Project Name
Provision of infrastructure to achieve high quality developments
across Devon
Lead Organisation
LAs – led by DCC or relevant LPA??
Contact details
Name
Outline Project Description Please describe the activity that
you plan to undertake.
Jonny Miller (TDC GI Officer) in discussion with
Fergus Pate / Alex Lessware (TDC planners)
(with editing from Sarah J following discussion
with Jonny & Fergus – all still headline / draft)
Email
Jonny.miller@teignbridge.gov.uk
Phone number
01626 215755
Overview – note that ideas below need further development and
discussion
Issue 1:
We are failing to provide high quality infrastructure.
- There is a well documented shortfall in the cost of
infrastructure requirements compared to actual developer
contributions
- disparity in the timing of developer contributions
compared to demand for infrastructure
- a piecemeal approach is often taken (as large sites are
broken up into smaller development plots) rather than the
strategic approach needed.
Possible solution: Enable LPAs / Homes and Communities Agency
(HCA) / others to secure land for development (allocated or
unallocated) and use the uplift in land value (when has planning
permission) to provide infrastructure (examples in other countries
e.g. Amsterdam). HCA has indicated that it has funding available to
acquire land and enable early delivery of infrastructure.
Role of LNP Board/ actions: Discuss the idea further especially
with LPAs / LEP / HCA / developers etc and clarify ops for pilots /
need for research etc to take this idea forward in Devon. Suggest
that a more detailed paper could be produced to take this forward
with Gov / possible partners.
Issue 2 (overlaps with above):
Grey infrastructure is prioritised over green.
Possible solutions:
a. Increased promotion as to how ‘green’ infrastructure can
achieve traditional ‘grey’ infrastructure objectives e.g.
Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme.
b. Draw on grant funding or other commercial investment
opportunities to bridge the funding gap (a short term solution
compared to the solution for Issue 1)
Role of LNP: Promotion, help to secure funding, work with
partners and think tanks to identify alternative commercial
solutions.
Actions:
Produce a consolidated list (GI Prospectus) of strategic GI projects
across Devon (from Infrastructure Delivery Plans, GI Strategies etc)
and package up to promote to possible funders (possible sources:
European funds, Gov, LEP, Lottery, HCA, EA, HE etc etc) – also see
Trails Project bid.
Bring partners together to explore how funding can be better
combined e.g. EA funds being combined with LPA developer
compensation funds / CIL / s106 etc.
Work to establish innovative models of commercial investment
where investors wanting long term, secure, low returns such as
pension funds could take on an enabling role in bridging
masterplan / outline application and reserved matter stages of
planning. LPA with partners funded by such an investment body at
rates lower than traditional housebuilders can currently secure
could forward fund necessary infrastructure across the whole site,
absorb the risk of market fluctuations and achieve the added value
of strategic high quality infrastructure. The return is generated by
‘enabling’ the residential development. See this link for a pension
fund example that has been effective abroad e.g. Canada..
Establish a rolling Devon Green Infrastructure Fund to bring
forward the innovative partnership-led GI projects Could include:
- Biodiversity mitigation and compensation including SANGs
and Habitat Banks;
- Sustainable flood mitigation
- Carbon sequestration and biomass feedstock for CHP plant
- Public open spaces such as parks
- Sports pitches
Geography – Where will activity
take place?
Timing – Over what time period
will activity take place?
Partners – Who are the
potential partners?
Throughout Devon in areas of employment and housing growth.
This is a long-term initiative.
Limited involvement to date from the following:
Local Planning Authorities in Devon
RSPB
DWT
BCT
NE
NT
TCCT
EA
HCA
For additional approach:
Remaining LPA and conservation charities
Minerals companies
Other landowners
LEP
Fit with Natural Devon’s aims
To protect and improve Devon’s
natural environment
To grow Devon’s green
economy
To reconnect Devon’s people
with nature
Commentary: See below
Fit with Natural Devon’s
priority themes - Please select
Naturally Healthy
the primary theme(s) that your
project supports, as well as any
themes where the project makes
a secondary contribution. If your
project does not have a primary
theme, please select the
appropriate secondary themes.
More information can be found
at
Green Connections
Outdoor Learning
http://www.naturaldevon.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2014/01/Final-DLNPprospectus-jan20141.pdf
Fit with HOTSW LEP Strategic
Economic Plan Priorities.
Appendix 1 provides a summary
of the Priorities for Growth. More
information can be found:
http://www.heartofswlep.co.uk/strategiceconomic-plan
Farming with Nature
Wood for Good
Resilient Wetlands
Sustainable Seas
Primary
Primary
Primary
Primary – GI needed to allow
communities to be NH
Primary – all about GC
Primary – provides access to the
environment
Secondary Primary – ops to link community
woodlands to biomass boilers etc
Primary – SUDS etc
Secondary – WQ benefits
Commentary:
This is an innovative approach to achieving multiple objectives. The
LNP aims and objectives will be written into the funding criteria
alongside suitable requirements for strong economic,
environmental and social data. Individual projects will be required
to meet certain thresholds but may have different mixes of primary
and secondary objectives.
This project would be specifically allied to delivering the GI
necessary to deliver growth in Devon.
‘Creating the conditions for growth’ and ‘Maximising productivity
and employment opportunities’ – ‘Strategic employment sites’
and ‘Unlocking housing growth’:
Devon will experience significant growth in the next 20 years
requiring investment in strategic infrastructure. Green
Infrastructure1 can facilitate this economic growth by helping to
efficiently unlock land for regeneration and development:
GI can drive GVA growth. A recent UK study2 demonstrated the
local economic impact of investment in GI and also highlighted
national economic benefits, in particular from environmental cost
savings and health improvements.
GI can unlock and enable development and regeneration.
1
2
definition
Eftec 2013, Green Infrastructure’s Contribution to Economic Growth, Natural England and DEFRA
Increasingly flooding, ecological and landscape constraints increase
the complexity of development processes and in some instances
lead to infrastructure and mitigation requirements that render
development and regeneration projects unviable. Strategic green
infrastructure investment is seen as a cost effective mechanism to
address some of these planning barriers and make development
and regeneration projects more viable. Large scale partnership-led
investment in GI can be planned, funded and implemented using a
range of emerging mechanisms, for example biodiversity offsetting.
Across the County, major GI investment will be delivered over the
coming years through development, regeneration and
infrastructure investment projects, not to mention environmental
projects, green space enhancements and public realm
improvements. In many instances this GI investment will be
substantial. For example of the land area taken by a typical large
urban extension almost 40% will be undeveloped strategic green
space of some form or another. It makes good business sense to
get maximum value out of this investment. GI strategies and
Infrastructure Delivery Plans exist across a number of planning
areas to identify broad opportunities and key projects. Where
these individual investments are linked and coordinated their full
economic, social and environmental value can be captured.
Because the individual projects are in themselves often small scale,
they can prove difficult to fund and justify with regard to wider
social, economic and environmental aims.
‘Increasing employment, progression and workforce skills’ –
‘Moving people into employment’ and ‘improving workforce
skills’:
This project also presents opportunities for education, training and
direct job creation through innovate partnerships with education
bodies, apprenticeship schemes and direct land management roles.
Financials
What is the estimated total
project cost?
This project is scalable
depending on ambition of the
governing body and funders.
What proportion of total project
cost are capital costs?
Projects may have a range of
capital and revenue costs
depending on their scope and
objectives.
Have you secured any funding
for the project yet? If so, list
amounts and sources.
Various S.106 agreements are
already secured that could
contribute to this central
funding pot. For example
c.£600k is secured in
Teignbridge alone but yet to be
recieved
In your view, what are the
potential sources of funding for
this project?
European Structural Investment
Funds, Horizon 2020, the EU
LIFE programme, the Local
Growth Fund, and the LCR single
investment pot. It could also be
supported through the ‘top
slicing’ of the Community
Infrastructure Levy, New Homes
Bonus and s106 obligations
where green infrastructure
investments have been made by
the public sector to unlock and
enable development or
regeneration projects. Also EA,
South West Water and Sustrans
and a range of more locally
focused groups including the
National Trust.
Through entrepreneurial
investments in enabling GI a
Devon Green Infrastructure
Fund could be, to a limited
extent, self-financing.
Outcomes - Please describe
what you expect the project to
achieve in terms of
Environmental, Social and
Economic Outcomes
Environmental Outcomes:
Net gain for species and habitats from new development.
Flood mitigation
Carbon sequestration
Social Outcomes:
New and enhanced access to the natural environment for the
health and wellbeing of the local community and visitors, including
opportunities to learn, train and exercise.
Economic Outcomes:
Facilitate the delivery of employment and residential land and
direct job creation and training opportunities.
Quantifiable outputs - Please
To be agreed as part of the appraisal criteria
provide any information you have
about quantifiable benefits?
Please describe how these have
been estimated.
Consultation – What
consultation has already occurred
is more required?
Consultation within the GI Officers group. The need for individual
projects will have been consulted for through emerging and
adopted local plans
Statutory Approvals –
Risks – What are the main risks
associated with this project?
Flood defence or land drainage consents, planning permission
where required. Habitat Regulations Assessments may be needed.