Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Durham County Council
Corten House, Dunholme Close
Durham
DH15WB
Contact
Richard Carroll
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKC14 - Durham CC
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Joint Venture Partner for the Durham Innovation District
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 70100000 - Real estate services with own property
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Durham County Council are seeking a Joint Venture Partner to develop the council owned
Aykley Heads site, as a catalyst for the new Durham Innovation District.
The 15ha site is within single council ownership; has outline planning permission for 39,000 square metres of commercial floorspace for up to 4,000 jobs. It sits within a wider 60ha area
of the city that is the emerging Durham Innovation District, encompassing the new University Business School and Milburngate, a 450,000 sq ft mixed-use development.
Aykley Heads and the Durham Innovation District will provide a platform to maximise the benefits of economic growth. It will identify key areas of opportunity, including research and
advanced manufacturing, green jobs, electronics, digital and creative, fintech, life sciences and satellite applications sectors. Inward investment will also be directly focused on these
specialisms and ecosystems to create sustainable supply chains and jobs across the county and beyond.
Although the Joint Venture will initially focus on the Aykley Heads location, the JV scope (of goods, works and services) may be expanded in the future to cover wider County Durham area opportunities in order to support the strategic objectives of the Council and it's Partners.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £1 / Highest offer: £5,000,000 taken into consideration
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 09000000 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy
- 45000000 - Construction work
- 50700000 - Repair and maintenance services of building installations
- 50800000 - Miscellaneous repair and maintenance services
- 55000000 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services
- 65000000 - Public utilities
- 66100000 - Banking and investment services
- 70000000 - Real estate services
- 71200000 - Architectural and related services
- 71300000 - Engineering services
- 71400000 - Urban planning and landscape architectural services
- 71500000 - Construction-related services
- 71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
- 71700000 - Monitoring and control services
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
- 73300000 - Design and execution of research and development
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC1 - Tees Valley and Durham
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Durham County Council are seeking a Joint Venture Partner to develop the council owned
Aykley Heads site, as a catalyst for the new Durham Innovation District.
The 15ha site is within single council ownership; has outline planning permission for 39,000
square metres of commercial floorspace for up to 4,000 jobs. It sits within a wider 60ha area of the city that is the emerging Durham Innovation District, encompassing the new University
Business School and Milburngate, a 450,000 sq ft mixed-use development.
Aykley Heads and the Durham Innovation District will provide a platform to maximise the benefits of economic growth. It will identify key areas of opportunity, including research and
advanced manufacturing, green jobs, electronics, digital and creative, fintech, life sciences and satellite applications sectors. Inward investment will also be directly focused on these
specialisms and ecosystems to create sustainable supply chains and jobs across the county and beyond.
This procurement is to appoint a JV partner who will seek to retain a long-term interest in the development beyond the construction phase and has the experience and expertise of
creating, running and managing an Innovation District. This will ensure:
-The partner brings expertise & desire to hold assets over the long term
-A partnership approach which shares risk and reward with partner
-That the council can retain high level of control on programme, use and quality
-Council control can be further protected through phased approach of land transfer in to JV
-The council has the benefit of a partner with long term commitment to the site
-The partner would bring long term management experience and capability
Although the Joint Venture will initially focus on the Aykley Heads location, the JV scope (of goods, works and services) may be expanded in the future to cover wider County Durham
area opportunities in order to support the strategic objectives of the Council and it's Partners.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion - Name: Financial / Weighting: 20
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The term of the JV is anticipated, and likely be in the region of 15-25 years to deliver the shared Visions and Outcomes but may be subject to extension by mutual consent.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive dialogue
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2023/S 000-029897
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
30 April 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Muse Places Ltd
London
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKC1 - Tees Valley and Durham
Companies House
02717800
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £1 / Highest offer: £5,000,000 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of England and Wales
7 Rolls Building, Fetter Lane
London
EC4A 1NL
Country
United Kingdom