Consortium chosen for Downham Lifestyles Centre
23 Jul 2003
Ref: 3787/03
Lewisham Council has chosen a consortium led by Leisure Connection
Ltd, as their preferred bidder for the development, construction,
financing and operation of the Downham Lifestyles project through the
Private Finance Initiative (PFI).
Steve Bullock, Mayor of
Lewisham, said: I welcome the appointment of the Leisure Connection led
consortium as the preferred partner for the Downham Lifestyles Project.
This is a major milestone in the delivery of this innovative leisure and
lifestyle Centre for Downham residents.
We are now looking forward to working closely with the consortium to bring this exciting project to fruition.
The principal
partners in the consortium are Leisure Connection Ltd (acting as
investor and leisure management operator), Linteum Ltd (acting
as investor and consortium manager) and NIB Capital Bank NV (acting
as investor and project funder).
The Leisure Connection
consortium proposals were selected from four bids from private sector
consortia, following a competitive bidding process, which commenced in
January 2002. When the new facilities are completed in approximately 2
years time they will represent a major milestone in the provision of
joined up services between the Leisure, Library and Health Sectors.
The contract includes the management and maintenance of the facilities for a period of 30 years once they have been constructed.
The facilities
will be located at two sites in the Downham area. The uppersite will
include community, leisure, library and health facilities and is
intended to form a focal point for the local community, encouraging
lifelong learning through health advice and a range of facilities and
activities.
The community facilities willinclude exhibition
space, a community hall, cafè, crèche and multi-purpose room. The
leisure centre will comprise a swimming pool, teaching pool, fitness
suite, studio, changing area and physiotherapy room. Included within the
library facilities will be IT spaces, anaudio-visual area, quiet
reading area and meeting room. The Health facilities will comprise two
general practitioner surgeries a dental health practice and various
community health services.
The Lower Site will comprise 20 acres
of managed green space, which will include seating, landscaping,
cycle-ways and footpaths. There will also be six football pitches,
changing rooms, a children play area and a private residential housing
development including a proportion of affordable housing.
Martin
Oliver, Chief Executive at Leisure Connection, said: We are very proud
to be part of the team that will deliver considerable investment in
Lewisham community facilities, and we look forward to working with the
Council to provide local residents with an impressive range of services
that are at the cutting edge of Leisure and Health Provision in the UK.
It
is intended that the design and construction of the facilities will be
sub-contracted to Alfred McAlpine Special Projects and Wates Homes will
develop the residential housing estate, which is a key factor in
delivering the overall project within the Councils agreed affordability
target.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
The aim of a PFI is
to encourage private investment in major public building projects. Under
the PFI, a private sector consortium (usually consisting of a
development company, a bank or financier, a facilities management
contractor and consultants) pays for the new facility and the local
Council pays the consortium a regular fee for the use of the site. This
fee covers construction costs, the rent of the building and the cost of
support services and is known as the Unitary Payment.
The contract
between the PFI provider (which will be a special purpose company
established specifically for this project by Leisure Connection Ltd,
Linteum Ltd, and NIB Capital Bank) and the London Borough of Lewisham
Council will last for 30 years and has a total value in excess of £ 70m.
