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WQ.290/2020
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR TREASURY AND RESOURCES BY DEPUTY J.H. PERCHARD OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 2020
Question
In light of the requirements of Putting Jersey businesses first' (P.56/2020), as amended, will the Minister, as shareholder representative, provide details of –
- all documentation (to include but not limited to minutes, e-mails and other procurement documents) in relation to the appointment of architects for the new Waterfront development;
- the reasons for the appointment that has been made?
Answer
The process for the appointment of architects for the new development began some six months before P.56/2020 was debated and the appointment itself similarly took place before the debate.
In answer to part a) of the question, it is not appropriate to share confidential records of a procurement process. However, the Minister can say that, following the adoption of the Southwest St. Helier Planning Framework by the Environment Minister in December 2019, SoJDC commissioned the support of the Design Council in the process of selecting a designer for a Visionary Framework for the Waterfront.
With input and recommendations from the Design Council, SoJDC had sought expressions of interest from targeted architects and landscape architects (UK and European) to develop a Visionary Framework for Key Opportunity Sites 1, 2, 3 & 7 (forming the St. Helier Waterfront area).
SoJDC received 12 submissions and a selection panel comprising SoJDC team, the Design Council and a senior Government of Jersey representative reviewed the bids and agreed upon a short-list of four practices for the next stage.
The selection panel comprising those referenced above as well as a Commissioner of the Jersey Architecture Commission and another senior Government of Jersey representative, were asked to score the final proposals received. The selection panel were unanimous that the appointed firm had produced the most compelling vision for the Waterfront and should be selected as the designers.
In terms of the reasons for the appointment, part b) of the question, at a public consultation in September 2019, attendees had been unanimous in requesting that the new vision for the Waterfront should be landscape led, have a good mix of uses and create a destination. The appointed firm has landscape architecture at its heart and their concept positively responds to the initial public comments.
Creating a new vision for the Waterfront area (comprising 15 acres) is a major undertaking and it is important that we have the right team in place. The appointed firm has extensive experience of designing and creating fantastic visions for significant areas of land which have been successfully developed out.
This phase of work will propose a new vision for the area however, this will not include the detailed design of each building. The appointment of future designers to design a particular building or series of buildings, will be tendered in the open market at a future date.