PART TWO Given the lessons learned, the Government adopted a different approach

In this part of the report we examine how the Government applied lessons learned from the abortive first competition in developing its approach to the new sale.

We show that:

■  The Government took a new approach in adopting a limited competitive process, against a background of little market enthusiasm for a rerun of open competition, widespread cynicism about the risks and costs of participation, and little specific interest in the Dome; and

■  The scale of the final deal expanded during the process to include over 100 acres more land than originally envisaged. English Partnerships and their advisers did not actively market the availability of this additional land to potential bidders, considering that to do so would dilute potential interest in the Dome itself, and detract from future commercial negotiations. Inviting wider proposals may not have produced any additional strong bids.