Decision details

The Pauls Silo forms a key part of the Waterfront holding owned by IBC. It is currently vacant and has been cleared of all internal debris and fully secured. The property is identified for redevelopment and repurposing into a leisure facility and has recently secured funding from the Towns Fund grant programme.

It is proposed to transform the property into a climbing centre, incorporating potentially the UK’s highest external climbing wall. Internally the space will be reconfigured, and additional commercial facilities provided on the ground floor and café/restaurant uses on the top two floors.

To ensure best advice on use and value is obtained as quickly as possible to meet the programme requirements of the Town Fund grant, it is proposed to appoint Avison Young, a national firm of property agents with a specialist leisure team, by way of a call-off contract from the CCS Framework for a period of up to 12 months. This will ensure the agent can start work quickly and work in conjunction with the rest of the project team at an early stage.

The value of the contract is estimated at c.£35k made up of an initial fixed fee for advice followed by an agency fee(s) based upon the rental value of any letting(s) secured.

Full procurement of the instruction will lead to delays in obtaining the advice required and therefore the project programme.

The appointment has been discussed with the project steering group and the PH for Property. Finance, Procurement and Legal were all consulted on this appointment as well as the S.151 Officer.

The decision has therefore been taken under Part 3, Section 5, Paragraph 8.2 of the Constitution to appoint Avison Young by way of a procurement compliant direct award on the CCS framework to provide specialist real estate consultancy advice and letting agency services for a period of up to 12 months.

To appoint Avison Young, a national firm of property agents with a specialist leisure team.

Reason:

To enable the work to start quickly in conjunction with the rest of the project team at an early stage.