Planning

ED0389-25 Delivery of District Heating to the Cranbrook Expansion Areas by an ESCo

EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

27 Oct 2025 at 11:47

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The East Devon District Council is entering the planning stage for a major project titled "ED0389-25 Delivery of District Heating to the Cranbrook Expansion Areas by an ESCo." This project focuses on establishing a district heating network to support the growing Cranbrook area, including approximately 4,500 new homes and 24,500m² of commercial space. The industry category for this procurement is works, specifically within district-heating plant construction and energy services. Located in the UKK4 region, this initiative is backed by a substantial £5.95 million grant from the Green Heat Network Fund and will adhere to Future Homes and Building standards. A milestone event, an online market engagement session via Microsoft Teams, is scheduled for 21 November 2025 to discuss commercial arrangements and the project's timeline, inviting interested parties to contribute feedback that will shape future procurement stages. The procurement process aims to officially begin on 9 February 2026, with construction anticipated to start on 1 November 2026, and the contract period running until 2040.

This tender presents significant business opportunities, particularly for companies experienced in energy services, infrastructure development, and long-term operations. Potential bidders who stand to benefit include those skilled in constructing district-heating plants or related energy systems, with the capability to collaborate with developers and manage a heat network that meets stringent industry standards. The project will offer business growth by enabling companies to expand their service offerings in the sustainable energy sector, especially with a focus on low-carbon solutions. Businesses that demonstrate innovation in energy efficiency and have a robust understanding of UK building regulations and environmental compliance will find this opportunity particularly valuable.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

ED0389-25 Delivery of District Heating to the Cranbrook Expansion Areas by an ESCo

Notice Description

East Devon District Council (EDDC) is seeking to engage the market in advance of procuring a long-term Energy Services Company (ESCo) to deliver a new District Heating Network to serve the expansion areas of Cranbrook. The scheme will serve the growth of Cranbrook new town, supplying low-carbon heat to approximately 4,500 new homes and 24,500m2 of commercial space, including three new schools. The project has successfully secured a PS5.95 million capital contribution grant from the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF), administered by Triple Point on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. This funding is intended to support the delivery of low-carbon heat infrastructure and will be made available to the appointed ESCo as a contribution towards eligible capital works. The scheme will be required to meet Future Homes and Future Building standards as set out in the updated building regulations. Planning consent for the network has already been secured under East Devon District Council's Local Development Order (LDO) for district heating, adopted in July 2020. Additionally, the Cranbrook Plan has allocated two hectares of land for an Energy Centre and associated heat network plant and equipment within the development. The new heat network will include heat distribution pipework, and a new heat generation source. The estimated annual heat demand from the new development is 27.4 GWh, with a peak demand of 14.8 MW. A feasibility study has been carried out that has built the technical and economic case for the expansion. The successful bidder will need to develop the design to construction stage. This will involve coordination with the developers and their network builders/operators. The successful bidder will then operate and maintain the network for the duration of the contract in line with industry best practices and the Heat Trust Scheme Standards with a subsequent move to market regulations where applicable. The given contract end date is indicative of the construction end, the expectation is that the successful bidder will then operate and maintain the network for a period of circa 80 years.

Planning Information

An online presentation will be delivered by the project team via Microsoft Teams to provide an update on the project. The session will primarily address commercial arrangements and present additional detail regarding the project timeline. This presentation is intended as a market engagement activity and does not constitute a call for competition. Interested parties are invited to RSVP through the following link to receive an invitation to attend: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/2d232462-8ce6-4d8d-9f26-d920ba4136a9@7b064412-956e-4ebd-880e-2153190112e9 All communications must be directed exclusively through the portal to ensure that all interested parties have equal opportunity to register and receive relevant updates. The presentation will give an overview of the district heating project, which is set to be procured at a later stage. The project team will present updates on the current planning environment, outline developer intentions, and detail the proposed energy strategy for the Cranbrook Expansion Areas. Additionally, the session will include an update on the anticipated timeframes for both procurement and buildout phases. Following the session, the project team will seek feedback from attendees on the comparative merits of options currently under review. This input will support the ongoing refinement of the scheme.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d40f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068502-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Works
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

45251250 - District-heating plant construction work

71314000 - Energy and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£40,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Oct 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
9 Feb 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Nov 2026 - 1 Jan 2040 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
HONITON
Postcode
EX14 1EJ
Post Town
Exeter
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK43 Devon CC
Delivery Location
TLK4 Devon
Local Authority
East Devon
Electoral Ward
Honiton St Michael's
Westminster Constituency
Honiton and Sidmouth

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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