Somerset West and Taunton Council has gone out to tender with a construction contract for drainage and levels works at the Firepool Development in Taunton worth an estimated £3.5 million.

Image: Geof Sheppard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The works comprise the design and construction of the primary infrastructure and bulk earthworks required for the development of the Firepool site in Taunton.

The works are being procured as a traditional construction package - design work has been completed ahead of the tender package issue.

The proposed development of the Firepool site requires some significant preparation of the site to remove obstacles, including demolition work, sewer diversions, ground contamination remediation, and construction of serviced platforms and principle drainage infrastructure.

The enabling works package, which covers the site wide clearance and groundworks to facilitate future parcel development on the site, includes:

• Demolition of the existing Auction House building and associated hardstandings
• Diversion of existing public surface water and combined sewer assets within the site
• Site clearance of above ground obstructions and remnants of previous site development
• Bulk earthworks to raise the site levels for flood protection and to provide platforms for future parcels
• Construction of new primary foul and surface water drainage infrastructure to service the site including a new outfall to the River Tone
• Delivery of a new flood relief culvert to pass overland flows through the raised site

Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 25 February 2022 – click here to access the tender documentation.