Market Engagement/ Feedback - Aquadrome in Basingstoke and Deane

Concepts

• basingstoke
• leisure related buildings
• health and leisure centre
• council's emerging leisure and recreation needs assessment
• deane borough council
• basingstoke leisure park
• basingstoke and deane leisure community trust
• market engagement
• feedback - aquadrome
• existing aquadrome

Location

Hampshire and Isle of Wight: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is considering the provision of a replacement health and leisure facility for the existing Aquadrome, located towards the west of the town centre on the Basingstoke Leisure Park

Description

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is considering the provision of a replacement health and leisure facility for the existing Aquadrome, located towards the west of the town centre on the Basingstoke Leisure Park. The Council is taking this opportunity to undertake soft market testing and obtain feedback and advice as to possibilities for delivery. The existing Aquadrome was originally constructed as a lido over 40 years ago and has been subject to extensions and refurbishments over the years to comprise a 25m swimming pool, learner pool, lagoon pool with flumes, health suite with sauna, steam and spa pool plus a 140 station gym and associated changing facilities. The facility is owned by the Council and managed by an external management company on behalf of the Basingstoke and Deane Leisure Community Trust (an independent charity) and the Council. The existing contract and lease expire in December 2025 and will need to be re-tendered. In February 2023, the Council adopted a new Leisure Park masterplan (https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/leisureparkproposal) with the ambition to create a real landmark leisure destination, minutes from the M3 motorway infrastructure. The masterplan is predicated upon the re-provision of the Aquadrome as an anchor health and leisure facility within the redeveloped and reinvigorated 25 hectare leisure park. While there is flexibility in the masterplan itself and may be subject to further review following a recent change in Council leadership, the objective to replace the Aquadrome remains a priority to the Council. The council has an ambition to replace the Aquadrome with a modern and energy efficient building, likely to be on an alternative and previously undeveloped or car park plot within the Leisure Park to ensure continuity of service (with the expectation that the new facility is to be operational before decommissioning the existing Aquadrome). As a minimum, the new health and leisure centre should provide a mix of facilities that will meet the requirements of the Council's emerging Leisure and Recreation Needs Assessment, summarised in the later part of this PIN. The main uses and activities to be considered, subject to a viable business case, are also summarised at the end of this PIN. The ambition is to deliver a destination leisure facility that will offer a mix of health and leisure activities to appeal to the broader range of residents within the borough and fun-seekers from further afield. Albeit the offer should provide sufficient flexibility to ensure its long-term management and operation is financially viable. In determining the mix of facilities, the council has received various suggestions for certain uses that exceed the usual mix of a borough-wide leisure centre and may typically be provided by specialist operators. As part of this market engagement, we would like to take the opportunity to utilise the skills and experience of the market and seek views on; i) whether there is an opportunity and support to include more specialist facilities in addition to the more traditional models or ii) whether operators would recommend such specialist facilities are left for specialist operators to deliver as a separate entity. For guidance only, this may include comprehensive climbing and bouldering, three tier soft play, and in-door skating/BMX course, but the council is keen to hear other suggestions where the market believes there are other alternatives that would be feasible and viable.

Total Quantity or Scope

As a minimum, the new health and leisure centre should provide a mix of facilities that will meet the requirements of the Council's emerging Leisure and Recreation Needs Assessment, summarised below. The main uses and activities to be considered, subject to a viable business case, are summarised at the end of this PIN. … Summary of Emerging Leisure and Recreation Needs Assessment 2023 for the Aquadrome: Swimming: • The redevelopment of the Aquadrome to provide flexible water space to meet recreational and training / competition needs for short course swimming. Health and Fitness: • Whilst recent investment has been made to address the need, as part of any redevelopment of the Aquadrome, assess the demand and feasibility of replacing or expanding the health and fitness provision as part of the Basingstoke Aquadrome to accommodate new demand from housing and population growth and the need for additional studio space for group exercise. Climbing: • Consider the needs/business case for providing a climbing facility as part of the redevelopment of the Aquadrome. … To enable the delivery of the council's vision, BDBC is looking to work with industry partners to design and construct a new health and leisure facility and to appoint a partner to undertake the on-going management of the facility on a long-term basis. The detailed business model, final facility mix and specifications will be developed in partnership with private sector partners. In delivering this replacement health and leisure facility the council is looking to engage with the market to understand how this can be best achieved and to ascertain whether there is sufficient interest from potential contractors and leisure operators to commence a procurement for a supplier(s). The council will welcome expressions of interest from consortia. The project is at concept stage and the purpose of this PIN is to seek to assess the extent of interest from the private sector in working in partnership with the council to jointly shape and develop the project, including the technical specifications and technical capabilities to deliver the project. As part of the response to the PIN, we are interested in hearing from leisure management organisations, operators, developers and investors, or appropriately resourced consortia, in public health and leisure facilities on the following points: • Would there be interest in such a project concept from the private sector? • What would make the project commercially attractive to directly invest in the project development and implementation? • Would there be interest in taking on the temporary management of the existing Aquadrome from January 2026 before the new facility is open? • What health and leisure facilities would be considered appropriate for a modern health and leisure centre to encourage and maintain user demand and to optimise financial returns? • Would there be interest in providing more specialist facilities for example a 3 tier soft play facility over a more typical leisure centre offer, or a full climbing and bouldering facility over a clip 'n' climb offer and would this be viable? • What other specialist facilities might be considered appropriate or viable? • What delivery model would be most suitable to develop and implement the project? • What information and scope would the private sector expect to see in a future procurement exercise? • Would private sector organisations be interested and capable of responding to a full, future procurement exercise? • What is the thought on delivering more comprehensive/specialist facilities as part of a public leisure centre? • Any other specific thoughts, comments or expertise on the proposed scheme which private sector organisations feel may be beneficial. Whilst the Council has listed a specified set of questions above, we welcome additional feedback and explanations on the areas outlined from interested and experienced market providers. The purpose of this exercise is to gain a sufficient view and feedback from the market on current conditions and future interest that would allow the council to deliver a destination leisure facility which is viable in the long-term. Any additional comment or feedback that providers wish to respond with, in addition to answers to the questions, can be provided within their response document. As the purpose of this PIN is solely to engage with the market and is non-binding the Council is not seeking any commitment from the private sector at this stage but is keen to understand how the Council and private sector partners could best work together to deliver a health and leisure facility to replace the existing Aquadrome. Please note the contract value is to be determined although initial feasibility work is indicating the construction of a new Aquadrome may exceed £40 million. Any company wishing to state their interest and provide responses and feedback to this PIN must provide their response electronically to the Councils procurement team by emailing procurement@basingstoke.gov.uk by 4.30pm Friday 23rd June 2023. Additional information: Whilst the Council has listed a specified set of questions above, we welcome additional feedback and explanations on the areas outlined from interested and experienced market providers. The purpose of this exercise is to gain a sufficient view and feedback from the market on current conditions and future interest that would allow the council to deliver a destination leisure facility which is viable in the long-term. Any additional comment or feedback that providers wish to respond with, in addition to answers to the questions, can be provided within their response document., but it must be noted that only responses to the listed response method (by e-mail to procurement@basingstoke.gov.uk) will be acceptable.

CPV Codes

• 45212000 - Construction work for buildings relating to leisure, sports, culture, lodging and restaurants
• 45212212 - Construction work for swimming pool

Other Information

The project is at concept stage and we are using the PIN to seek to assess the extent of interest from the private sector in working in partnership with the council to jointly shape and develop the project, including the technical specifications and technical capabilities to deliver the project. As part of the response to the PIN, we are interested in hearing responses to the questions provided in the long description. Responses should be sent to procurement@basingstoke.gov.uk ** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** All information has been provided within the 'long description' section of this PIN. Responses must be submitted by e-mail to procurement@basingstoke.gov.uk