APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL TEAM: COMMUNITY SPACE

The Town Council commissioned a report from a professional consultant to provide evidence of the need or not for a community space in the centre of Burgess Hill and if deemed necessary to set out what such a space may look like, what it may cost and how it might be sustained. The report which is attached concluded that there is a need for a flexible community space in the centre of the town which will provide a performance space with seating for 250 people.

The Council wishes to appoint a professional Project Manager who has managed similar projects in the past to in turn, appoint (subject to approval of each professional by the Council) and manage a multidisciplinary team of architect, business and end use planner and quantity surveyor to carry out a feasibility study and to develop and appraise site and design options to complement the report.

A refined specification and a vision for the architect will be produced from which the architect will draw up massing and organisation diagrams to define the building required to meet the brief. This will then be compared with identified sites to show how the building might be realised on each viable site.

A set of sketch elevations, design proposals and costs will be produced to enable consultation on the impact and design of the building. Recommendations on each site option from a business perspective must be provided along with comments on the relative strength of each site. Consulting with the general public and stakeholders on the options identified forms part of the tender.

The report, documents and actions described must be completed within a period of 20 weeks from appointment. A maximum of £28,000 excluding VAT is available for Stage 1 of the project.

Should the Council accept the proposals submitted for Stage 1 it may appoint the same team to progress the project to the next stage. This would involve the appointment of a full design team (architect, engineers, landscape design, quantity surveyor) and commission all work through to the completion of RIBA Stage 2 - Concept Design. This will include the development of advanced proposals, robust costing and public consultation. You are asked to state what your fees would be for this stage and how long this stage would take. If you are unable to provide a specific amount please indicate how your fees would be determined. The Council does not commit itself to appointing the same Project Manager or team for stage 2 and reserves the right to call for tenders for this and further stages.