The county council wants a developer for Shrub Hill by March 2027. The £90m tender opened on 8 October; bids to take part close at noon on 3 November.
Worcestershire County Council has opened its search for a developer to rebuild Shrub Hill, the old railway and industrial land between Worcester Shrub Hill station and the city centre. It puts the contract at an estimated £90 million excluding VAT.
The tender notice went up on Find a Tender on Thursday 8 October. Developers have until noon on Tuesday 3 November to ask to take part, and the council expects to pick a partner by 24 March 2027. (Find a Tender notice 2026/S 000-095154)
The council announced the search the next day in a news release, which says the county and Worcester City Council are looking for the partner together.
What is on offer
The notice describes the whole Shrub Hill Quarter as about 35 acres. The first phase is smaller. It includes:
- about 9.7 acres in Phase 1, all owned by the county council
- an adopted planning document setting out the vision for the area
- public money already spent through the Towns Fund and the Brownfield Land Release Fund
- up to £5 million more from the Towns Fund for enabling and pre-construction work, subject to approvals
- possible interest from the NHS in a Community Diagnostics Centre on the site
The council’s release says the quarter could deliver more than 500 homes over the next 20 years, alongside jobs and new public spaces. It says demolition, land clean-up, public realm work and walking and cycling links are already done.
Councillor Adam Kent, the county’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, said the site “has also been talked about for far too long”. He said: “The opportunity is live, the groundwork is done and we are ready to do business.”
How the contract will be picked
The tender runs in two stages under the competitive flexible procedure. At the first stage any developer can apply. The council then plans to invite the top four to bid.
Bids will be scored on:
| Criterion | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Technical and design | 45% |
| Commercial (cost) | 30% |
| Legal | 15% |
| Social value and environmental sustainability | 10% |
The contract would start on 1 June 2027 and run to 31 May 2032, with a possible extension to 31 May 2037. That would make it ten years in total.
What could still change
The notice is frank about the risks. It lists several things that could change the scheme after a partner is chosen:
- what happens to the Engine Works and other historic buildings, which may be refurbished, partly kept or selectively demolished after more surveys
- sewer diversions, utilities and ground conditions
- grant funding arriving late, on different terms or not at all
- the NHS diagnostics centre, which “may proceed, be amended or not proceed”
- local government reorganisation affecting the area
The diagnostics centre is still undecided
We reported on 7 October that Shrub Hill is one of several sites being looked at for an NHS Community Diagnostics Centre for Worcestershire. The council’s new release says only that discussions with the NHS are “continuing”. No site has been confirmed.
What it means for you
- Nothing will be built soon. The earliest a partner could start is mid-2027, and each building would still need planning permission from Worcester City Council. Our Worcester planning news page shows how to follow those.
- This is a long programme. The council’s own horizon for the 500-plus homes is 20 years.
- If you run a business or own property nearby, the notice says more land in the wider quarter may be bought by the council or brought in later. The major projects team is at majorprojects@worcestershire.gov.uk.
- If you are a developer, the documents and the submission portal are on the council’s In-Tend site. Questions close at 5pm on 22 October.
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