2.7 Although English Partnerships were in practice open to proposals for the majority of their land on the Peninsula, they believed that to advertise that fact would attract bids from property developers who were only interested in the land itself. So English Partnerships and the Dome Sale Unit agreed to invite market interest on the basis that the Dome and immediately adjacent land was available - some 48 acres of land under the Dome itself and 20 acres used during the Millennium Exhibition for visitor reception and administration. Interest in further land owned by English Partnerships on the Peninsula was not ruled out but nor was it explicitly advertised. Records of discussions with companies approached during market testing indicate that companies had been unclear about how much land was on offer. Some said that given clarity they may have tried to find a use and operator for the Dome, but such companies did not then have a specific use in mind, or express interest in the Dome itself.
2.8 The Department and English Partnerships considered that, in the light of the particularly sensitive political and commercial context of the market testing process, flexibility of response to individual proposals was essential to meet the twin objectives of securing a future use for the Dome and of achieving value for money from the associated land. This process was based on ongoing professional advice that this would be a commercially prudent approach, as the market testing evolved.