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RESOLVED
 

(1) 
That following competitive tenders to progress
designs and planning work with planning approval obtained in
November 2023, 
the appointment of OMI Architects and design consultants be
noted.

 

(2) 
That following a competitive tender process, the two
tenders received by the Council for the construction work using the
Council’s Growth Framework which concluded with Barnfield
Construction Limited being the successful contractor, be
noted.
 

(3) 
That the appointment of Barnfield Construction
Limited be approved.

 

(4) 
That the total project cost of £8,850,000 to
cover construction, fees, surveys, loose furniture and contingency
be noted and that the included £800,000 costs to date be
noted.
 

(5) 
That the Council’s agreed financial settlement
with Zurich of £3,750,212 for damage sustained during the
fire in April 2019 be noted and that the balance after costs
resulted in a sum of £3,540,000 set aside to progress the
project be noted.

 

(6) 
That it be noted that the Council received a grant
of £4,000,000 from the Lancashire Combined County Authority
towards the project.
 

(7) 
That the £800,000 budget reallocation of the
Government’s Pride in Place Programme (the former
Levelling-Up Partnership fund) from the Bridge House project, with
the funding for Bridge House to be provided by Section 106 monies,
with full details of the costs and funding for this project to be
detailed in a report for a future Executive Board to consider in
2026, be approved.

 

(8) 
That the transfer of £510,000 from the
existing capital programme into the project as detailed below be
approved:
 
a.   
An underspent capital of £200,000 from
completed demolition schemes within Growth and Development;
b.   
The remaining budget of £75,000 from the
2025/26 Development Investment Fund;
c.    
A budget reallocation of £235,000 from the
2026/27 Development Investment Fund.

 

(9) 
That the total capital funding of £8,850,000
allocated for the project, with the majority
of the funding sourced from a Government grant and a ring-fenced settlement
payment from the insurance provider, be noted.
 
(10)       
That the Growth Programme Director be authorised in
liaison with the Deputy Director of Legal and Governance to
finalise any contract terms of the contractor
appointment.

 
(11)       
That following confirmation of appointment, it be
noted that the contractor would commence mobilisation in March 2026
with works planned to commence summer 2026 with an 18 month build
and fit-out programme with the scheme complete early 2028 and
operational by summer 2028.

 
(12)       
That it be noted that the amendment to the original
planning approval would be required to account for changes to the
scheme to reduce costs and would progress in parallel with the
contractor mobilisation.