Councillor Ruth Gordon, Cabinet Member for Placemaking and Local Economy, approved contract extensions for two significant council projects during a meeting on Wednesday, 30 April 2025. These decisions included a substantial contract extension for strip-out works at Broadwater Farm and the award of a technical advisor services contract for the Civic Centre Redevelopment Project.

Broadwater Farm - Contract Extension for Northolt Strip-Out Contract

Councillor Gordon approved an extension to the Northolt Strip-Out Contract by £794,655.00, bringing the total approved sum to £1.52 million. This extension is necessary due to additional works not included in the original scope, such as the removal of asbestos and mechanical plant, and to prepare the adjacent Stapleford North Block for demolition. The original contract, awarded for £725,345.00, commenced in October 2024.

The decision was made to ensure the strip-out works are completed before the main demolition programme, which is scheduled to begin between October and December 2025. This is crucial to avoid delays in the construction of 68 new homes on the site. Alternative options, such as programming the additional works as a standalone contract or including them in the main demolition programme, were considered but discounted due to potential delays and increased costs. The project is funded by the Broadwater Farm New Homes Programme and aligns with the Council's Corporate Delivery Plan 2024-2026, contributing to themes of responding to the climate emergency and delivering new homes. The strip-out works are also expected to contribute to Haringey's commitment to becoming a Net Zero Carbon Borough by 2041, with the demolition contractor aiming for over 95% of site waste to be recycled.

Civic Centre Redevelopment Project - RIBA 5 and 6 Technical Advisor Services Contract Award

Approval was granted to award a services contract for multi-disciplinary technical advisor services for RIBA Stages 5 and 6 of the Civic Centre Redevelopment Project, with a tender contract sum of £717,100.00. Additionally, approval was given to issue a Letter of Intent up to a value of £100,000.00. This decision is a key step in the ongoing refurbishment and extension of the Civic Centre, which was approved by Cabinet in November 2024 as the best option to meet the Council's core office accommodation needs.

The technical advisor will be essential to protect the Council's interests under the design and build contract, ensuring the contractor develops the works in accordance with the employer's requirements. This role is critical as the original design consultants, Hawkins Brown Design Ltd, were appointed by the main contractor, necessitating a separate technical advisor for the Council. The contract award ensures the Council has the necessary technical advisory service for the project's later stages. The project aims to achieve a BREEAM rating of 'Outstanding' and meet net zero carbon targets. The chosen bidder met the Council's quality requirements and offered value for money. The alternative of not appointing an advisor was deemed a significant risk, and an in-house solution was not feasible due to a lack of capacity and specialist expertise.