Project Taunton: Firepool developer shortlist announced
Project Taunton, the team responsible for the regeneration of Taunton's town centre, today announced a shortlist of six developers which will be invited to submit proposals to become the development partner for the Firepool site.
Alder King Property Consultants, acting on behalf of Taunton Deane Borough Council, carried out the initial shortlisting exercise and the Project Taunton team is delighted and excited to announce that the developers through to the next stage of the process are:
- David McLean Developments and Carillion PLC
- Development Securities PLC
- Kier Group PLC
- St Modwen Properties PLC
- Stanhope PLC
- Terrace Hill Group Limited and Firmac Developments
"The high level of interest from quality developers in the Firepool site has been fantastic. Those shortlisted were selected on criteria including the quality, relevance and success of previous projects. In the next stage of the selection process, they will now be required to work up their proposals for delivering the objectives of the vision for Firepool. They will need to provide a variety of technical and financial information and each scheme will be judged on factors such as the quality of the design, the sustainability of the proposal and the economic regeneration potential for the Firepool area of Taunton," said Ian Franklin of Project Taunton.
It is anticipated that from these six, the chosen development partner will be appointed in summer 2007.
Talking about the shortlisting process, Jay Ridsdale of Alder King Property Consultants said: "Since expressions of interest to become the Council's development partner for the Firepool site were invited in October 2006, the quality of developer interest has been exceptional. By the deadline of mid-December, 17 completed prequalification questionnaires had been received. The amount of interest from experienced developers with proven track records was outstanding and made the job of selecting an initial shortlist of potential development partners all the more challenging."
Ian Franklin continued: "Public consultation has been encouraged and undertaken at every step of Taunton's regeneration, however the OJEU process for developer selection dictates that only appointed assessors are to be involved during the final phases. Once the final development partner has been selected, it will be required to consult widely whilst developing its detailed proposals for the site and before submitting any planning application. The public and interested parties are encouraged to voice their comments and opinions through the planning process at this stage."
"This announcement is the realisation of years of hard work and dedication by both officers and members of Taunton Deane Borough Council and the other partner agencies. Firepool is set to become a major strategic employment site and its regeneration will assure new opportunities and greater prosperity for Taunton Deane's residents. The vision for Taunton has truly become a reality as we commence the most exciting and imaginative regeneration of Taunton that will have occurred in all its history. Firepool is one part of an overall major regeneration project which will help us address areas of deprivation, see the river enhanced in the heart of the town with high quality public open space and improved leisure and culture facilities. This brings fantastic opportunities for all and I welcome it as a major step forward towards realization," said Cllr John Williams, Leader of Taunton Deane Borough Council.
Set to be the new commercial heart of Taunton, the Firepool site totals 6.7 hectares of brownfield land and is the area near the train station, currently incorporating the Livestock Market and Priory Bridge Road car park. It is the first phase of Project Taunton which, as a whole, is thought to be one of the most significant town regeneration programmes in Britain.
Further details about Firepool and Project Taunton are available by visiting www.firepooltaunton.co.uk, contacting the team at info@projecttaunton.co.uk or calling 01823 250809.
