URL: https://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=6193

Decision Maker: Assistant Director: Chief Regeneration Officer

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose:

Content: The Assistant Director - Chief Regeneration Officer has approved a variation to the Hind Street Pre Construction Services Agreement award to John Sisk & Sons Limited for a value of £140,454.23 for Tree and Vegetation Clearance works to be undertaken in advance of Potential Contract Award for Borough Yard Scheme and to mitigate risks that may affect the main construction phase of the scheme for both the employer and contractor.   The Borough Yard regeneration area is a brownfield site of circa 20 hectares adjacent to Birkenhead Town Centre. The scale and location of the regeneration area present an opportunity to create a sustainable, market changing urban village that helps to set a standard for future development in the face of the climate emergency. The regeneration of Hind Street plays a significant role in supporting the Council’s Local Plan by enabling up to 1600 new homes to be built during the plan period and ancillary commercial and community uses are proposed to be located to the north of the site to complement and interface with the regeneration of the town centre, serving both the new residential community at Borough Yard and wider Birkenhead population.   Policy and Resources Committee approved the appointment of John Sisk & Sons Limited to a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) for delivery of Enabling Works Package for the Hind Street Scheme at a cost of £774,837.27, which was procured through the Procure Partnerships Infrastructure Framework. Additional investigation works and design surveys to identify and mitigate risks for the Infrastructure Works were previously approved and instructed at an additional cost of £206,765.54 via the ODN Hind Street PCSA Part 2 – Additional Survey / Design Works taking the total contract costs for the PCSA at that point to £981,602.81.   Requirement for further additional works for tree and vegetation clearance in advance of Potential Contract Award to ensure that clearance of the site is completed in advance of the bird nesting season (March to September) to reduce risk that presence of trees and vegetation will provide conditions for nesting animals which could then impact upon commencement of the scheduled programme for infrastructure works at Borough Yard. Undertaking Tree and vegetation clearance in advance of the nesting season will reduce the amount initially allocated within the contractor’s submission for works to be undertaken during the contract.   The cost of the Tree and Vegetation clearance works will increase the final total contract costs for PCSA Part 2 to £1,122,057.04. Section 2 of the PCSA contract, and specifically 1.1.2, allows for the contractor to perform works which are additional or represent an alteration in the PCSA if instructed by the employer. John Sisk & Sons confirmed additional works procured through preferred subcontractors via companies approved list of specialist suppliers and works costed per equivalent Framework rates.   All costs will be met by the grant provided for the Hind Street primary enabling works, although initially costs will be met via the capital programme allocation for Hind Street scheme approved at Policy and Resources committee in November 2024, when the financial risk to the council was highlighted should the GFA not be agreed. The additional works being undertaken had been programmed for the construction phase of the scheme and will be funded via resource included for Professional Fees detailed within the approved expenditure forecast for the infrastructure works. In order to de-risk the scheme and following review by the Development Manager and Independent Project Monitor, it is considered appropriate that the works should be undertaken in advance of the construction phase. The variation to the contract is in full compliance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules.   The PCSA additional works are currently programmed for completion by 28th February 2026, subject to contractor availability. The number of new homes which can be built at Hind Street is significant. The Local Plan imperative for adopting a brownfield urban site strategy strengthens the opinion that a do-nothing option be discounted given the significant role that the regeneration of the Hind Street can play in this strategy.   An alternative option would be for the Council to not commission the additional services. This option has been discounted to ensure continuity of services from an experienced contractor, and importantly these works will provide a greater level of cost certainty to the main construction contract.   The decision has been taken under Part 3 Section C - Overview and Scheme of Delegations of Authority to Officers as the decision is not reserved to a Committee or Sub-Committee and the Assistant Director is satisfied that paragraphs 2(a) to 2(c) apply.   Background Papers   Hind Street – Primary Enabling Works – October 2024   Policy & Resources Committee Capital Programme – Hind Street – November 20204  

Date of Decision: February 5, 2026