Request for Quotation For the Provision of:- Groundworks, Demolition and Archaeological Investigation at Wessex House, Gloucester

Description

The Authority is undertaking a programme of de-risking for archaeology and ground contamination on land in Great Western Road that is the site of the former Wessex House. This building was a former commercial electrical contractor's brick-built structure with substantial foundations. The ground floor slab remains in situ and requires to be broken up and removed. The site extends to 0.60 of an acre and is bounded by Network Rail land forming part of Gloucester railway station on three sides, with direct frontage to Great Western Road forming the fourth side. The land is almost level and owned freehold entirely by the Authority with boundary fencing on all sides. The intended works are a prelude to, and the information obtained will be used to inform, a planning application for developing the site with high density residential apartments to provide homes for the city. The Authority intends to appoint a Supplier to act as Principal Contractor who will co-ordinate and be responsible for the archaeological excavation and recording, the geotechnical decontamination and complete demolition and removal of the old ground floor slab with associated footings. The Supplier will also be Principal Designer and provide all necessary site welfare facilities. The site is presently in use by Kier Construction as a site compound and material storage facility for The Forum redevelopment being the major new scheme currently under construction for the city. The site should be cleared and vacated in August this year. The archaeology under this site consists of the surviving below ground remains of the Gloucester Union Workhouse Infirmary and the adjacent Casual Wards. A desk-based assessment and site trenching has been undertaken to initially assess the archaeological remains and inform this Request for Quotation. This is a challenging site close to the operational railway with a busy Great Western Road frontage requiring 24-hour access for ambulances to the Royal Hospital on the opposite side of the road.