Design & Obtain Planning for New Student Accommodation, Plas Coch Campus, Wrexham (Pre-Construction Services Agreement)

The University is seeking to procure a contract for a Contractor/Developer-led Design & Obtain Planning for New Student Accommodation, Plas Coch Campus, Wrexham (Pre-Construction Services Agreement).

Wrexham University are seeking to engage with a contractor/development partner, who will design and secure planning approval for much needed new purpose-built student accommodation on a designated site on the Plas Coch campus. The expected quantum of development is in the region of 322 -beds and associated ancillary facilities, with the capability of being built in more than one phase of development, subject to occupation and demand.

NB:The University are NOT looking to award a contract directly with Architectural Practices.

The scope of this procurement involves submitting planning application (in the name of Wrexham University) and obtaining Full Planning Approval for new-build student accommodation block at Wrexham University Plas Coch Campus.

The approved scheme must be

(a) deliverable/implementable, i.e. not the subject of unacceptable planning conditions or financial contributions, e.g. limits on occupation, personal to the applicant, onerous time-completion.

(b) satisfy the requirements of University Students, the Client, Institutional Funders and Accommodation Operators and

(c) be capable of being built in more than one phase.

Following the completion of this procurement, and presuming the University awards a contract (1st Procurement), and once the initial Design and Planning permission has been obtained, there will be a separate future procurement undertaken (2nd Procurement), and a new contract notice published on the Sell2Wales portal for the appointment of a Developer/Contractor Partner to Further Design, Build & Finance the New Student Accommodation with potentially the option to operate the scheme.

As the ‘initial design’ and ‘further design and delivery’ procurements will be separate exercises, the successful bidder for the 1st Procurement will be eligible to participate in the 2nd Procurement but there is, of course, no guarantee that any Developer/Contractor appointed pursuant to this 1st Procurement will be successful in the 2nd Procurement. However, for the avoidance of doubt, the successful bidder in the 1st Procurement will not be excluded from submitting a response to the 2nd Procurement.

The University has not yet decided on a funding model for the 2nd Procurement and therefore by submitting a response to this 1st Procurement, bidders acknowledge they are being evaluated purely on the quality of their initial design and not in relation to delivery under the University’s chosen funding model. The University will confirm the funding model as part of the 2nd Procurement and the design output from the 1st Procurement will be shared as part of the 2nd Procurement, and worked up as part of the further design and delivery under the 2nd procurement contract awarded.

The indicative estimated value for this PCSA stage including obtaining Planning Permission is 500,000 pounds sterling (inclusive of VAT). However, this is an estimated figure and may be lower or higher than the final contract value. Any budget provided as part of this procurement is intended to act as a guide only. The final budget will be allocated to this Contract as funded by the University and the Wrexham Gateway respectively. The disclosure of any guide budget is to provide bidders with an indication of the budget available. However, the University expects any Tenders to demonstrate value for money and where possible reduce this figure. The scope of the procurement intends to cover the requirements set out in this notice and the accompanying procurement documents, so this figure should be viewed as a guide rather than the final value.