NCC746 Tender for the Provision of Design Services for Blyth Culture Centre, Market Place and 'The Link'

Northumberland County Council (NCC) is seeking to appoint a multi-disciplinary Design Team to provide all stages of design (RIBA Plan of Works Stages 1-7) for a new flagship Cultural Facility and remodelled/landscaped Market Place. This may also require a new bus circulation route in Blyth Town Centre. In addition, the Design Team are to provide concept designs for highway works along Bridge Street from the Market Place to the roundabout junction of the B1329 to provide enhanced cycleway and footway connections (‘The Link’). This will include the provision of Principal Designer services under The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. NCC will act as Client. In doing so the Design Team will draw on the concept designs produced as part of the FHSF Business Case, which have received significant public support, a pre-requisite to the success of the proposals.

This commission is part of NCC’s ‘Energising Blyth’ programme for which it was successful in securing funding from the government’s national Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) in December 2020. The design works specified will be funded by MHCLG through FHSF. The Project is seen as a catalyst to both FHSF and Blyth Town Deal (see below) planned interventions over the next 5-10 years. Advance Northumberland (Financial) Ltd (Advance Northumberland) are acting as NCC’s Project Managers and technical advisors and will administer the contract and manage the Design Team.