---
title: "Somers Orchard Legal Support"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f561"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f561"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f561.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f561.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Portsmouth City Council"
published: "2026-09-09"
---

# Somers Orchard Legal Support

Buyer: Portsmouth City Council  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f561

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f561.json)

## Summary

Portsmouth City Council commissioned external legal support for the preparation and issue of the Somers Orchard Development tender. The requirement is for legal services supporting the council’s development procurement, including advice and documentation needed to prepare and run the tender. The work relates to Somers Orchard in Portsmouth and is for the council as a sub-central public authority. The procurement was structured as a single service requirement rather than separate specialist packages. It would suit a law firm or specialist public-sector legal practice with experience advising contracting authorities on development procurements, drafting tender documentation and managing the legal aspects of issuing a competitive tender. The successful provider is Ashfords LLP, a large legal services firm based in Exeter, demonstrating that delivery is not limited to a supplier located in Portsmouth.

This procurement has been awarded and the tender is complete. It used a below-threshold procedure, with the specific method recorded as unknown, and comprised one completed lot. Ashfords LLP was awarded the contract. The contract was signed on 26 August 2026, started on 1 September 2026 and runs to 1 May 2030. Its gross value is £75,000, inclusive of applicable taxes, and it is below the relevant threshold. The contract is active. The published outcome identifies legal services as the procurement category and relates the award to the Somers Orchard Development tender. The buyer is Portsmouth City Council. The award information does not set out a separate award date, weighted scoring model or other evaluation detail.

For competing suppliers, this procurement is evidence that Portsmouth City Council uses external legal advisers for development-related tender preparation and issue. A credible future supplier would need a strong public procurement practice, with solicitors able to advise a local authority on the legal structure of a development tender, prepare and review compliant procurement documents, manage tender publication and support the council through the procurement process. Relevant experience in development projects and work for contracting authorities would help demonstrate understanding of public-sector governance, risk allocation and procurement compliance. The requirement also indicates the value of a team able to provide sustained legal support rather than a one-off document review. Firms outside Portsmouth may be suitable, as the selected supplier is based in Exeter.

## Notice

External legal support for the preparation and issue of the Somers Orchard Development tender.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085280-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - unknown |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Sep 2026 - 1 May 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £75,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Portsmouth City Council |
| Locality | PORTSMOUTH |
| Postcode area | Portsmouth |
| Postcode | PO1 2AL |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| ITL 3 | TLJ31 Portsmouth |
| Local authority | Portsmouth |
| Electoral ward | Charles Dickens |
| Westminster constituency | Portsmouth South |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Ashfords LLP |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79100000 - Legal services

## Release History

- 9 Sep 2026 at 10:57 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085280-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085280-2026
  9th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.ashfords.co.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f561. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f561.json.