Contractors sought for £8m King George’s Hall refurb

Blackburn with Darwen Council has tendered for work, which the authority hopes will start this summer with a tight turnaround expected once appointments are made.

Money for the project has been secured from the council’s £20m Levelling Up Partnership funding awarded by the government.

Cassidy + Ashton has undertaken a full building condition report on the hall, the findings of which suggest it is in poor condition and has been hit by water ingress.

Following on from this an executive member decision has been taken by Cllr Queser Mahmood, executive member for growth and development, to go out to tender for the refurb work, which is pencilled in to start in August.

A report published with the decision, which can be viewed on the council’s website via this link, states significant sums of money are required to bring the building up to standard. Replacement of the roofs, along with external and internal refurbishment is required.

Tenders will be advertised through The Chest North West procurement portal and will be evaluated on a 65% price, 25% quality, and 15% social value basis.

Work is expected to be carried out in two phases with a contractor appointed to handle Asbestos removal and strip out. A second contractor will undertake the replacement of the lifts during the first stage, which begins when the hall closes on July 8.

A main contractor will then undertake the management and delivery of the phase two refurbishment work which will begin in August.