Award

Joint Venture Partner for the Durham Innovation District

DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

29 May 2025 at 08:41

Tender

10 Oct 2023 at 17:11

Planning

27 Sep 2023 at 16:18

Summary of the contracting process

Durham County Council is seeking a Joint Venture Partner to develop the Aykley Heads site within the emerging Durham Innovation District, located in County Durham, United Kingdom. This procurement falls under the real estate services category and aims to create up to 4,000 jobs through the development of 39,000 square metres of commercial floorspace. The process, initiated through a competitive dialogue method and selective procurement, is currently active and in the tender stage with a submission deadline on 10th November 2023. The partnership seeks businesses skilled in creating, managing, and sustaining Innovation Districts, with a long-term interest spanning approximately 15-25 years.

The tender offers significant opportunities for growth in sectors such as research, advanced manufacturing, green jobs, digital, fintech, life sciences, and satellite applications. Companies that specialise in real estate, construction, technical consultancy, and research services will find this procurement particularly attractive. The partnership requires an experienced entity capable of sharing both risk and reward, maintaining programme control, and expanding the development scope throughout County Durham to foster economic growth. Businesses with capabilities in creating value through long-term asset management and strategic partnerships are well-suited to compete for this tender.

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Notice Title

Joint Venture Partner for the Durham Innovation District

Notice Description

Durham County Council are seeking a Joint Venture Partner to develop the council owned Aykley Heads site, as a catalyst for the new Durham Innovation District. The 15ha site is within single council ownership; has outline planning permission for 39,000 square metres of commercial floorspace for up to 4,000 jobs. It sits within a wider 60ha area of the city that is the emerging Durham Innovation District, encompassing the new University Business School and Milburngate, a 450,000 sq ft mixed-use development. Aykley Heads and the Durham Innovation District will provide a platform to maximise the benefits of economic growth. It will identify key areas of opportunity, including research and advanced manufacturing, green jobs, electronics, digital and creative, fintech, life sciences and satellite applications sectors. Inward investment will also be directly focused on these specialisms and ecosystems to create sustainable supply chains and jobs across the county and beyond. Although the Joint Venture will initially focus on the Aykley Heads location, the JV scope (of goods, works and services) may be expanded in the future to cover wider County Durham area opportunities in order to support the strategic objectives of the Council and it's Partners.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Durham County Council are seeking a Joint Venture Partner to develop the council owned Aykley Heads site, as a catalyst for the new Durham Innovation District. The 15ha site is within single council ownership; has outline planning permission for 39,000 square metres of commercial floorspace for up to 4,000 jobs. It sits within a wider 60ha area of the city that is the emerging Durham Innovation District, encompassing the new University Business School and Milburngate, a 450,000 sq ft mixed-use development. Aykley Heads and the Durham Innovation District will provide a platform to maximise the benefits of economic growth. It will identify key areas of opportunity, including research and advanced manufacturing, green jobs, electronics, digital and creative, fintech, life sciences and satellite applications sectors. Inward investment will also be directly focused on these specialisms and ecosystems to create sustainable supply chains and jobs across the county and beyond. This procurement is to appoint a JV partner who will seek to retain a long-term interest in the development beyond the construction phase and has the experience and expertise of creating, running and managing an Innovation District. This will ensure: -The partner brings expertise & desire to hold assets over the long term -A partnership approach which shares risk and reward with partner -That the council can retain high level of control on programme, use and quality -Council control can be further protected through phased approach of land transfer in to JV -The council has the benefit of a partner with long term commitment to the site -The partner would bring long term management experience and capability Although the Joint Venture will initially focus on the Aykley Heads location, the JV scope (of goods, works and services) may be expanded in the future to cover wider County Durham area opportunities in order to support the strategic objectives of the Council and it's Partners.

Options: The term of the JV is anticipated, and likely be in the region of 15-25 years to deliver the shared Visions and Outcomes but may be subject to extension by mutual consent.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-040454
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028324-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive dialogue
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy

45 - Construction work

50 - Repair and maintenance services

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

65 - Public utilities

66 - Financial and insurance services

70 - Real estate services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

09000000 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy

45000000 - Construction work

50700000 - Repair and maintenance services of building installations

50800000 - Miscellaneous repair and maintenance services

55000000 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

65000000 - Public utilities

66100000 - Banking and investment services

70000000 - Real estate services

70100000 - Real estate services with own property

71200000 - Architectural and related services

71300000 - Engineering services

71400000 - Urban planning and landscape architectural services

71500000 - Construction-related services

71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services

71700000 - Monitoring and control services

73100000 - Research and experimental development services

73200000 - Research and development consultancy services

73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 May 20259 months ago
Submission Deadline
10 Nov 2023Expired
Future Notice Date
8 Oct 2023Expired
Award Date
29 Apr 20259 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Richard Carroll
Contact Email
richard.carroll@durham.gov.uk
Contact Phone
+44 3000265423

Buyer Location

Locality
DURHAM
Postcode
DH1 5UQ
Post Town
Durham
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC41 Durham
Delivery Location
TLC1 Tees Valley and Durham

Local Authority
County Durham
Electoral Ward
Framwellgate and Newton Hall
Westminster Constituency
City of Durham

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

MUSE PLACES

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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