Award a contract for the construction of Ross Enterprise Park Phase 1 plots and infrastructure to Fitzgerald Contractors Ltd. following successful
evaluation from an open tender process for a tendered value of
£2,602,939.81.

Ross Enterprise Park is one of the largest strategic employment sites in
Herefordshire. It is a well-situated site with excellent road transport links including easy access to the M50 (Midlands/South West), A449 (M4
corridor/Wales/South West) and the A49 (Marches/West Midlands/North
West).

The proposed project will deliver as the initial phase of development, 4
development plots of circa 1 acre each, dependent on the end mix of uses between office and light industrial space, between 77,000 and 100,000 sq. ft. of floor-space and between 150 and 600 jobs whilst supporting the growth of the local and wider economy. The site will be constructed to ground level, including services, road and drainage infrastructure, and marketed as serviced plots for subsequent development by others. Phase 1 will also include all public highway and active travel improvements necessary to satisfy planning obligations.

The entire site is in council ownership and available for the contractors to start on site.

The site has the benefit of a planning permission approved by the Planning and Regulatory Committee on 21 February 2018, and that permission will expire in late February 2026, meaning that physical work on site must commence before that date. The project delivery strategy has been geared to ensure that works begin before planning permission expires. This decision will allow the contractor to start on site in mid-November.

The Herefordshire Economic Plan identifies a critical need for employment land in strategic locations to support the growth of higher value jobs in the county. There remains a strong demand for employment land in Ross on Wye, with several local employers stating they will have to consider relocating out of the county if their growth needs can’t be accommodated locally. The need/demand for the development of the site was strongly supported in the Ross on Wye Market Town Investment Plan, which identifies the need for additional employment land as the highest local priority, thereby addressing the 10 year market failure to establish new land.

Consultants appointed in July 2024 have developed detailed
designs/proposals (RIBA stages 2-4) including highways works to open up the Park by creating a new junction off the A40 whilst internally earthworks, drainage and utilities provision will create 4 acres of development ready land. This will allow the scheme to be developed in phases that meet the market demand.

The procurement was conducted in line with the above threshold process as set out in the council’s Contracts Procedure Rules.

Following robust evaluation, Fitzgerald Contractors Ltd. are recommended as the preferred contractor for award.

The preferred contractor will be responsible for implementing the designs as per the tender scope and specification to RIBA stages 5 and 6 in conjunction with the Council’s appointed design consultants.

The Director of Growth will approve any future spend of contingency on
compensation events in accordance with the contract to a total maximum of £1,000,000 in accordance with authority delegated to the director in the 22 July 2025 decision.