BURROW BECK AND GATEWAY SOLAR PV PROJECTS: SOLAR EPC CONTRACTOR WORKS

The Council is seeking to appoint a supplier to design, procure and construct a circa 4MWp solar array with associated grid connection to the Electricity North-West Distribution Grid at the “Burrow Beck” site off Scotforth Road/Bailrigg Lane, Lancaster, LA1 4JL with grid reference: SD 47901 58388 and a solar rooftop installation of circa 782kWp at the “Gateway Building”, Southgate, White Lund Industrial Estate, Lancaster, LA3 3PB with grid reference: SD 45111 62596. Together the “Project”.

This scope of work is for the provision of Solar PV Equipment and Principal contractor and Principal Designer Services under the CDM Regulations for both projects. Note that at Burrow Beck the DNO connection (Contestable Works) and High Voltage works design, and delivery will be provided by a separate ICP Contractor.

The appointed supplier will be expected to design, procure and deliver the works at both the Burrow Beck and at the Gateway Building. The works are set out in the specification which can be found at Annex A.

Burrow Beck:
Burrow Beck achieved planning permission on 30 September 2024 under planning reference: 23/01383/FUL (https://www.lancaster.gov.uk/planning/view-applications-and-decisions)

A material planning amendment has been submitted due to the change in layout design. A decision is expected to be made on 7 April 2025.

Is in receipt of 4 connection offers which have been accepted and paid in full to Electricity North-West each for 990kW. Note that the connection works together with the provision of high voltage equipment, transformers and the main low voltage switchgear forms part of a separate scope of works (the “ICP Scope”) and is not part of this tender;

Due to the long lead items, the ICP Works have already been tendered.

Tenderers will be permitted to tender for both procurements however no information will be provided relating to the procurement referred to at 2.6.2 for the ICP Works as part of this procurement process at this stage.

Burrow Beck will operate on a 100% sale to grid basis and opportunities to ‘sleeve’ energy to council buildings is also being explored.

Gateway Building

The installation is expected to be constructed under permitted development (PD) rights and the Contractor will ensure that the final design is compliant with any requirements associated with this. Due to Condition (2) Class J(c) of the Town and Country Planning Order 2015, the client has applied to see if “Prior Approval” is required. The outcome will be known by April 2025.

Is in receipt of an export connection agreement for 966kWAC from Electricity North-West which has been paid in full;

A structural survey has been undertaken which is included in [xxx]. Tenders are responsible for ensuring that their final design complies with the finding of this report but in general the findings are that an installation of 14.7kg/m2 should be suitable;

Parts of the roof have undergone refurbishment removing some of the obstructions that were previously installed and strengthening the rooflights

The Main low voltage switchgear for the building has recently been upgraded and a spare bay for the low voltage connection of the PV system has been included.

Note that in relation to the contract, one Contractor is proposed for both Gateway and Burrow Beck and will be responsible for all of the works.

Gateway is a tenanted building. The council is in control of the energy meters. Energy consumption is recharged to the tenants, and it is anticipated that at least half of the new generation will be consumed on site, with the remaining exported to grid.

The Project is expected to be delivered during 2025 and early 2026 with a target energisation to the grid for Burrow Beck to be no later than 30th October 2025 and the Gateway Building to be no later than 31st January 2026.

Bidders should provide a clear and detailed project plan for both projects to meet the hard delivery deadlines. This should include ordering and delivery of long-lead items.

The council has appointed an independent Solar Development Consultant (SDC) for quality control and to act at Contract Administrator for the duration of both projects. A contract for Construction, Instillation, Testing and Commissioning has been developed for both projects and 680included in ‘Appendix 1’

A full specification of services required has been included under Annex A and to support bidders, a ‘Responsibility Matrix’ has been included under Appendix 2. This includes work the EPC contractor will need to undertake to discharge the remaining planning conditions.

A Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) has been developed by a traffic management consultant, in collaboration with the council’s Solar Development Consultant. The Contractor will be expected to adhere to the agreed plan.

The council estimates the combined value of both contracts, including extensions, to be no more than £3.5M including VAT (Three million five hundred thousand pounds).