Decision details

Approval to award contract for Hemel Garden Communities Transport Plan to ITP - with an increase in scope and cost

[3:00 PM] Kayley Johnston

Background to report: (this will be sent to members in the initial notice email so they know the content of the decision)

A 2019 Portfolio Holder Decision Record Sheet (PHDRS) reported and gave approval to the Hemel Hempstead Sustainable Transport Plan work with a cap of around £100k for both stages. Since then, the consultants (ITP) have delivered the interim Hemel Garden Communities (HGC) Transport Strategy and are leading on a related but less detailed study - the Hemel Hempstead Transport Plan for the Local Plan. The timeframe for transport planning to support the Local Plan work is up to 2038, whereas the HGC Transport Plan will provide costed interventions up to 2050.

The PHDRS gave approval for ITP to lead on the more detailed HGC Transport Plan. However since this PHDRS was approved, the Stage 1 transport work - Interim HGC Transport Strategy work needed to be expanded to cover some of the stage 2 works, which led to the £30k costs being exceeded by £10k. The brief and quote for work to enter into Stage 2 works with ITP has broadened which takes the cost beyond the expected cost of £70k and the total combined cap of £100k, to a new combined cost of around £135k.

Dacorum Borough Council has led on the procurement of the Hemel Garden Communities Transport Plan work, whilst the Transport work itself has been jointly managed by Dacorum Borough Council, St. Albans City and District Council and Hertfordshire County Council to support the Hemel Garden Communities programme work. This work will also contribute to Hemel Garden Communities Transformational Plan, HGC Concept Masterplan, HGC Transformation and Infrastructure Framework SPD, as well as contributing to Dacorum’s emerging Local Plan. Going forward, there is an expectation that Stage 2 HGC Transport Plan will be led by HCC Highways team with input from the wider HGC programme team.

The authorities will expedite the Stage 2 HGC Transport Plan commission with ITP since it is a fundamental component of the Transformation Plan and both are needed to support the emerging draft Local Plan. However, there will be a break clause inserted subject to Procurement’s approval, to ensure the authorities have the authority and funding in place to deliver the latter phase of the Stage 2 work.

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[3:00 PM] Kayley Johnston

Decision made and reasons:

Decision: Approval to award contract for a Hemel Garden Communities Transport Plan to ITP – with increased scope and cost.

Reason:

MHCLG, working with Homes England have designated Hemel Hempstead a Garden Town, and awarded funding of £750k to Dacorum Borough Council and St. Albans City and District Council to assist bringing transformational change to Hemel Hempstead alongside new growth of over 11,000 homes and 10,000 jobs to the east and north of the town (Hemel Garden Communities). 

Part of the planning process is the preparation of new evidence to underpin the emerging HGC Transformational Plan and HGC Concept Masterplan, which is all expected to support the emerging draft Local Plan, as well as influencing phased delivery in North and East of Hemel Hempstead Growth Areas.  The second Stage of the Transport Plan will build upon the interim HGC Transport Strategy to identify a stepped approach to 2050, with costed interventions, to encourage existing and new communities to use sustainable modes of transport over the use of the private motor car.

Reason:

MHCLG, working with Homes England have designated Hemel Hempstead a Garden Town, and awarded funding of £750k to Dacorum Borough Council and St. Albans City and District Council to assist bringing transformational change to Hemel Hempstead alongside new growth of over 11,000 homes and 10,000 jobs to the east and north of the town (Hemel Garden Communities).

Part of the planning process is the preparation of new evidence to underpin the emerging HGC Transformational Plan and HGC Concept Masterplan, which is all expected to support the emerging draft Local Plan, as well as influencing phased delivery in North and East of Hemel Hempstead Growth Areas. The second Stage of the Transport Plan will build upon the interim HGC Transport Strategy to identify a stepped approach to 2050, with costed interventions, to encourage existing and new communities to use sustainable modes of transport over the use of the private motor car.