Decision details

It is recommended that the Assistant Director of Housing approves a waiver by waiving off CSO 8.03 and an approval of the waiver and award in accordance with CSO’s 10.01.1b, 9.07.1(c) and 10.01.2 d) ii & iii; to award a contract for Fire Engineering services for the Mallard Place project to RIBA Stage 3 for a fee of £85,800 (excluding VAT).

The direct award of Hoare Lea to RIBA Stage 3 will ensure a timely delivery of design and development of Mallard Place to be able to claim GLA SOS grant by March 2026. Hoare Lea have an excellent knowledge of the project.
Hoare Lea’s direct award and planned start in providing Fire Engineering services on the project in December 2024, will be crucial in helping to achieve Haringey’s commitment to build 3000 Council homes by 2031, with Levitt Bernstein’s initial feasibility indicating that c168 homes can be delivered on the sites Block D and Mallard Place. Hoare Lea is also vital to obtaining a Gateway 1 Building Safety Act approval in a timely manner.
It is key to appoint Hoare Lea on to the project asap as there will be an urgent requirement for fire engineering design and strategies which will feed into the Architect’s drawings and help us meet the March 2026 deadline for a SOS grant claim of up to £42,000,000.

The Council could decide not to procure these services or direct award this contract to Hoare Lea. This option is not recommended as it would impact the delivery timescales of design, a future planning submission and award of build contract by March 2026. If the March 2026 date is not achieved, this would ultimately impact the Council’s Housing Delivery programme aspirations of providing much-needed new Council homes, with potentially 168 homes not delivered.