Soft Market Testing - Conningbrook Lakes Country Park

Soft Market Testing

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION

Ashford Borough Council are undertaking a “soft market testing” as outlined below, to determine current interest levels in creating, developing and running an opportunity at Conningbrook Lakes.
The Soft Market Test is intended to allow interested organisations with relevant experience to outline their views and provide information with no commitment to themselves or the council.
Conningbrook Lakes – The Site:

Conningbrook Lakes Country Park is a Strategic Park within Ashford providing around 34.3 ha of open space, including the lakes. The attached masterplan, completed in 2018 and updated 2023/24, has been prepared to help articulate the aspirations for enhancements to Conningbrook Lakes Country Park. It sets out the overarching principles and a spatial framework to work within.

Next to the lake a new 300 home development, comprising of a mixture of 2,3,4 and 5 bedroom properties have been built in an new development. The venture with Latimer by Clarion Housing Group is near completion and now are being sold on the market.
The lakes themselves are renowned for their wildlife and their diverse ecosystem. Ashford Borough Council will continue to protect and enhance the conservation value by ensuring any proposals are mindful of the Country Park to ensure the site retains the tranquillity, habitat and nature conservation value.

The Vision for Conningbrook Lakes:

The site at Conningbrook Lakes Country Park is at the beginning of its journey, with the council recently investing in a new carpark and access to the site.
The council will continue to invest in the site to help Conningbrook Lakes Country Park to become a high quality, successful, attractive and very well used destination where people choose to visit - a destination designed to integrate housing into the country park sensitively to retain the tranquillity, habitat and nature conservation value of this important location.
The location will comprise a high-quality residential community with a strong sense of stewardship for the environment, where local and regional visitors are welcomed to participate in a range of accessible leisure activities.
Please review the Conningbrook Lakes Country Park masterplan to truly understand what the site can offer. With buildings, paths, car parks and lakes which are continually being invested in and enhanced, this is a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of this site.
We want to know if your business could be part of the site’s future.

Conningbrook Lakes – Can you help us create our vision?

We are looking for proposals which reflect the site ethos and help build Conningbrook Lakes as a destination. We are looking for interest in the site and any opportunities to help build and grow the vision for the site.

There are a number of different areas of the site which are available for development. We are looking for interest in all areas as a group as well as areas in isolation.

Please include the following in your proposals:
• Provide a high-level business plan (illustrating how the business will grow)
• Report the expected financial performance of the purposed business profit and loss forecasts etc.
• Outline proposals for specific areas (café, outdoor leisure – anything you wish to base at Conningbrook) or proposals for a combination of uses across the site
• Estimated customer volumes
• History of delivery or any current similar businesses in operation in a similar environment
• Location in accordance with Conningbrook Lakes Masterplan.
Your proposal can be in the form of a brochure or PowerPoint presentation of no more than 10 pages i.e. 5 double sides of A4 addressing the 5 points above.


Assessment

Ashford Borough Council will review interests and reserves the right to contact respondents at its discretion and no solicitations should be made in this regard.
Should the council decide to conduct a formal tender exercise, the notice commencing the procurement will be published on Find a Tender OR Contracts Finder and the Kent Business Portal and interested parties may sign up to receive direct notification of publication from these websites.

Soft Market Testing

Interested respondents are required to submit their proposal by 10:00 22nd November 2024. If you have any questions for clarification, the deadline for submitting these is 10:00 15th November 2024.
If respondents have any questions about this soft market test, such questions should be submitted to the council using the ‘Messaging” facility within the opportunity advertised on the Kent Business Portal by the deadline for Clarification.
A copy of the question and a copy of the written reply may be circulated to all respondents, with anonymity of the respondent preserved. Respondents must not raise questions through any other channels, including emails direct to the council.
No questions will be responded to, other than those raised through the Kent Business Portal as described above.
We encourage your participation in this soft market testing exercise but must emphasise that your involvement in this exercise will not carry any commercial advantage in any ensuing procurement process and will have no bearing upon the selection of firms to compete in any subsequent procurement.
No information provided in response to this soft market testing exercise will be used in any evaluation of any subsequent response to a procurement exercise.
Respondents are liable for their own time and expenses related to this exercise and no reimbursements will be made.

Confidentiality, freedom of information and Environmental Information.
Confidentiality

Subject to the statement on freedom of information below, the Authority will treat responses to this questionnaire as confidential and not disclose information to third parties without the consent of the respondent.
Freedom of Information and Environmental Information
All information relating to any response to the questionnaire may be accessible under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. The Authority is under a legal obligation to disclose such information if requested, unless an exemption applies. The Authority may also be subject to disclosure requirements under other legislation or applicable codes of practice, or otherwise as required by law, including by order of a court. The Authority may, in its absolute discretion, consult with the respondent before deciding on a request for information. The interpretation of the Authority in relation to any disclosure obligation or exemption shall be final.