Suffolk County Council is seeking to appoint a Funding and Development Partner who will develop, fund, deliver, and operate the Ipswich Heat Network. The Council has been leading on the feasibility of a heat network project since 2021 and has now secured £10 million from the Government's Green Heat Network Fund to secure a private sector partner to deliver the core network. The core network reference scheme is in Ipswich Town Centre and the intention is that the primary heat source will be the River Gipping. The network is currently expected to provide over 30 GWh of heat each year to public buildings across Ipswich.

Following the announcement of the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) outcome for Suffolk, the Council has decided to put the Ipswich District Heat Network Project on hold. Given that the reorganisation is expected to bring significant structural changes to local government, it was felt important to fully assess the implications before moving forward with any formal market engagement. As a result, the planned Supplier Day has been postponed, and the procurement process to appoint a Development Partner will not begin until the project's direction has been reviewed and aligned with the new local government arrangements. The Council acknowledges this is not a straightforward decision, but it has been made with suppliers in mind — recognising that competing for an opportunity of this scale demands a considerable investment of time and resources. In the meantime, completed questionnaires should be submitted via the Portal by 12:00 noon on 17 April 2026. 

Despite the pause in the formal procurement process, the Council's commitment to the project remains firmly in place. Any suppliers who wish to discuss the project at this stage are welcome to arrange a one-to-one conversation with the Council. To request a meeting, suppliers should get in touch at IpswichHeatNetwork@Suffolk.gov.uk by 17 April 2026, and the Council will follow up with a proposed time.

Five advisory firms are supporting the procurement: Addleshaw Goddard (legal), AECOM (technical), Asteros Advisers (financial), Bird & Bird (procurement support), and Hermetica Black (commercial advisor).