Portsmouth International Port’s terminal transformation has officially begun, as contractors Knights Brown started construction on Monday (23 May) on a new carbon neutral terminal extension, which will strengthen the city’s position a major UK port and is one of the UK’s first Levelling Up projects to get underway. The port
Commenting on the publication of the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Chair of the District Councils’ Network said: “The Levelling Up Bill is mixed news for DCN councils. We want to work with the Government to deliver their commitment to level up the country and empower
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) welcomes the inclusion of the planning system within the a ‘Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’. Planners can be an asset to the Bill, increasing living standards and home ownership, cultivating pride in place, improving transport infrastructure and population health and strengthening local leadership. Victoria
THE government’s long-awaited levelling up whitepaper has been unveiled in full at long last. The document outlines the government’s commitments to rebalancing the UK’s services and economies, which is segmented into 12 key mission statements. Gerard Toplass, executive chairman of The 55 Group, which heads a collective of businesses operating
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) represents the companies, large and small, that design, deliver and manage our built environment. Its members are the delivery partners of choice for government on “levelling up” projects and programmes. Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Guto Davies, Head
The Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has released initial blueprints for the long-awaited Levelling Up White Paper. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of RTPI, has put together the following statement in response: “The Royal Town Planning Institute is reservedly optimistic of the Secretary of State’s initial briefing. There is clear recognition
Portsmouth International Port’s terminal transformation has officially begun, as contractors Knights Brown started construction on Monday (23 May) on a new carbon neutral terminal extension, which will strengthen the city’s position a major UK port and is one of the UK’s first Levelling Up projects to get underway. The port has been awarded £11.25m funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to build new facilities. Due to an increase in cruise ships calling at the port the transformation is necessary to create capacity to manage an anticipated additional 250,000 passengers a year, in addition to the port’s current two million. The carbon neutral extension will feature: – a sky garden, where passengers can enjoy views of the port – new walkway from the current terminal to the new check-in area – interior living walls – expansive baggage hall – exclusive cruise lounge It will create over 2500 jobs nationally, including 550 in the city. Cruise ships are forecast to increase in Portsmouth with each call expected to generate up to £1.5m through port charges, passenger and crew spend on local goods and services such as hotels and attractions, and also supplies to the ship. Cllr Steve Pitt, Portsmouth City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development said: “This is fantastic news for the city, providing employment opportunities and promoting Portsmouth’s offer as the UK’s leading marine and maritime city. “Portsmouth lends itself ideally as a cruise port, with wonderful heritage assets and a spectacular waterfront for arrivals and departures. We expect the improved facilities to kick start further investment in the city, from hotel capacity to an increase in tourism spending. “We are determined retain our environmental values, so the terminal will be carbon neutral when completed. “We are proud of our position as the UK’s most successful local authority owned port, and this new extension will see the port go from strength to strength.” Mike Sellers Portsmouth International Port’s director said: “We are delivering on our masterplan, which focuses on making space so business can continue to thrive. “The extension is essential as we are currently relying on a temporary terminal to accommodate additional passengers, so this permanent addition is crucial as the port gets busier. It is also crucial that this development meets our sustainability ambitions, which is why the extension will be 100% carbon neutral – complementing our existing terminal. “Our increase in passengers is a result of responding to growth in the cruise and ferry industry, which the port is ideally positioned to deliver thanks to its enviable waterfront location. “We are delighted to secure business from major cruise lines, as the industry continues to grow in popularity there is a desperate need for more berth capacity so our expansion plans are critical to meet market demand.” Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt, Portsmouth North MP said: “I am delighted the port was successful in its Levelling Up bid, which will generate thousands of jobs for the region. “The success of Portsmouth International Port requires investment in facilities so it can meet industry demand. There is a real opportunity to provide employment now and for future years as it continues to grow as a major UK port. “The Levelling Up bid also includes additional funding for Linear Park, which will be a remarkable urban park with a rejuvenated Lido, providing another asset for the port’s passengers to enjoy. Portsmouth appeals to the small and mid size, luxury, boutique, expedition cruise sector who are looking for a port that sets them apart from the conventional mass market. The port is competing with European destinations and has an opportunity to secure additional revenue for UK GDP, with each cruise call is anticipated to generate up to £1.5 million to the region’s economy. Mike Crook, Divisional Director for Knights Brown said: “Knights Brown successfully completed the extension to the cruise berth in July 2020 that opened up much more of the cruise market to Portsmouth by allowing significantly larger vessels to berth. We’re thrilled to be back here and working with the team at Portsmouth International Port once again. We’re looking forward to getting the terminal extension underway and to helping the city council and port achieve their ambitions to bring investment to the area and benefit local people.” The transformation will be cutting-edge in environmental development, helping the port achieve its ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050. The port was part of a successful £20m bid called Transforming the Visitor Economy, which also includes funding for Hilsea Lido and the creation of the UK’s longest urban park ‘Linear Park’ in the north of the city. The creation of the longest urban Linear Park in the UK, connects the west of the city to the eastern edge, with enhanced cycling and walking facilities providing a tourist offer that is local, national and international. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Commenting on the publication of the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Chair of the District Councils’ Network said: “The Levelling Up Bill is mixed news for DCN councils. We want to work with the Government to deliver their commitment to level up the country and empower our local communities. “However, we’re concerned that district councils’ local knowledge and ability to deliver on levelling up is being overlooked when it comes to delivering new County Deals. The legislation would prevent district councils being constituent members of the new-style combined authorities and appears to allow district powers to be transferred to the combined authority without their consent. We think this is unnecessary and counter-productive. District councils are well placed to help the Government deliver ambitious deals to improve outcomes for our residents. We want the opportunity to do that as equal partners in county deals and call on the Government to recognise that in the legislation. “We’re pleased with the change of direction on planning reform. It’s right that local plans should drive development and that councils’ powers to regenerate their high streets and local places should be strengthened. Stronger compulsory powers, rental auctions for empty high street properties, and the new local infrastructure levy – to name a few – are all positive on paper. We look forward to working with the Government to make sure they deliver on their promise. “We also welcome the principle of encouraging positive public participation in local planning. The acid test for the idea of street votes will be implementing it in a way that boosts neighbourhood involvement without the unintended consequence of stopping developments that enhance our local places and support economic development “Increased numbers of second homes present challenges to local councils, particularly in rural and coastal communities, and exacerbate housing shortages and affordability for ordinary people. It’s excellent news that the Bill will give councils the power to increase council tax on underused second homes, allowing us to reinvest in improving local infrastructure and services.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) welcomes the inclusion of the planning system within the a ‘Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’. Planners can be an asset to the Bill, increasing living standards and home ownership, cultivating pride in place, improving transport infrastructure and population health and strengthening local leadership. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI said: “We welcome government recognition that a strong planning system will be essential to levelling up. We hope that such a system will help communities better shape the places they live, work and enjoy. “Our members stand ready to support the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to develop a system. But, if we’re going to achieve the overall ambitions of Levelling Up and regeneration, we need to ensure we’re building the right homes in the right places. “It is essential that any reform comes forward as soon as possible to help prevent further delays. It is also key that all local areas have an up to date local plan, are sufficiently resourced, and open to a dialogue with their local communities, including businesses and residents current and future.” The RTPI will continue to work with Government, officials and parliamentarians based on its member’s experiences, its expertise and timely research to help shape these planning reforms. The RTPI will follow up with further analysis on the role of planning within the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill as news develops. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
THE government’s long-awaited levelling up whitepaper has been unveiled in full at long last. The document outlines the government’s commitments to rebalancing the UK’s services and economies, which is segmented into 12 key mission statements. Gerard Toplass, executive chairman of The 55 Group, which heads a collective of businesses operating within the construction sector – including national framework provider Pagabo, along with risk, compliance and contract management software company Sypro, social value specialists Loop, and digital-first training platform Tequ – has a positive outlook on the whitepaper. He said: “The levelling up whitepaper has been long-awaited by us all, and it’s great to see it has finally been published in full. While generally speaking, the 12 missions outlined by the government cover pretty much every aspect of daily life, we’re especially pleased to see a number of aims that align with our values. “Our businesses operate nationally but are headquartered in central Hull, which is a city that understands the value that comes from investment – something that we have supported by investing in the transformation of 55 Whitefriargate to bring it back into use. “We are really encouraged by the approach to devolved administrations, decentralising the power from Whitehall and putting it in the hands of people in the areas it is needed. It’s really pleasing that our region is one of the first areas to be able to open negotiations on this topic and we look forward to seeing how this develops in time.” A number of mission statements within the whitepaper focus on improving infrastructure and huge regeneration projects, which will need to be led by local authorities and public sector bodies. Jason Stapley, managing director of national framework provider Pagabo, believes that construction professionals and their expertise will be the key in taking these schemes beyond promises and into reality. He said: “The whitepaper puts great emphasis on restoring local pride, detailing how the government will support 20 towns and city centres with the undertaking of ambitious regeneration projects. It’s a proven fact that positive environments and delivering the infrastructure communities need will elevate an area or region in terms of jobs, productivity and economic boost. “Such large-scale ambition for regeneration is met with the detail of dozens of local authorities set to be supported by the High Streets Task Force to transform town centres. For built environment specialists, our support of public sector bodies for the delivery of such schemes will be key – and ensuring the gold standard of procurement will make sure that true value can be delivered to communities in a way that creates maximum positive impact, while streamlining processes and budgets. “Equally, there is a focus on levelling up infrastructure and transport connections. With net zero carbon targets also set in place by government, it is these large-scale projects that provide huge opportunity for decarbonisation, along with an approach to refurbishment and retrofit to make sure existing building stock also minimises impact on our environment. “Our frameworks are placed to support with all of these aims, with the ability to track all-important KPIs around a scheme as required, such as social return on investment, carbon reduction and local impact. We are set to go live with our civils and infrastructure framework in the coming weeks, which has been designed with these kinds of schemes in mind – so we look forward to working with clients on their projects that will work towards the levelling up agenda.” Social value is a hot topic within the industry, and one that will extend into every reach of life. One of The 55 Group’s businesses is social value calculation specialist, Loop. With several of the mission statements outlined by the government focussing on social-led topics, making sure that organisations are able to identify the actual positive impact of their work on communities will become a big operation. Angus Townsend, group social value lead, said: “Some of the missions outlined within the whitepaper may appear to some as ‘softer elements’, such as improving life expectancy. However, these elements are all interlinked and very much tied to social value and the types of outcomes we help our clients demonstrate from their operations. “It’s likely that generating social value and delivering the levelling up agenda will become synonymous with each other – but the responsibility on doing both will be on all of us. It will be important to make sure we can examine the impact of everything we do and how that plays into the core mission statements from the whitepaper. As ‘the social value people’, we are primed and ready to work with our clients to help demonstrate both quantitative and qualitative evidence to show how they are helping to work towards these outcomes.” Gerard concluded: “There has been a mixed reaction to the whitepaper so far, but we are hopeful that it will mark a moment where direction changes towards making actionable change to rebalance the country. The key will be ensuring it delivers what it promises – and it will be up to us all to keep momentum and hold leadership accountable to making process. “Of course, a lot of our operations are within the construction industry so there are ample ways our work will be able to support the aims around regeneration and infrastructure. However, our work stretches far beyond this, working on key areas including social return on investment and seeking to modernise skills and training to make it fit for the modern world. “Seeing a focus on research and development and improving education standards is hopeful – but will largely rely on adequate funding. Part of levelling up is putting the power into the hands that need it, so making sure that we are working towards practises fit for the future will be a huge part of the journey. For example, in the construction sector there is an ongoing shortage of skills that training courses are simply not fit for purpose in tackling due to relevance, complexity or overall length.
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) represents the companies, large and small, that design, deliver and manage our built environment. Its members are the delivery partners of choice for government on “levelling up” projects and programmes. Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Guto Davies, Head of Policy at ACE said:“While the ‘12 national missions’ are welcome to drive activity and ensure spending remains both targeted and on track, they are nothing without properly structured long-term financing for local government to realise these political ambitions. Our concern is that the current approach remains too compartmentalised to be truly effective. “We do, however, welcome the longer-term view on levelling up. The truth is there is no panacea and only sustained investment over the longer-term will address systemic and chronic issues.” “ACE is looking forward to continuing its role as a practical partner on levelling up, and will engage with the Government on the forthcoming Levelling up and regeneration bill which was previewed in the White Paper.” Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Peter Hogg chair of ACE’s places group, and UK cities director at Arcadis, said: “Our own proposals shared last November outlined a practical five-step process to deliver levelling up. While the White Paper has gone some way to enabling this, we still feel it is a missed opportunity for a rounded financial framework which allows all local communities to truly flourish. “The headline announcement around the 20 cities earmarked for investment, as well as the range of funds mentioned in the paper, demonstrate the core issue. While welcome for the areas lucky enough to have ‘won’, replacing competition and ring-fenced funds with consolidated longer-term funding for local government would enable a joined-up approach – crucial if we are to meet the significant challenges of building more prosperous, healthy and productive communities, while delivering a Net Zero built environment. “Additionally, smaller towns and rural areas often lack the in-house planning, placemaking and design expertise to pull together compelling strategies, build business cases, and put forward viable regeneration projects. As such, the current approach unfortunately still runs the risk of creating winners and losers, when we should be spreading opportunity more equally.” For more information, please contact James Ketchell, Head of Communications at ACE at jketchell@acenet.co.uk or 07904 276 249. Read ACE’s Five Principles for Levelling Up Success.
The Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has released initial blueprints for the long-awaited Levelling Up White Paper. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of RTPI, has put together the following statement in response: “The Royal Town Planning Institute is reservedly optimistic of the Secretary of State’s initial briefing. There is clear recognition of the built environment’s vital role in addressing economic inequality and shifting power closer to communities. Planning is more than delivering homes, it encompasses transport, health, work, environmental sustainability, and other policy areas across the missions that Michael Gove has mentioned. “The regeneration of 20 towns and cities is a positive first step for the Levelling Up White Paper. Previous regeneration projects have put strategic planning at their heart and shown how the planning system can set the context for development, creating a more sustainable and healthier built environment. The RTPI hope the model established by these schemes can be adopted across England to help communities restore pride in the places they live, work and interact. “Our members will be encouraged by these initial announcements. Planners are passionate about the communities that they live and work in. Our members tell us consistently that being resourced appropriately to engage communities and reflect their needs in development is the most important factor. The right level of support can help to make a planner’s career fulfilling and bring planning professionals to the table early and often can create better economies of scale. “The RTPI will be keeping a close watch in the coming days, but it is our ambition that the planning system will be provided with the adequate recognition and resourcing necessary to benefit housing delivery, better quality development and regional imbalances to create and shape communities that citizens can be proud of.”
