Scope
Reference
P00005136
Description
INTRODUCTION
Portsmouth City Council - the 'Council' - with support from its appointed development consultants Mace, Montagu Evans and Vail Williams - is seeking to engage with a cross section of site wide muti-use and specialist developers in respect of its plans for regeneration of the City Centre North (CCN) strategic area.
The Council anticipates partnering with a lead developer to deliver the scheme across multiple phases, and potentially a range of uses. The Council is also interested in speaking with specialist developers of specific uses to test their feasibility. The Council considers that the following specialist uses could be of relevance to CCN development:
• Multi-family Build to Rent (BTR) / Co-living
• Single family BTR
• Extra care
• Key worker housing
• Purpose Built Student Accommodation
• Hotel
• Offices
KEY OBJECTIVES
The Council is aiming to transform the northern part of the city centre. The plans will the see the redevelopment of the former Tricorn and Sainsbury's sites, which the Council bought to unlock the opportunity for long-term regeneration of wider area.
The plan focuses on making the best use of this large area by creating new homes, new walking and cycling routes and a large open green space stretching from St. Agatha's Church to All Saints' Church. By bringing more residents into the area, the project should not only deliver more homes for local people, but also more customers for shops, restaurants and other businesses in the city centre.
The project will support and address growing city centre housing market demand for a quality product with mixed tenure options.
The City Centre North project has extant outline planning consent which focuses on:
• The future of the city centre and environmental needs
• What residents have been telling us through the Local Plan survey and the Imagine 2040 City Vision
• Joining up logically with our other projects in the city centre
• Supporting the need for sustainable, affordable homes
• Enabling a greener city with easier travel
• The local community but also considers attracting visitors
The development will include the construction of a phased, mixed-use scheme comprising:
• Up to 10,000 sqm GIA of non-residential uses (Use classes E, F1, F2)
• Up to 2,300 housing units
• 22,400 sqm new green open spaces and public realm
The development will transform a 13.25 ha predominantly brownfield site into a new and attractive city quarter with a large central green space. The enhanced public realm and legible connections across the site will allow natural footfall and permeability from the city centre and surrounding residential areas.
PHASING
The project is split into two phases as per the extant planning consent:
• Phase 1 comprises two buildings delivering 550 new homes, non-residential floorspace and associated landscaping and access work, including part of the new public green space. The buildings form a courtyard arrangement which maximise views into and interacts with the green space.
o 70/30 split between private sale & affordable tenures.
o Affordable tenures split 70/30 between affordable rent & shared ownership.
o 164 sqm of flexible commercial space (Class E, F1 or F2).
• Phase 2 comprises a series of residential or mixed-use development plots, including the remainder of the new green space.
o Later phases have an increased ground floor mix of retail and food & beverage to activate spaces and bring footfall through the development.
o The City Centre Roads scheme will reconfigure the adjacent road network and promote priority to public transport, walking and cycling.
o Outline planning permission has been granted for:
Up to 1800 dwellings
Up to 9,840 sqm GIA of non-residential uses (Use classes E, F1, F2)
Completion of 22,400 sqm new green open spaces and public realm
It is envisaged that Phase 1 can be delivered without any changes to roads in the area. Phase 2 will require the highway network to be changed to create space for the new developments, which will include walking and cycling routes alongside accommodating cars and buses.
PLANNING STATUS
Permission to grant Outline planning permission was approved in autumn 2023. The outline planning application states:
'demolition of existing buildings and the construction of a phased development of up to 2,300 residential units (Use Class C3), up to 10,000sqm non-residential uses (Use Classes E, F1 and F2), and associated servicing facilities, parking, plant space, open space (including a public park), landscaping, access and highways works. Phase 1 to comprise residential units and non-residential uses with full details of access, layout, scale and appearance provided, with landscaping reserved. Subsequent phases to comprise residential units and non-residential uses with details of strategic means of access provided with all other matters reserved.'
A link to the publicly accessible planning application and document pack is included below:
The application has been kept flexible. It identifies the potential range of land uses and capacity of development that could be delivered on the site. It also identifies the broad locations for potential new buildings, new pedestrian and cycle priority routes, and new shared spaces, including the creation of a significant open green space for Portsmouth.
The application also shows how the land might be developed over time and how it will relate to the existing and future road network. It also considers in detail how several existing environmental, land ownership and physical issues might be addressed to deliver the improvements needed in the area.
ROAD NETWORK & INFRASTRUCTURE
The reconfiguration of the city centre roads would complement and support Portsmouth's Vision for the city centre, resulting in a city less dominated by private vehicle traffic and parking, and a place where use of sustainable modes of travel is the norm for many more people than today. The CCR proposal is supported by complimentary proposals for sustainable transport schemes including the Tipner Transport Hub and development of the SEHRT network.
The totality of the infrastructure improvements required to deliver the City Centre North Masterplan is yet to be fully understood in detail, however, to date a detailed options development and appraisal process has been undertaken in line with DfT's best practice for the City Centre Roads project considering the scheme objectives, impact on the city transport network and impacts on the wider development amongst other factors. The option development process is outlined in the Option Assessment Report (OAR) and its associated Addendum, produced by Stantec, on behalf of PCC which can be shared with the successful Supplier upon award.
An overview of the current preferred design and its key features are detailed in turn below:
• Conversion of Hope Street to facilitate two-way traffic;
• Retain Church Street as two-way;
• Conversion of Lake Road and Commercial Road into a clockwise gyratory;
• Closure of Marketway to all vehicles. Buses currently using Market Way will be diverted to Charlotte Street which will become two-way;
• Segregated two-way bus lanes on Commercial Road and Lake Road; and
• New and upgraded pedestrian and cycle facilities, with a new active travel network across the development site and integrating with existing and aspirational city-wide facilities.
The City Centre Roads project is currently expected to be funded from the DfT's Major Road Scheme RIS3 Fund with the Strategic Outline Business Case currently being finalise for submission, although the exact figure has not yet been determined. There is potential to secure funding from the private sector through the planning process (which is still to be undertaken) such as through S106 agreements, but opportunities to do so have not yet been identified.
It should be noted that in parallel to the work being delivered under this contract, a separate contractor review of the roads scheme will be undertaken to review the affordability and buildability of the Infrastructure elements.
LAND ASSEMBLY
The Council now owns approximately 64% of the land within the scheme boundary, leaving the balance of 36% with third parties. In summary the remaining third-party land includes a number of commercial units on Commercial Road such as those occupied by Argos and McDonalds, some light industrial units on Frederick Street and one on Clarence Road, a petrol station and some commercial units with residential above also on Commercial Road.
In accordance with the Land Acquisition Strategy produced by Gateley Hamer and dated December 2023, the Council has continued to progress with acquiring third-party property assets that fall within the red line regeneration area boundary through negotiation and agreement. The strategy and red line ownership plan are included within the documents accessible via the Council's e-sourcing system In-tend.
CCN - FURTHER INFORMATION
Further information regarding the project can be accessed publicly via the web-link below which includes for location plans, masterplan artists impressions, strategic context, etc.
https://portsmouthcitycentre.co.uk/future-plans/city-centre-north/
Further additional information such as additional artists impressions and key facts about Portsmouth is included for within the City Centre North - Summary Marketing Leaflet accessible via In-tend.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2036
- 10 years
Main procurement category
Works
Additional procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 45100000 - Site preparation work
- 45211100 - Construction work for houses
- 45211200 - Sheltered housing construction work
- 45211300 - Houses construction work
- 45211340 - Multi-dwelling buildings construction work
- 45211341 - Flats construction work
- 45211350 - Multi-functional buildings construction work
- 45211360 - Urban development construction work
- 45212170 - Entertainment building construction work
- 45212400 - Accommodation and restaurant buildings
- 45212411 - Hotel construction work
- 45212413 - Short-stay accommodation construction work
- 45212420 - Construction work for restaurants and similar facilities
- 45213100 - Construction work for commercial buildings
- 45213112 - Shop units construction work
- 45213150 - Office block construction work
- 45213312 - Car park building construction work
- 45213316 - Installation works of walkways
- 45214700 - Construction work for halls of residence
- 45215210 - Construction work for subsidised residential accommodation
- 45215212 - Retirement home construction work
- 45215213 - Nursing home construction work
- 45215214 - Residential homes construction work
- 45223300 - Parking lot construction work
- 45231100 - General construction work for pipelines
- 45233100 - Construction work for highways, roads
- 45233161 - Footpath construction work
- 45233162 - Cycle path construction work
- 45236250 - Flatwork for parks
- 50700000 - Repair and maintenance services of building installations
- 70110000 - Development services of real estate
- 70120000 - Buying and selling of real estate
- 70130000 - Letting services of own property
- 70200000 - Renting or leasing services of own property
- 70310000 - Building rental or sale services
- 70320000 - Land rental or sale services
- 70331000 - Residential property services
- 70332100 - Land management services
- 70332200 - Commercial property management services
- 70333000 - Housing services
- 71200000 - Architectural and related services
- 71300000 - Engineering services
- 71400000 - Urban planning and landscape architectural services
Contract locations
- UKJ31 - Portsmouth
Engagement
Engagement deadline
19 September 2025
Engagement process description
PME KEY OBJECTIVES
In undertaking this PME exercise the Council is seeking to deliver the following high level objectives:
• Promote the project opportunity to the market including communicating the Council's vision and objectives.
• Obtain feedback and wider market interest in the opportunity in a general sense.
• Seek feedback on the existing consented scheme and potential phasing options (informed by site capacity testing on Council owned sites) pertaining to the Project.
• Understand interest and perspectives on various uses and tenures, including residential investment asset classes (e.g. Build to Rent).
• Get initial feedback on possible partnership delivery structures and potential plot or use-specific delivery mechanisms including phasing and enabling works.
• Feedback supporting analysis of possible routes to market which may include for a range of options ranging from transactional non-procured land disposals through to procured long term partnerships.
PME PROCESS & PROGRAMME
The Council's process and timetable for undertaking the PME process is set out below.
• Issue PME Notice on Find a Tender Service - 11th August 2025
• Publish summary brief & supporting documents on In-Tend - 11th August 2025
• Issue detailed brief and further documents via In-tend to only qualifying developers who have submitted COI, NDA & EOI - w/c 18th August 2025
• Deadline for 1-1 meetings expression of interest - ASAP & no later than 28th August 2025 17:00
• 1-1 engagement meetings - 1st - 19th September 2025
• Development of market informed next steps recommendations report - Autumn 2025
PME ADMINISTRATION
The Council will administrate the PME process using its e-sourcing system In-Tend which will be used for:
• Access to and issue of information and documentation
• Clarification requests and response
• Expression of interest submission
• Allocation of 1-1 meeting slots
• Issue of Preliminary Market Engagement High Level Summary and Developer Specific summaries for review and agreement
The In-tend can be accessed for free using the following link:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/Home
PME KEY AGENDA POINTS
The Council is keen to discuss and seek views from developers on the following broad points through the 1-1 meetings. The list of items is non-exhaustive and will be developed within the 1-1 meetings through open collaborative dialogue.
The Council is also likely to adapt the discussion points following review of developer experience & business activity information included within submitted EOIs to ensure that the points raised are relevant and make the best use of time for all parties.
Developers are encouraged to put forward their own items for discussion at the meeting, ideally providing this in advance either in their expression of interest form or subsequently via In-tend correspondence in advance of the 1-1 meeting.
• What is your perception of Portsmouth as a place to invest?
• What are your general views on the Project and the consented scheme, are you interested in the opportunity and to what extent?
• Where would you recommend the first phase to be, and to what mix/scale?
• What is your assessment of key risks and opportunities?
• What tools or mechanisms might you suggest, in order to aid deliverability? (e.g. uses, tenures, delivery mechanisms, funding mechanisms etc.)
• What are your views on potential phasing including as it relates to site constraints, land assembly and the road scheme, and the extent of public sector funding/intervention for the same?
• What are your thoughts on possible procured and non-procured routes and delivery structures?
1-1 SLOTS, BOOKING REQUIREMENTS & BRIEFING PACK
The Council is inviting suitably qualified multi-use and specialist developers to take part in exploratory 1-1 on-line Teams meetings which will take place between 1st September - 19th September 2025. The Council has 15 90-minute slots available and intends to allocate between 10-11 to suitably experienced multi-use developers and 4-5 to suitably experienced specialist developers.
The 1-1 slots available are set out below and will be allocated on a first come first served basis to organisations.
• Meeting slot 1 - Tuesday 2nd September 15:00-16:30
• Meeting slot 2 - Wednesday 3rd September 9:30-11:00
• Meeting slot 3 - Wednesday 3rd September 11:00 - 12:30
• Meeting slot 5 - Thursday 4th September 9:00-10:30
• Meeting slot 5 - Thursday 4th September 11:30-13:00
• Meeting slot 6 - Friday 5th September 9:30-11:00
• Meeting slot 7 - Wednesday 10th September 13:30-15:00
• Meeting slot 8 - Wednesday 10th September 15:00-16:30
• Meeting slot 9 - Friday 12th September 13:00-14:30
• Meeting slot 10 - Friday 12th September 14:30- 16:00
• Meeting slot 11 - Monday 15th September 12:30-14:00
• Meeting slot 12 - Monday 15th September 15:00 - 16:30
• Meeting slot 13 - Tuesday 16th September 15:00 - 16:30
• Meeting slot 14 - Thursday 18th September 15:30 - 17:00
• Meeting slot 15 - Friday 19th September 13:00 - 14:30
Interested developers are required to complete the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), Conflict of Interest (COI) and Expression of Interest (EOI) forms accessible via the council's e-sourcing system In-tend in order to book a 1-1 slot and receive further detailed documentation.
The above documents must be submitted via In-tend by no later than Thursday 28th August 17:00. However, as access to 1-1 slots is limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis interested developers are encouraged to submit applications asap in advance of the deadline to help ensure that their 1-1 time slot preferences can be accommodated.
Developers are required to state which meeting slots they are able to attend and state ranked order of preference for the dates and times available within their completed EOI form. Developers will be allocated their preferred slots wherever possible, but priority will be given on a first come first served basis.
If all of the slots are quickly taken and / or none of the slots which are available can be accommodated by a developer the Council may be able to make further slots available, however due to time and resource pressures this cannot be guaranteed.
In the unlikely event that it is not possible to organise a 1-1 meeting, affected developers will be given the opportunity to provide written feedback to ensure that no interested parties are excluded from inputting into this PME exercise.
Following receipt and review of the above documents, the Council will issue a further Detailed Brief and supporting information to qualifying developers, setting out more technical detail on the scheme and the Council's latest thoughts for delivery, to support informed discussion in the 1-1 sessions. The Council is currently compiling this information with the target of it being available for issue via In-tend correspondence to qualifying developers only from w/c 18th August 2025.
Developers will only be invited to attend a 1-1 meeting and receive the further documentation where:
1) no conflicts are declared which cannot be mitigated;
2) where an NDA has been appropriately signed & returned without any material amendments and;
3) where the EOI form has been fully completed - including for slot preferences, business & contact information and self-certification of meeting all stated minimum business activity & experience requirements stated within the EOI form and later in this document.
Developers should note that there is no obligation to take part in this preliminary market engagement exercise and that if they do not take part, it will not preclude them from any subsequent related procurement processes. Engaging developers will not receive preferential treatment in any procurement tender process, and this is in no way an indication of the selection of any developer or a guarantee of future work.
EOI EXPERIENCE & BUSINESS ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS
As part of their completed Expression of Interest form developers are to provide case study details of one to three relevant developments. This may be in relation developments which are in progressed planning stage, on site / delivered in part or fully completed.
Developers are encouraged to provide 3 relevant case studies, if possible, but can use just 1 case study as long as this case study meets all of the essential requirements set out below. Conversely providers may include for 2-3 contract case studies which individually do not meet all of the essential requirements but collectively address all of the requirements.
The essential experience requirements are set out below and vary depending upon whether a developer is seeking to engage as a site wide multi-use developer or a specific use specialist developer.
Site Wide Multi-Use Developer Essential Experience Elements (each element must be demonstrated at least once across case study portfolio)
• Delivering multi-phase development in an urban context
• Securing funding, investors and/or delivery partners for the same
• Securing planning permission for the same
• Delivery of a range of tenures and/or typologies of development within a scheme
• Working with technical site constraints and implementing solutions including infrastructure delivery
• Partnership working with a key public sector stakeholder (landowner, partner or client)
Specialist Developer Essential Experience Elements (each element must be demonstrated at least once across case study portfolio)
• Delivering your use class to high design quality standards
• Securing funding and/or investors for the same
• Securing operators and/or occupiers for the same
• Securing planning permission for the same
• Integrating your developments within wider schemes or urban contexts
Contracting authority
Portsmouth City Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCNL-5714-PRZV
Civic Offices, Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2AL
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Website: https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/
Region: UKJ31 - Portsmouth
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government