Stoke-on-Trent Council framework 2024-28

Teams selected for the four-year agreement will have the opportunity to work on a £300 million pipeline of capital projects including new housing; town centre regenerations, historic refurbishments; a district heating network; and schools improvements.

The framework is divided into 17 lots with one lot featuring three sub-lots covering architectural projects valued under £1 million, architectural projects valued above £1 million, and conservation architecture. The framework is also open to other public bodies across Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire.

According to the brief: ‘Stoke-on-Trent City Council is undertaking an ambitious and transformational capital programme, worth over £300 million over a period of five years.

‘Key projects within this programme include city and town centre regeneration; new housing development; a new geothermal district heat network and other energy projects; refurbishment of historic town halls, local centres, market buildings and leisure sites; the development of industrial units; school improvements and extensions and other works to the built environment.

‘Delivering this programme will have an extensive requirement for professional services, so the council is establishing this framework to allow access to the services it requires.’

Located between Manchester and Birmingham in Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent is a major former industrial city with a population of more than 260,000 people. The polycentric, which became a city in 1910 following the merger of six towns, missed out to Coventry in the race to become UK City of Culture 2021 two years ago.

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios won a contest for a new £40 million ‘Catalyst Building’ for Staffordshire University in Stoke-on-Trent in 2018 and completed the new building last year.

The latest framework will cover around £300 million worth of development across the city from 2024 through to 2028. Alongside architecture, other lots will cover building surveying, employer’s agent services, planning consultancy, principle designer services and additional disciplines.

The framework will also work with councils; police, fire and rescue services; registered social landlords; NHS trusts; and further and higher education facilities across Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire.

Architects chosen for Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s 2019-23 framework included MODE, Maber Architects, Entrust, TACP, Brownhill Hayward Architects, Affinity Design, SHA, BM3 Architects and Pozzoni Architects.

Bids to deliver the contract will be evaluated 60 per cent on quality and 40 per cent on cost.