Bidders shortlisted for new council offices

Rochdale Council has drawn up a shortlist of construction companies and is inviting them to bid for the role of contractor for building the new council offices and customer service centre in Rochdale town centre.

The riverside building will provide open plan office accommodation for around 2,000 staff from the council and its partner organisations. It will also include a ‘one-stop’ customer service centre and a new public library.

The contract notice for the build was issued by the council in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in July. A shortlist of bidders has been drawn up following the evaluation of their pre-qualification documentation.

The current Smith Street municipal offices and Telegraph House will be demolished along with the bus station, making way for a multi-million pound retail and leisure development. The building will be opposite the new transport interchange, and close to the planned Metrolink stop.

The design team, appointed earlier this year, will work closely with the contractor and council officers to deliver the building, which is due to open in autumn 2012. Led by FaulknerBrowns Architects, the team includes mechanical and electrical engineers RPS Gregory, structural engineers Curtins Consulting, construction design management (CDM) co-ordinators AA Projects and quantity surveyors Gardiner and Theobald.

John Patterson, Executive Director at the council, said: “The redevelopment of Rochdale town centre will provide additional retail, leisure and business space and enhance Rochdale’s attractiveness as a business location. The relocation of the municipal offices is a key step in the regeneration plans for the town centre and getting the right contractor on board is crucial if we are to make sure this building meets the needs of Rochdale residents as well as employees who are going to be based there.”

Councillor Mohammad Sharif, Rochdale Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “We have recently unveiled a bold, long-term vision for Rochdale town centre and we are really starting to see change. The Sixth Form College is under construction and the planning application for the £11.5 million transport interchange has been submitted. Things are really moving forward.

“The construction of this new building will demonstrate our commitment to bringing positive and lasting change to the borough and our overall plans will see Rochdale established as a sub-regional shopping centre.”

The closing date for the shortlisted contractors to submit their bids is February 2010 with the successful contractor due to be announced in April.