Walworth Road Partnership Scheme in Conservation Areas (PSICA) project delivery support: accredited conservation architect

Tender description

The PSICA investment scheme is a heritage-led regeneration initiative by Historic England to invest in high quality historic building repair and restoration and public realm improvements in conservation areas. The scheme will run for three years and provide grants to owners and leaseholders towards repair and reinstatement of historic features and renovation of vacant and underutilized historic assets within the HAZ (and a Conservation Area on the Heritage at Risk register) and will secure their future use and viability. This investment should inspire confidence and encourage further future investment. The Walworth Road PSICA scheme will focus on a selection from agreed priority buildings. These were identified in a feasibility carried out by Purcell for Southwark Council in January-March 2020. This study (in effect completed RIBA Stage 0) involved a condition survey, photographic survey and preliminary quantity surveyor costings of all 50 buildings within two targeted areas in the Walworth Road conservation area. From this pool of agreed priority buildings we plan to progress with detailed design and repair/restoration of 6-8 properties. The choice of properties will depend on the take-up of the grant by individual property owners, the heritage priority, and the optimization of the overall grant fund – as set out in the 8 possible Options in the Condition Survey and Feasibility Study (Part 3). Based on the initial feasibility study the work now required is in two parts: A. To prepare detailed design and technical proposals (RIBA Stages 1 to 4) for 8-10 properties – including seeking authorization to proceed from one RIBA Work Stage to the next. This work to include: agreeing the brief with the council and the property owner/ their representative, as well as preparing drawings, schedules and specifications as necessary to gain Planning Permission (including LBC if appropriate) and Building Control Approval. B. To oversee the delivery of the works on site to the 6-8 selected properties on site (RIBA Stages 5 to 6) – including seeking authorization to proceed from one RIBA Work Stage to the next. This will include work associated with the appointment of the contractor, the administration of the contract/s on site, site supervision and quality control, certification through to Practical Completion, snagging and completion of Handover, as well as preparing reports across the programme as a whole. In order to qualify for tender, you must be suitably qualified accredited conservation architect with experience in the delivery of grant funded investment programmes (PSiCA, HAZ and THI or similar). Delivery of the PSICA is a key component of Southwark Council’s Walworth Heritage Action Zone (HAZ). The successful applicant will manage the delivery of the scheme and help secure interest and participation in the grant scheme from landowners and tenants of historic properties on the Walworth Road.