Issue - meetings

Report of the Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth attached.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth presented the report which sought Cabinet’s endorsement of the Strategic Outline Business Case for the Northern Gateway’s Western Access scheme (Pilsworth Road Corridor Improvements). The Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) stage represents the first step in the on-going development and refinement of a HM Treasury (Green Book) compliant business case for the Western Access scheme. The SOBC’s preliminary concept designs and associated high level cost estimates will now be reviewed and further updated as part of the development of the Western Access scheme’s Outline Business Case during 2025.

Decision:

Cabinet:

·         Endorsed the Strategic Outline Business Case for the Northern Gateway’s Western Access scheme (Pilsworth Road Corridor Improvements) as a basis for on-going review and development during the scheme’s Outline Business Case stage, including the identification of a preferred scheme option.

·         Delegated the endorsement of future iterations of the Western Access scheme business case to the Director of Law and Democratic Services in consultation with the Executive Director of Place and Director of Finance and the Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth.

·         Approved the appointment of Balfour Beatty UK Ltd as the scheme’s main construction Contractor to undertake pre-constriction stage work packages covering the Outline Business Case / RIBA 3 Stage and Full Business Case / RIBA 4 Stage.

·         Delegated final acceptance of a final contract sum up to a provisional maximum of £600,000 covering the Outline Business Case stage work packages, to the Director of Law and Democratic Services in consultation with the Executive Director of Place and Director of Finance and the Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth.

·         Delegated finalisation and sealing of the pre-construction services contract including appropriate break clauses, to the Director of Law and Democratic Services in consultation with the Executive Director of Place and the Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth.

Reasons for recommendations:

·         Significant progress is now being made to progress the delivery of the Northern Gateway Investment Zone (‘Places for Everyone’ Joint Development Plan’ allocation JPA 1.1), which is the largest designated development site in the Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ).

·         The Western Access scheme (Pilsworth Road Corridor Improvements) will provide the necessary off-site, highway and transportation infrastructure required to access the early development phases of the Northern Gateway Investment Zone (IZ) site (JPA 1.1 allocation). The construction of the Western Access scheme will create the potential capacity to unlock circa 3.5M sq/ft – 4M sq/ft employment generating uses, including advanced manufacturing commercial floor space.

·         The Western Access scheme Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) provides the robust basis for the on-going review and further development of the scheme’s concept design and business case during the scheme’s pre-construction stage. Initially this will cover the preparation of the scheme’s Outline Business Case (including identification of a preferred scheme option) in line with HM Treasury’s ‘Green Book’ business case procedure, and the associated development of the scheme’s planning designs and costings in line with the RIBA 3 planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 310