Advertisement

'Huge' £2.9m cost of work involving NCP demolition is explained

The NCP on Hall Ings <i>(Image: newsquest)</i>
The NCP on Hall Ings (Image: newsquest)

THE £2.9m price tag of work that will include the demolition of one of Bradford city centre’s car parks has been explained at a Council meeting.

Councillor Debbie Davies (Cons, Baildon) had questioned the “huge” cost of demolishing the NCP structure on Hall Ings in preparation the redevelopment of Bradford Interchange.

Proposals to flatten the car park, purchased by Bradford Council for £4.15m in 2017, date back several years. In 2020 it was announced that Bradford would be awarded cash from the Government’s Levelling Up fund for a number of infrastructure projects.

This included the pedestrianisation of a stretch of Hall Ings and the creation of a new entrance to Bradford Interchange – where the NCP currently stands.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: An artist's impression of the planned gateway to Bradford Interchange
Bradford Telegraph and Argus: An artist's impression of the planned gateway to Bradford Interchange

An artist's impression of the planned gateway to Bradford Interchange (Image: Bradford Council)

The Interchange work will be funded by over £16m from the fund.

In November, West Yorkshire Combined Authority approved almost £3m of this total being released so work on the car park demolition can begin in time to ensure work is completed by November 2024.

At a meeting of Bradford Council on Tuesday Cllr Davies questioned this figure, saying: “As the huge £2.9million figure quoted for the demolition of the NCP car park on Hall Ings has surprised many people, would the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport be so kind as to disclose details of the number of quotes received for this work and explain why this contractor was chosen?”

The Council response read: “The figure ‘quoted’ for the demolition of the NCP is incorrect.

“The £2.986m figure is not just for the demolition of the NCP car park and any other demolition works relating to the Interchange scheme, but is inclusive of all necessary works to secure the car park until demolition can commence, statutory approvals including party wall act agreement and agreement with BUZZ bingo to the reconfiguration of their entrance and design of options, together with removal of an electrical substation which is covered under the funding provided by the Transforming Cities Fund.

“The funding also includes professional fees necessary for the completion of the outline business case for the Bradford Interchange Station access.

“To deliver its Transforming Cities Fund programme, Council entered into a design and build contract through the national SCAPE framework with Balfour Beatty for all four projects.

£8.5m repair works to Bradford Interchange to last 18 months

“This contract affords the Council certainty over construction by securing contractor re-sources from the outset of the project as well as increasing our visibility of the impacts of construction inflation of scheme costs.

“This approach is a nationally accepted framework and quite common. It is supported by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the assurance processes put in place by the Government to oversee the responsible spend of funding.”

The NCP was shut late last year.