Brooke Park design team pull out prompting new council tender

DERRY City Council has to find a new design team to take forward the redevelopment of Brooke Park this summer after consultancy firm Chris Blandford Associates (CBA) said it was not interested in proceeding beyond the current stage.

Work is scheduled to begin at the historic park in March 2012 and CBA recently advised council officers that they needed until the end of July 2011 to complete the designs.

Once this happens a full planning application and a bid for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund can launched.

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But the Council must now find a new design team after CBA wrote in May saying it felt a Northern Ireland based company would be better equipped to take the project forward.

CBA Director Dominic Watkins wrote: “Further to the meeting on Friday, May 6, attended by Mark Holland, we write to confirm CBA’s decision not to seek reappointment for the delivery stage of the project (i.e. Landscape Institute Stages F-L).

“We have given this very careful consideration, but based on our knowledge of the project and DCC’s requirements for the delivery stage we believe that a Northern Ireland based consultancy will be best placed to carry out the duties of the Contract Administrator and undertake inspections as the works progress on site.

“Whilst writing we wish to assure DCC of CBA’s continued commitment to the project of up submission of a Stage 2 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and Planning Application, which will represent the completion of LI Stage E and the end of CBA’s commission.”

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A report by the Town Clerk due before tomorrow’s Derry City Council’s Environmental Services Committee meeting acknowledges: “CBA have opted not to progress with their commission beyond Stage E. It is therefore, necessary for Officers to procure a new design team over the summer months to take advance proposals from Stage E to completion on site (Stage L).

“It is planned to have a new design team in place by mid September 2011 with a view to still meeting the on-site start date of early spring 2012. HLF have been appraised accordingly.

“Officers propose to bring back subsequent update reports over the course of the year to advise Members on progress.”

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