Ealing Small Sites Development Opportunity in Partnership with Ealing Council.

Descriptions

The London Borough of Ealing (“the Council”) has identified a number of sites owned by the Council which could be developed to provide new housing. The sites, up to 28 in total subject to on-going due diligence by the Council, range in size and location and allow for as few as 1 house up to 40+ housing units per site to be developed. Projections undertaken to date indicate that a minimum of 100 residential units and up to as many as 225 units, are possible across all sites, subject to whether houses or flats are built and subject to the provision of amenity spaces required by statutory and funding authorities.The Council's primary objective is to increase the stock of Council owned and managed social housing, with a strong preference for family units (3 Bedrooms/5 person and above) for the purposes of re-housing families displaced by estate regeneration developments within the Borough. Given the Council's financial constraints, any proposal to maximise the number of new affordable housing units must be self-financing. The project therefore requires that the successful bidder, or consortia, (herein ‘the Developer') develops the sites providing residential units for private sale and affordable (or ‘social') housing, with the need for the Developer's receipts to cross subsidise the cost of developing the Council owned affordable residential units. Subject to the precise terms of the Contract (comprising a Sale and Development Agreement (SaDA)) and any capital receipt for the Council and agreed with the Council, it is the intention of the Council to permit the Developer to retain all units constructed for the purposes of being their own asset and retain all profits arising from any sale/lease associated with those units. For sites comprising entirely the Developer's private units, it is the intention, again subject to the Contract terms, to transfer the ownership (freehold) of the land to the Developer without condition notwithstanding all statutory and civil requirements. Land/properties comprising affordable housing will be retained by the Council.Accordingly, the Council is now preparing to invite tenders from Developers who are able to approach the project as a whole with the view to committing to the delivery of the maximum number of Council owned affordable housing units, especially family units. The proximity of some of the sites and the overall limited range in size, coupled with the fact that as individual sites standard planning policy would naturally generate little affordable housing, supports an approach to the develop the sites jointly.The development and construction risk will be taken by the Developer, notwithstanding obligations of both a contractual and statutory nature upon the Council and the clear intention of the Council to enter agreement with the Developer on a partnership basis.The Developer should be prepared to present their approach in respect of financial viability and be able to display innovation, particular in respect of multiple site development and overcoming complex development obstacles. Flexible solutions for the Development will actively be encouraged so that the ‘final' development meets the requirements of the Council.Financial criteria affecting the eligibility of Developers to qualify for the tender stage will be orientated around whether the Developer has sufficient financial standing to undertake a project of this size and complexity. To this end, PQQ Technical Capability will be evaluated primarily on the experience of the Developer in relation to projects of a similar scale and complexity. Where the Developer comprises a consortium, the Council will in addition be seeking evidence of experience of working as a team and clear explanation as to the mechanisms that will be put in place to ensure consistency and quality in the event that consortium members change.Developers will be provided with as much site information as possible during the tender stage in order to give confidence that any obvious barriers to development are identified and/or removed. Developers should note that one of the key delivery risks is the need to obtain planning permission in respect of each of the sites involved. The Council will assist in sofar as is practicably possible and will ensure provisions are in place within the SaDA.Developers must note that the Council and any consultant acting on behalf of the Council in connection with this procurement opportunity expressly waiver all or any liability for any costs incurred by Developers in connection with the preparation of their bids.Developers by requesting the PQQ documentation and participating in the procurement process at any stage, wholly accept that the Council reserves the right in accordance with the procurement regulations governing this process, to the change the basis and/or procedures for selecting Developers, including terminating and/or deferring the procurement process, without prior notice and without liability to the Developers for any costs or expenses incurred as a result of participating in this procurement process.In the event that this procurement process does not derive a suitable Developer to undertake the work set out in this Notice, the PQQ or the Tender (ITT) documents the Council expressly reserves the right to carry out an alternative procurement process involving all, some or none of the Developers who participate in this process or elect not to participate in this process, without any need to publish a further Notice or Notices set out in the Public Procurement Regulations.Developers who wish to express an interest in this opportunity and request the PQQ documents, must email smallsitespackage@ealing.gov.uk with the subject title of the email ‘Ealing Small Sites Expression of Interest', or similar alternative.