North Walsham, Norfolk
Project Engagement Plan
May 2011
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INTRODUCTION
North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) has requested
the support of ATLAS to assist them with respect to
the proposed project at North Walsham. The
purpose of this Project Engagement Plan (PEP) is to
set out:
The role & purpose of ATLAS
ATLAS,
AS including the team’s
overall vision and objectives [Section 2];
Operating principles including our approach to
Quality Assurance and project disengagement
(Section 3);
Engagement expectations of both ATLAS and the
LPA [Section 4].
An initial project appreciation
appreciation and the key planning
& development issues [Section 5]; and
The ATLAS response,
response with respect to the team
members assigned to the project, defined tasks,
and anticipated outcomes [Section 6].
It is anticipated that this document becomes the
core formal record of ATLAS engagement, and
should be treated as a ‘live’ document that will need
to be updated as the project progresses. It has no
formal statutory or legal status but in effect sets out a
basic Memorandum of Understanding between
NNDC and ATLAS as to how ATLAS will engage and
provide support in respect of the North Walsham
project.
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ATLAS OPERATING PRINCIPLES
The following core principles underpin the nature of
ATLAS engagement in project work:
THE ROLE & PURPOSE OF ATLAS
The following overall mission statement underpins
the operation of the ATLAS service:
“To secure the timely delivery of high
quality sustainable development through
effective planning processes,
collaborative working and the promotion
of good practice.”
This vision will be met by addressing the following
objectives:
Improving the speed and quality of outcome in
bringing forward major planning & regeneration
projects across all sectors of the planning
/development community;
North Walsham Project Engagement Plan (May 2011)
Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS)
Acting as a partner to Local Authorities and an
independent reviewer of major applications and
related issues;
Increasing the knowledge and expertise within
Local Authorities to handle large applications;
Helping local planning authorities to develop
better and more consistent interaction with the
development industry and key stakeholders;
Ensuring the lessons learnt from ATLAS' work
are disseminated widely to local planning
authorities and the wider development
community; and
Contributing to the establishment of a
collaborative planning system based on the
principles of holistic sustainable development,
spatial planning and development management.
ATLAS provides an ‘enabling service’ taking the
role as “critical friend” of the LPA;
Whilst working with the LPA first and foremost,
ATLAS will endeavour to work openly with other
key stakeholders in particular the private sector
to build trust and our ability to influence;
The LPA or any other project partner is under no
statutory obligation to follow the advice we
provide;
Advice we provide is for the benefit of all, under
an overall ethos that the ‘project’ is the client;
ATLAS will aim to enable and support the
project partners to deal with and resolve issues
as they arise based on the knowledge and
experience of the team;
ATLAS does not provide a direct case officer
style resource, although will in some cases offer
to undertake specific pieces of work if the
project requires it;
Our advice can be given direct and solely to
LPA and retained confidentially if considered
necessary in the interest of the project or
commercial sensitivity;
However, ATLAS promotes that a collaborative,
open and transparent process is followed by all
parties and as such would seek to avoid the
need for confidentiality where possible;
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The advice we provide will be impartial and
independent – we will say it as we see it which
may or may not support the position being
taken by any specific stakeholder (including the
LPA);
ATLAS will not charge for its services;
ATLAS will always endeavour to provide it’s
independent opinion, but will not become the
final decision maker on issues as these must
reside with the relevant accountable body; and
ATLAS retains the right to disengage from any
project without recourse, but will only do so
under certain circumstance (see below).
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ENGAGEMENT PRINCIPLES &
EXPECTATIONS
Expectations of ATLAS
LPAs and other project partners can expect the
following from ATLAS staff during the course of
engagement:
ATLAS Quality Assurance
ATLAS is committed to providing a quality
professional service and has several processes in
place to evaluate the delivery of the service. Such
measures include:
An independent evaluation process whereby all
ATLAS project partners are interviewed regularly
(by external independent consultants) to assess
ATLAS performance against defined tasks;
An opportunity for project partners to provide
feedback directly to ATLAS on performance at
any time during project engagement; and
A formalised disengagement process to
consider the overall value of ATLAS engagement
and any lessons-learned.
Expectations of the LPA
By engaging with ATLAS, the following will be
expected from the LPA:
Disengagement
ATLAS reserves the right to disengage from any
project although would seek to ensure that this only
occurs where and when appropriate, most likely
under the following circumstances:
All ATLAS tasks are completed;
The project ceases (i.e. developer pulls out);
If tasks are proving unachievable or taking an
unreasonable level of resource compared to
project progress or added value;
Lack of trust or support of ATLAS advice; or
On request of the Local Authority who retains
the right to at any time request ATLAS to
disengage.
North Walsham Project Engagement Plan (May 2011)
Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS)
ATLAS will seek to formally agree and record
tasks and activities as required by the project;
ATLAS will respond to requests for assistance in
a reasonable and timely manner;
ATLAS will maintain comprehensive written and
electronic records of advice and
correspondence, available to the LPA during or
post engagement;
ATLAS will endeavour to provide advice and
assistance based on good and best practice;
and
ATLAS will operate with discretion and courtesy;
and will provide honest and open advice at all
times.
The LPA will act in an honest and transparent
manner, ensuring that ATLAS is aware of and if
necessary involved in all matters that will
influence the tasks ATLAS have been set or the
progression of the project;
Where necessary the LPA will facilitate ATLAS
engagement with other LA corporate and
partner organisations and individuals when
requested and as necessary to assist project
progression;
The LPA will be required to respond to and
engage with an independent evaluation process
of ATLAS on request by consultants appointed
to undertake this task on an ongoing basis;
On disengagement, the LPA will be requested to
complete a proforma to review the scope and
quality of ATLAS engagement and in the
majority of cases attend a formal
disengagement meeting;
The LPA should endeavour to learn and build
their knowledge and internal capacity through
ATLAS engagement.
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grounds of loss of employment land (prior to the SA
allocation).
5 PROJECT APPRECIATION
On the basis of an initial assessment and discussions
held to date, ATLAS has identified the following key
planning and development issues relating to this
project:
North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) has an
adopted Core Strategy and has recently adopted its
Site Allocations DPD (February 2011). The Site
Allocations (SA) document identifies a number of
large scale and complex sites for development of
which Norwich Road, North Walsham is one.
North Walsham is the largest settlement in the
district with approximately 12,000 people and is
identified as a Principal Settlement for growth in the
Core Strategy. Over the past two decades or so the
town has experienced a loss of local manufacturing
employment with subsequently more out commuting
and greater reliance on Norwich for employment
opportunities. There is also a need to retain and
attract young people to live in the town, and to
provide more affordable homes.
The Norwich Road allocation provides the potential
to deliver new market and affordable homes as well
as retained /new employment opportunities close to
the railway station and the town centre. The site is
24.5 hectares comprising a former cannery (land
now cleared), open fields and existing uses (an
operational garden centre and other business which
would remain on site in the short term at least). The
SA allocates the whole site for 400 dwellings, 5 Ha of
employment, 4 Ha of open space and car parking
facilities for the railway station. It is also relevant that
the site is affected by the British Pipeline Agency gas
condensate facility on the other side of the railway
line, which is a CoMAH site. The HSE consultation
zones associated with this facility impacts on land
uses and residential densities.
There are seven different land owners on the site.
The former cannery site is owned by a regional
house builder, Hopkins Homes, and the promotion of
the development on the whole allocation is being led
by them. In 2008 an appeal by Hopkins Homes on
the former cannery site was dismissed on the
North Walsham Project Engagement Plan (May 2011)
Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS)
Through working closely with the HCA, NNDC has
completed a Local Investment Plan and the site is
identified as a priority. Funding is sought by NNDC
from the HCA Local Investment Plan programme to
help fund a masterplan process and contribute to
remediation measures.
Specific issues
Whilst there is an adopted policy framework for the
site, there is not currently a clear or fully formed
vision and set of objectives for how the site will be
developed. It is considered beneficial for NNDC to
establish this and then work closely with the
developer to establish a shared vision for the site.
The different ownerships could potentially undermine
a comprehensive and coherent development of the
site. NNDC need to build on this progress by seeking
to create a framework for joint working between all
the land owners and the Council.
NNDC has set up a Major Developments team.
There is the need to build on this approach by
setting up a clear project management structure for
the application. In particular, the following should be
managed: key responsibilities, key issues to tackle,
pre application discussions, timetable and
programming and milestones and meeting dates.
A well managed and collaborative masterplanning
process would help ensure a comprehensive and
coherent development of the highest quality
possible. It would also help address infrastructure
requirements and the physical constraints. In this
regard NNDC may benefit from further skills and
resources and help with establishing a joint process
with the applicant. Going forward, it may be helpful
to have an independent review of the application
documents to ensure consistency with the agreed
masterplan.
It is evident there will be challenges to the viability of
the development. There are physical constraints,
such as the impact of the BPA site and any clean up
of the brownfield site, and policy requirements,
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including 45% affordable housing, the station car
parking and the open space, which impact on costs
and values to be achieved. The key issue is to
establish an open and collaborative process with the
landowners to establish an acceptable form of
development and package of S106 contributions.
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ATLAS
ATLAS Tasks
The table below sets out the tasks that ATLAS is
undertaking in respect of this project. It is anticipated
that this list will be expanded and updated as the
project progresses. In particular, tasks relating to
masterplanning, viability and phasing/land ownership
issues can be defined and identified if necessary.
THE ATLAS RESPONSE
Table 6.1: ATLAS Tasks
Proposed ATLAS Team
Team
Based upon an understanding of the issues, ATLAS
proposes to assign the following team to assist
NNDC in this project:
Darren Bell (Dissemination Manager) will act as
the key liaison and project manager on behalf of
ATLAS and will provide planning and process
advice;
Robert Smith (Operations Manager) will provide
additional support and a strategic overview.
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2.
In addition, should the need arise during the course
of the project, ATLAS may also call on:
Paul Evans Environmental Sustainability
Specialist
Tim
Tim Chapman,
Chapman Sustainable Communities
Specialist
Karl FitzGerald,
FitzGerald Transport Specialist
Deb Upadhyaya, Urban Design Specialist
ATLAS Tasks
Tasks
Task: Visioning workshop for Officers of
NNDC
Description: Design and facilitate an
interactive workshop that explores and
defines NNDC’s vision and key development
objectives for the site.
Task Manager: Darren Bell
Estimated Completion:
Completion: June 2011
Task: Advice on project planning and
approach to project management
Description:
Description Provision of advice re setting
up a project management structure to
guide evolution of proposals and mechanisms
to engage and
collaborate with applicant(s)/Consortium.
Task Manager: Darren Bell
Estimated Completion:
Completion: June 2011
Anticipated Outcomes
By carrying out these tasks ATLAS will seek to
achieve the following outcomes:
The above team members can be contacted via the
following methods:
Office Address:
Advisory Team For Large Applications
Central Business Exchange II
414-428 Midsummer Boulevard
Central Milton Keynes
MK9 2EA
Enable the preparation of a robust masterplan
and subsequent planning application(s) and a
framework for its comprehensive assessment
Enable the timely delivery of around 400 new
homes for North Walsham to meet current and
emerging housing need, employment uses and
necessary supporting infrastructure;
Provide advice and best practice examples to
seek to improve quality of development;
Establish a collaborative approach to
engagement on major projects and between
NNDC and developers;
Increase capacity and confidence within NNDC
to improve its ability to handle future large scale
development proposals
T 01908 353623
F 01908 353605
Darren Bell (Project Manager)
E darren.bell@hca.gsx.gov.uk
T 01908 353938
M 07767 007630
Project partners will be contacted through the
independent evaluation process through which the
North Walsham Project Engagement Plan (May 2011)
Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS)
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impact of ATLAS support is assessed with
reference to a number of general “added value
measures”. ATLAS support to NNDC and it’s
partners with respect to North Walsham is
anticipated specifically to have positive impacts
across the following defined measures (subject to
future review):
AV measure
Definition
Speeding the
Process
Assisting partners to reach the
key project milestone (policy
documentation/ planning
permission) in a more efficient
and timely manner
Improving project management
processes and procedures
within Local Planning
Authorities (LPA) and across the
other partners involved in
delivering projects
Enhancing the sustainability and
quality of development
proposals, reflected in the
quality of built form and the
nature of the place that will be
created.
Improving relationships
between key stakeholders and
improving the way they interact
with each other
Building confidence, skills and
knowledge in the individuals,
and, when requested, the
organisations involved to enable
them to make more effective
and efficient decisions in future
Improving
project
management
Improving
quality of
proposals and
place
Improving
relationships
Increasing
capacity to
deal with large
scale
development
North Walsham Project Engagement Plan (May 2011)
Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS)
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