Scottish land, consents and engagement specialists Ardent has reinforced its reputation for quality with the appointment as supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Estate Management Services Framework.
The first-time appointment will put Ardent in a strong position to work with public sector organisations around the country, as it offers direct access to the opportunities presented by them.
CCS supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2023/24, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits equal to £4.9 billion – supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.
Public sector projects will benefit from a faster, fully compliant procurement process. Stronger project execution will be supported by Ardent’s RICS‑accredited expertise in valuation, compulsory purchase and land referencing.
Clients approaching Ardent can be assured that the company meets stringent governmental assurance standards, has an in-depth understanding of the public sector estate’s complexity and can operate at scale and pace.
The framework – a centralised route to market for estate, property, land, surveying and PFI/PPP-related services across the entirety of the UK public sector – supports the full lifecycle of its assets and enables major estate modernisation programmes.
Land and consents are at the heart of estate change as almost every government programme involves site acquisition or disposal, lease restructuring, consents for utilities and highways and land handback upon PFI expiry. Ardent’s appointment to the framework will reduce procurement friction, accelerate instruction and lower legal and procurement risks and will give clients much greater confidence.
Gillian Lang, head of Ardent’s Scottish practice, commented: “This appointment places Ardent at the forefront of public sector procurement as a trusted partner with a reputation as the very best at what we do.
“There is a significant opportunity for public sector projects in Scotland which require complex land management and consents services. Our appointment will enable the procurement process for these to be as smooth as possible allied with absolute confidence.”
John Sayer, Head of Regeneration and Development at Ardent, added: “This milestone appointment will empower us to make projects happen through timely land assembly, reduced risk and efficient acquisition strategies, all of which are via a trusted, government-approved route.
“We look forward to working with partners and clients through this new framework to help deliver vital public sector projects,” he said.
