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Specialist Supported Housing for People with Complex Needs (Adults and or Young People with Learning Disability / Autism)

Durham County Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

09 Sep 2026 at 09:32

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

25 Aug 2026 at 11:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Durham County Council is exploring future specialist supported housing for adults and young people with complex needs in County Durham. The service is intended for people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and behaviours of distress that could cause harm to themselves, other people, staff teams or their living environment. The requirement combines suitable accommodation with support that promotes independence, wellbeing and long-term value for money. It is classified as housing services and health and social work services. The council is considering sustainable, high-quality accommodation and property solutions, informed by national and regional guidance, Care Quality Commission guidance on accommodation scale, and learning from previous specialist developments. Relevant providers include registered housing providers, developers and other organisations able to contribute to specialist supported housing provision.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is currently preliminary market engagement, rather than an invitation to tender. Durham County Council expects to use the responses to shape future accommodation and property requirements before formal tender submissions are sought. Interested market participants are invited to respond to written questions through the Open Portal by 23 September 2026, following an extension of the engagement period by two weeks. The planned contract period is 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2032. The requirement is being considered under the light-touch regime and is structured as one planned lot. The council is seeking views on market options, delivery challenges, practical considerations, sustainability, accommodation quality, independence, wellbeing and long-term value for money.

The engagement will suit registered housing providers, specialist supported housing developers, care and support organisations, and other market partners with relevant property or service-delivery capability in County Durham. Businesses should be prepared to advise on accommodation for adults and young people with learning disabilities or autism, mental health needs, and behaviours of distress that may create risks to residents, staff, other people or the living environment. Useful experience is likely to include designing, developing, owning, managing or operating high-quality supported housing, alongside the ability to promote independence and wellbeing. Providers that understand sustainable long-term accommodation, practical property requirements, value for money and the implications of Care Quality Commission guidance will be well placed to contribute to the council’s pre-tender planning.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Specialist Supported Housing for People with Complex Needs (Adults and or Young People with Learning Disability / Autism)

Notice Description

Durham County Council (DCC) are looking to explore the market options for Specialist Supported Housing for People with Complex Needs (Adults and or Young People with Learning Disability / Autism) Durham County Council is seeking to engage with Registered Housing Providers, developers and other market partners, in County Durham, to inform future specialist supported housing/property requirements for people (Adults and or Young People) with complex needs, including: * Autism * Learning Disabilities * Mental Health needs * Behaviours of distress that may result in harm to themselves, others, staff teams or their living environment The Council would welcome views on the opportunities, challenges and practical considerations associated with delivering sustainable, high-quality accommodation that promotes independence, wellbeing and long-term value for money. The accommodation needs required have been informed and influenced by regional and national reports from statutory agencies including Building the Right Support (2015) and Supported housing for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in England (Housing LIN 2023). They have also been shaped by CQC guidance on accommodation scale and local learning from previous specialist developments for complex accommodation provisions.

Planning Information

This notice forms part of our preliminary market engagement, offering you the opportunity to share feedback and comments before the opportunity is released for formal tender submissions. Interested providers can access the written response questions, free of charge, by registering on the Open Portal at www.open-uk.org OPEN20261815 is the project reference number.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06eb59
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085181-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

70 - Real estate services

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

70333000 - Housing services

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2032 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
Durham County 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
DURHAM
Postcode
DH1 5WB
Postcode Area
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
TLC14 Durham
Local Authority
County Durham
Electoral Ward
Framwellgate & Newton Hall
Westminster Constituency
City of Durham

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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