--- title: "SC24004 - Folkestone - 'A Brighter Future' Levelling Up Fund Scheme" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-383122bf-7fb8-4ef7-980d-4838187a82e8" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-383122bf-7fb8-4ef7-980d-4838187a82e8" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-383122bf-7fb8-4ef7-980d-4838187a82e8.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-383122bf-7fb8-4ef7-980d-4838187a82e8.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "KENT COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2024-01-29" --- # SC24004 - Folkestone - 'A Brighter Future' Levelling Up Fund Scheme Buyer: KENT COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-383122bf-7fb8-4ef7-980d-4838187a82e8 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-383122bf-7fb8-4ef7-980d-4838187a82e8) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-383122bf-7fb8-4ef7-980d-4838187a82e8.json) ## Summary Kent County Council is commissioning the 'A Brighter Future' Levelling Up Fund Scheme for Folkestone and Hythe District Council. The project aims to revitalise Folkestone town centre by improving access, public realm, and refurbishing the vacant Folca building. The procurement method is a selective competitive procedure with negotiation, with a tender deadline of 22nd February 2024. The contract period is scheduled to run from 1st July 2024 to 31st December 2025. This public procurement opportunity offers a lucrative construction contract valued at £15 million GBP, creating business prospects for firms in the construction industry. Companies experienced in urban redevelopment, public realm enhancement, and building refurbishment are well-suited to compete for this contract. Kent County Council, as the buying organisation, presents a strategic opportunity for businesses seeking to contribute to the rejuvenation of town centres and urban environments. ## Notice Kent County Council (the Council) is the largest local authority in England covering an area of 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over PS1bn on goods and services and a population of 1.6m. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with the NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group, 12 district councils, and 289 parish/town councils. KCC consists of four directorates: * Adult Social Care and Health; * Children, Young People and Education; * Growth, Environment and Transport; and * Strategic and Corporate Services. This service is being commissioned on behalf of the Growth, Environment and Transport directorate. Scheme information Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) submitted a bid to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for Levelling Up Fund Round 2 for PS19,791,819 to deliver the Folkestone - A Brighter Future scheme. The scheme aims to address the issues that the town centre currently faces. Folkestone town centre suffers from high vacancy rates and an overall poor-quality urban environment. It has been struggling over recent years and has seen a 16% drop in footfall over the last four years which has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Vacancy rates in the town centre currently are very high at 14.7% and the scheme will aim to reduce this through improved access and public realm. The Folca building, which is currently vacant, will also be refurbished as part of the scheme; though this element will be delivered by FHDC. FHDC developed the Folkestone Place Plan in 2021 to define the scope of the scheme. A total of six possible options were considered in the Folkestone Place Plan as follows: Station Arrival and Town Centre Connections, Improved Gateway to the Town Centre and Bouverie Square, Sandgate Road and Town Centre Public Realm, F51 Environs and Payers Park, Harbour Line & Tram Road, and Sunny Sands. Following extensive consultation; The Folkestone - A Brighter Future scheme has three key areas of focus to improve Folkestone town centre: 1. Station Arrival and Town Centre Connections: This element of the project aims to improve the links from the railway station for pedestrians and cyclists to encourage use of active travel and public transport and to improve connections for visitors and residents alike. 2. Improved Gateway to the Town Centre and Bouverie Square: This component of the project will unlock transformational change around the town centre. The focus will be to reconfigure the main bus station in the town centre and implement changes to the legacy gyratory road system to the north. 3. Folca, Sandgate Road and Town Centre Public Realm: This element of the project will refurbish the Folca building (the former Debenhams building) into a 'town lab' which will encourage and bring new and experimental uses into the town centre. The phased refurbishment of this building will brin ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/30373645-af65-447b-8fd2-96725156db57 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Works | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Competitive procedure with negotiation (above threshold) | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 29 Jan 2024 | | Submission deadline | 22 Feb 2024 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 30 Jun 2024 - 31 Dec 2025 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £15,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | KENT COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | MAIDSTONE | | Post town | Rochester | | Postcode | ME14 1XQ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent | | ITL 3 | TLJ45 Mid Kent | | Local authority | Maidstone | | Electoral ward | Penenden Heath | | Westminster constituency | Maidstone and Malling | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 45 - Construction work ### Codes - 45000000 - Construction work ## Release History - 29 Jan 2024 at 17:28 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/30373645-af65-447b-8fd2-96725156db57 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/30373645-af65-447b-8fd2-96725156db57 29th January 2024 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=42ef39df-12ba-ee11-8127-005056b64545 Advert ## Notice URLs - http://www.kent.gov.uk ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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