Firms invited to tender for Castle Cornet bridge project
Expressions of interest from maritime bridge specialists are being invited by Guernsey Ports to work on the Castle Cornet bridge.
A company will be appointed after the Assembly debates the States’ Trading Supervisory Board’s report on the work needed to the bridge, which asks members to set a maximum budget for the project – already designated a ‘must do’ – at £7m., subject to Policy & Resources approving the business case.
The reinforced concrete deck of the bridge, which dates from 1951, has needed extensive maintenance and inspection in recent years as a result of the loss of concrete from its underside.
STSB’s favoured solution, outlined in its report, is to replace the 95-metre bridge with a like-for-like structure which will provide pedestrian and vehicular access to the castle, lighthouse and breakwater for another 50 years.
‘The appointment of a specialist technical and design adviser at the outset is key to the delivery of this project, which is being led by Guernsey Ports,’ said Guernsey Ports civil engineer Jenny Giles.
She said the chosen supplier will ‘provide industry-specific expertise to help us achieve the best-value design and delivery of a multi-million pound investment in our local infrastructure’.
It will need to be able to take on the outline design of the new bridge, submit a planning application, help with developing the tender specification for the design and build contract, advise on the contractor market to enable a wide audience to be reached, and provide technical advice by reviewing the designs submitted.
So far about £131,500 has been spent this year in developing the future options for the castle bridge and this has been funded by Guernsey Ports as project initiation cost.
Funding allocated to the project by Policy & Resources in September covered the requirement for specialist technical support.
The expressions of interest document will be available on the States’ tender portal until noon on Friday 12 January and it is hoped that a preferred supplier will be appointed by the end of March.
It is anticipated that the States will debate the STSB’s policy letter early in the year.
