30th January 2019. The council’s climate change declaration commits the council to Net Zero by 2030. The LCC Decarbonisation Project will deliver heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures across three sites in Lancaster – Williamson Park (Ashton Memorial and Butterfly House), The Storey and City Lab.

The project will consist of two work packages, Work Package 1 (WP1) will contain design from RIBA Stage 4, planning and contractor procurement. Work Package 2 (WP2) will include delivery, installation, commissioning and handover.

This tender is only for WP2. The appointed contractor will be expected to provide the following construction works at RIBA Stage 5 and 6 (WP2):


· Deliver the goods and or provide services/deliver the works at Williamson Park, Quernmore Road, Lancaster LA1 1UX; The Storey, 2 Meeting House Lane, Town Centre, Lancaster, LA1 1TH; City Lab 406 Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP.

· Work Package 2 will involve the full construction and installation of the decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures, covering RIBA Stage 5 (Construction) and RIBA Stage 6 (Handover and Close Out). This includes the installation of Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), new radiators, pipework modifications, and LED lighting upgrades.

· The contractor will be expected to deliver the works in accordance with the specifications set out in RIBA Stage 4, with a focus on quality, efficiency, and adherence to the agreed timeline.

The WP2 is subject to obtaining all necessary planning consents. The responsibility for securing these consents will primarily rest with the Council.

The contractor must be aware that no construction works, particularly any equipment ordering or significant on-site activities, can commence until all planning permissions are secured. The timeline for the project may be extended if planning approvals are delayed. Coordination with external parties, may also impact the timing of planning approvals and should be factored into the project delivery plan. If planning consent is not obtained within a reasonable time, the Council reserves the right to activate the break clause and re-tender the works if necessary.

The project is partially funded through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), and the key funding condition is that the project must be fully delivered, reach Practical Completion (PC), and be signed off by the end of January 2026. This is the final deadline for the project, and all works must be completed, tested, commissioned, and handed over before this date to ensure compliance with funding requirements.

Failure to meet the end of January 2026 deadline will result in the loss of funding, and the contractor must plan their work accordingly to avoid any delays that could jeopardise the project’s completion within the required timeframe. It is essential that any bids received are compliant with the Council’s time constraints.

Ridge & Partners LLP has been appointed by Lancaster City Council as the MEP consultants for the decarbonisation and energy efficiency upgrades at Williamson Park, The Storey, and City Lab. R&Ps role encompasses design, contract administration, and overall project management, ensuring that the project is delivered to the highest standards in terms of sustainability, energy efficiency, and quality.

As the MEP consultants and contract administrators, responsibilities include:

Design Leadership: Ridge will oversee the technical design aspects of the project, particularly the replacement of existing boilers with Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), installation of new radiators, pipework modifications, and LED lighting upgrades. While the contractor will not assume formal design responsibility, they are expected to provide buildability input during the design process to ensure that all elements can be practically constructed.

Contract Administration: Ridge will manage the contract administration duties throughout the project lifecycle. This includes overseeing the procurement process, ensuring compliance with the contract terms, managing performance specifications, and acting as the primary point of communication between Lancaster City Council and the appointed contractor.

Project Management: Ridge will lead on coordinating the project programme, ensuring timely delivery of key milestones, and monitoring the contractor’s adherence to the agreed programme. This includes liaising with the Council and contractor to manage risk, control costs, and ensure that all project outputs align with the overarching goals of decarbonisation and energy efficiency.

Quality Control: Ridge will be responsible for checking that all works meet the required standards of quality, including compliance with Building Regulations, relevant MEP standards, and performance specifications set out in the contract.

Full details including expected timelines are attached to the advert.

The Tender Process

ID Task Name Duration (Work Days) Start Finish
6 Contractor Procurement 104 04/12/2024 28/04/2025
7 Issue EOI Pack and List of Prop 1 04/12/2024 04/12/2024
8 Issue of EOI by LCC 1 04/12/2024 04/12/2024
9 Issue of RIBA 4 ITT Pack and T 41 03/02/2025 31/03/2025
10 Contract Clarifications 39 04/02/2025 28/03/2025
11 Site Visits and Clarification Pe 23 17/02/2025 19/03/2025
12 Evaluation stage 11 01/04/2025 15/04/2025
13 Provisional Award of Contract 2 16/04/2025 17/04/2025
14 Contract Standstill Period 7 18/04/2025 28/04/2025