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The government has formally begun its search for a contractor to take on the £650m revamp of MPs’ offices in Westminster, known as the Northern Estate Programme.

The works include the restoration of the grade I-listed Norman Shaw North and grade II-listed Norman Shaw South buildings - both of which are now over 100 years old - along with 1 Derby Gate and 1 Parliament Street - a pair of grade II-listed adjoining buildings dating from the 1880s and the Canon Row Residences. In total around 15,300 sqm of office space will be refurbished.

ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø revealed in December that WSP and Gleeds had been awarded the programme, project and cost management role, beating rival bidders Turner & Townsend, Arcadis, a Mace and Aecom joint venture and a team featuring Lendlease.

Architect BDP scooped the lead design role on the project, while Aecom picked up the engineering role.

The House of Commons is looking to invite between three and five firms to tender for the six-year contracting role, which will see the winning firm provide pre-construction services, construction and refurbishment works lasting between three and four years for the Northern Estate Programme and other related Parliamentary Estate works.

The Northern Estate buildings all require refurbishment due to their ageing M&E services, poor environmental performance and inadequate fire safety provisions.

The programme could include converting the Department of Health’s headquarters, Richmond House, into a temporary home for parliament to make way for £4bn restoration works on the Palace of Westminster, although this was not specifically referred to in the tender document.

The Northern Estate Programme could also be combined with the Palace of Westminster works at a later date, after a joint committee of MPs and peers recommended the jobs be managed together last September.

It is expected the start date for the contracting partner will be April next year, with the contract expected to run until April 2024. The deadline for interested parties is 14 March.