Purpose

This study is required at pace now that a successful tender exercise has been undertaken which establishes the timescales for the planned closure of the car park. The lead-in time for undertaking this Impact Assessment and Mitigation Strategies Report for the Carnarvon Road car park temporary closure is six weeks. It needs to be completed to:
- inform a decision by October on when to start demolition of the existing car park within the CAT Contractor’s programme as provided in their recent tender submission; and
- Include the peak need for parking in Clacton over the summer season which has already begun.
- The results of this study will allow mitigation measures to be implemented in a timely fashion, allowing demolition works to take place within the programme.
We note that the full scope proposed for this consultancy included a broader study, in partnership with Pride in Place’s Parking and Movement Study. However, this decision is to allow for the immediately required component of the study only related to mitigations for the closure of the Carnarvon Terrace Carpark.
Quotes have been requested to three consultants but only one has provided a quote.
The value for money assessment of the fee proposal was constrained by the limited level of market testing achieved through the procurement process, as only one compliant quotation was received. This was a key factor in the decision to reduce the scope of works to the minimum required to deliver the immediate elements of the study.
However, while there are no directly comparable quotations for the reduced scope proposed within this commission, the methodologies required to undertake the study are well established and industry standard. On this basis, the proposed fee appears proportionate when compared with similar parking studies commissioned elsewhere. Relevant benchmark examples include:
• Parking Survey, Dovercourt Town Centre and Harwich (Tendring District Council, 2024): Alpha Parking submitted a fee proposal of £13,420 for a two-day survey programme similar to that proposed for this study. However, the commission covered a significantly smaller number of on-street and off-street parking locations and included a more limited scope for improvement recommendations.
• Parking Review, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Arundel: Markides successful bid included a fee proposal of £35,000 for a comprehensive review of the parking estate across two seaside resorts and a historic market town, including beat surveys and assessment of seasonal demand variations. The study ultimately demonstrated the continued need for the Bognor Regis multi-storey car park to accommodate peak seasonal demand.
In addition, Markides is a recognised specialist consultancy with significant experience in parking and transport studies. Given the importance of undertaking the surveys during the current summer season, it was concluded that the programme and delivery risks associated with re-tendering would outweigh the relatively low risk of proceeding with the appointment in the absence of further directly comparable quotations. Accordingly, the proposal is considered to represent an acceptable balance of value for money, service quality and timely project delivery.
The additional elements included within the original scope may be procured separately, subject to the normal approvals route for the Pride in Place programme, supported by a more detailed specification and an increased quality weighting. It is anticipated that this approach will attract a greater number of submissions, enabling a more robust assessment of both price and the quality and reliability of the proposed methodologies.

Decision

To direct award Markides Associates Ltd appointments for 'Impact Assessment and Mitigation Strategies' for the temporary closure of the Carnarvon Road Car Park at a cost of £22,000 (+VAT) for the Carnarvon Terrace project (CAT) as part of the Local Regeneration Fund. This consultancy service will consist of a car parking study using standard methodologies.
This work will also inform the development of the Civic Quarter Project and Pride in Place’s Parking and Movement Study.

Alternative options considered

The appointment duration concludes before the timescales of Local Government Reorganisation.
The wider project will include works to provide improved amenities to residents of and visitors to the district and deliver improvements to the condition of existing public realm and open spaces owned by the Council, with a view to improving condition and managing the ongoing maintenance burden of such sites.