Investment Fund - Feasibility and Development Funding Application Form

SCHEME : A Masterplan for the urban living opportunity area in the North Fringe

1. Lead Organisation

WECA

2. Partner organisations

South Council City Council Local Members Development industry reps Network Rail Great Western Railway - Station Facilities Operator Bus operators Business reps Highways

UWE

3. Scheme contact details

Name: Laura Ambler- (INTERIM Sophie [email protected] Donaldson in support until recruitment of Strategic Masterplanning Lead officer)

Telephone: 07436 629 434 01454 868384

4. Scheme Type – mark with an X

Transport

Non-Transport Housing Enabling

Business Support

Skills

Other (please specify) Strategic Masterplanning

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5. Is this investment linked to any others within the early investment or wider Investment Fund programme? If so please set out the relationship and linkages.

The ‘North Fringe’ area is the engine of the West of England economy. Enterprise Area (FEA) alone accommodates almost 50% of ’s employment and is home to an agglomeration of globally significant businesses in the likes of; - Aerospace design, research and manufacture - Defence - Advanced manufacturing - Emerging materials technologies (working closely with the National Composite Centre located at the Bristol and Bath Science Park) - Information technology, maximising the potential of superfast broadband - Micro-electronics research and design

With allocated employment space to provide for up to 12,000 further jobs to 2026, masterplanning work needs to be in place to support the ambition to retain and grow these key sectors. West of England funding already supports a series of vital projects in the area, notably; - CPNN – The development of the former Filton Airfield site as a new neighbourhood with high-quality, innovative housing design and community integrated with employment opportunity - CPME – Development of quality bus infrastructure to connect the North Fringe with Bristol Parkway and with the wider transport network - Metrowest 2 – Increased frequency of rail services and extension of the line to Filton North and Henbury - Umbrella – A globally-significant R&D Testbed connecting UWE and the Bristol & Bath Science Park with ambition to extend to FEA. This is directly engaging key sectors and research programmes in the North Fringe - SGS STEAM Campus – A new college campus supporting the skills development required for the locally-dominant sectors

The North Fringe is also seeing unprecedented growth for South Gloucestershire in the Leisure and Tourism industry. An offer is emerging which is unrivalled in the nearby city centre locations in terms of new and unique experiences. will be home to a new indoor ice rink and a Sky-dive centre whilst a mere 5 minutes’ drive away at is the first inland surfing venue in the northern hemisphere to use Wavegarden Cove technology providing over 1,000 waves an hour. Planning applications are also now coming forward for the Bristol Arena as a conversion of three aircraft hangars on the former Airfield site. With a potential capacity for 17,000 people, this would also be a significant leisure attraction.

The North-Fringe is preparing for rapid expansion across multiple sectors. There is now an opportunity to coordinate this with the need to consider increased housing densities linked to the strategic transport offer through a comprehensive masterplan approach as well as providing an infrastructure evidence base towards achieving our journey to net Carbon Zero. It will focus on infrastructure potential through corridors in the North Fringe and to and from it, from Bristol and the tech arch from the Science Park. It will include consideration of strategic transport infrastructure, digital connectivity and heat networks.

Project Linkages (housing and strategic transport).

Future development - Urban Living requirement The JSP included a minimum of 2,900 dwellings to be delivered in urban/brownfield locations

2 Feasibility and Development Funding Application Form which would have required increased density and new approaches to development design, in suitable locations, including the North Fringe. Despite current developments with the JSP timeline, national planning policy (NPPF: Feb 2019) is explicit in requiring planning policies and decision to make the most efficient use of land in sustainable town centres and transport nodes. In any event, the next Local Plan for South Gloucestershire will need to demonstrate that urban living principles are being planned for in appropriate areas of the North Fringe. The delivery of housing growth will rely in part on the effective planning of all public services, including strategic transport improvements.

The need for future development in the North Fringe is highly likely to remain and this masterplanning evidence base will help inform future development plans as they progress.

Metrowest (Phase 2) and Cribbs Metrobus Extension (CPME): Significant new public transport infrastructure to support the large housing developments underway in the North Fringe include two new stations on the Henbury line (close to the Brabazon hanger in CPNN and at Henbury) and a new Metrobus route from Bristol Parkway to Cribbs Causway shopping centre. The new strategic transport infrastructure will support the Filton Enterprise Area and will link back to the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone as well as the potential new Arena at Brabazon and other visitor attractions like the Concorde Museum. It is also likely to support increased densities at the Filton Airfield development provide communities with direct access to the local regional and national rail network and build significant new levels of resilience into our local transport network.

Parkway Rail Station: Bristol Parkway is a significant gateway to the West of England. Over a million passengers currently use the station every year and it is a key interchange station as well as having significant local demand. It is the only WoE rail station that has been electrified and combined with the recent new platform and signalling, giving increased capacity and reliability, it is forecast to have consistent and significant growth in future years. In December the timetable at Bristol Parkway changed. There will be more trains and journey times to London will be reduced by between 5 and 18 minutes with some trains running non-stop to London. The new timetable will allow GWR to run more trains and longer trains, adding up to 30% more capacity to the mainline routes. The new fleet of IET can call in electric mode meaning a cleaner and quieter station. Station forecourt improvements to accommodate east/west CPME through the station, including new Metrobus stops will be completed in the coming months. The rail station and further improvements to sustainable access and urban realm will be central to a strategic transport led master plan for urban living in the North Fringe.

Abbeywood, Henbury, Patchway and Filton North rail stations: Filton Abbey Wood is located close to significant areas of population and employment including UWE and the MOD (11,000 jobs). New development will increase demand and a new platform has been added which will in the future serve those trains running to stations on the Henbury line.

Patchway station is on the Cardiff - Bristol route and close to significant areas of employment in Filton and at CPNN and significant housing. The station is now fully accessible following the installation of lifts; and cycling and walking routes to the station are being improved.

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Henbury station - developing a new railway station to serve Henbury is a key part of MetroWest Phase 2. Previous studies have identified that there are two options for the location of a new Henbury station to be developed as part of the Cribbs/Patchway New Neighbourhood development.

Filton North – This station is also a key part of delivering Metrowest phase 2, with the station's reopening set to provide transport links to the proposed arena and it integral to the development of the new Brabazon neighbourhood on the former airfield site (part of the Cribbs/Patchway New Neighbourhood).

The existing and new stations will support the potential for urban living and will be within the scope of the North Fringe Master plan.

Key Future project linkages:

• Mass Rapid Transit • 25 Year Rail Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) • Highways England/WECA Strategic Study

Other projects underway:

• Strategic park and ride • Bus infrastructure • Minor station improvements

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6. Total Funding required for this phase of works

A. Spending Profile (£)

19/20 20/21 21/22 Total

Investment Fund £10,000 £400,000 £90,000 £500,000

Match Funding £120,000 £155,000 £275,000 Housing Capacity Fund (HCF)*

*shared with Yate/Charfield

Cost Breakdown (£)

Investment Fund (£) Match Funding (£)

In house staff costs (WECA £20,000 £ Strategic masterplanning Director and HoS)) lead costs through existing IF award.

S.Glos staff costs £162,830 £230,000

Third Party Support £317,170 £45,000

Other (please specify)

Other (please specify)

Total £500,000 £275,000

7. Please describe the scheme to be developed (including its objectives and expected impacts) and the proposed activity to be undertaken through this investment.

Details of the scheme to be delivered: This funding application seeks to deliver a Masterplan for the North Fringe centred on creating the right conditions, sites and areas for urban living, high quality public realm and strategic transport opportunities in a zero-carbon environment. It will facilitate a higher density of development, promotion of walking, cycling and public transport and mixture of homes, jobs, leisure, key services and facilities, to create exceptional places and developments. A Masterplan for the North Fringe Urban Living Opportunity area: It will be focussed on a triangle of town centres, transport nodes and opportunities sites. Formed by the gateway of Bristol Parkway station to Patchway station in the north, with connections to town centre, Filton Abbey Wood and then west to Filton Town Centre and south to

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the UWE campus and opportunity site in that area. It will focus on infrastructure potential through corridors in the North Fringe and to and from it, from Bristol and the tech arch from the Science Park. It will include consideration of strategic transport infrastructure, digital connectivity and heat networks.

Strategic Fit The North Fringe is growing rapidly in multiple sectors. It is the gateway to the West of England. The opportunity to prepare a masterplan centred on the strategic transport offer, in order to support future urban living, will build on the dynamic growth in globally significant business and leisure and tourism. See section 5 for more detail. The masterplan will need to demonstrate deliverable infrastructure, sites and area-based regeneration which are of sufficient detail to be set in planning policy, allocations/safeguarding designations in the new Local Plan for the district. This application for £500k will be matched with the HCF funding of £275k (to be shared with Yate and Charfield).

Objectives The objectives of the North Fringe Urban Living Opportunity Area Masterplan are to: • Provide an evidence base to identify the needs, issues, challenges and opportunities for the area, to inform thinking around public realm and linkages and development scale and type to meet the needs of future growth including the zero-carbon agenda; • Work up an agreed Vision for the Masterplan area which responds to the issues and challenges identified; • Secure stakeholder endorsement for the Vision and investment priorities; • Provide a framework of clearly identified principles and objectives within which individual schemes may be progressed to deliver the agreed Vision for the North Fringe Urban Living Opportunity Area; and, • Suggest strategic and area-based policy criteria which can be embed in new planning policy • Set out a supporting diagram and area-based mapping arrived at through evidence-based work to inform detailed strategic and area-based designations in the Local Plan. In particular sites, routes and areas for the following are needed: o Sites and areas where high density development should be directed, o Green infrastructure, walking and cycling routes should be planned for and provided o Routes and sites for strategic transport infrastructure should be safeguarded.

Details of the activities to be undertaken through this feasibility or development phase:

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Proposed Activity The following work is considered necessary to develop and refine options for the North Fringe Urban Living Opportunity Area Masterplan:

Stage 1 -Background report of issues and identification of strategic objectives and long- term vision for the study area. To understand the current situation and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and Threats (SWOT). A background report will be produced at stage 1. The report will include the following. • Planning and Policy context – Understand and analyse the vision and policy objectives at a local, regional and national level and any outstanding planning consents. • Review of other dependent projects and linkages across the North Fringe –There are a number of other related projects and a strategic overview of these projects is required. • Understanding of the landownership, urban context and current uses – building on information already available to the Council, record and map the registered land ownership and business use for the study area. • Identify existing issues – Identify the current issues and challenges. This will be informed through: o Desk based analysis of information such as retail, employment land and housing information data, feedback from stakeholders, existing traffic counts, bus patronage and road casualty data etc. o Qualitative assessment of context including public realm, green infrastructure, heritage assets, landscape and townscape within the study area. o Review of station infrastructure in the form of waiting facilities, passenger information, bus priority, access issues etc. for the rail stations and on route provision within the study area. o Having regard to the work being delivered as part of the Local Cycling and Walking Investment Plan undertake a quality audit of existing walking and cycling routes to and from key trip attractors. o Review of interchange facilities for, public transport, drop off and taxi provision, giving consideration of accessibility issues and wayfinding. o Gaining an understanding of the land values and market demands/economic strategy to support change of use. o Consider how best to bring forward urban living development o Consider how best to support employment land, demand and infrastructure to support this

o Interviews with representatives of businesses to understand future aspirations and opportunities. o Analysis of existing infrastructure and any constraints.

• Strategic objectives and long term-vision for the Masterplan area – informed by the

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issues and challenges identified, produce a set of strategic objectives with specific context-based principles for different parts of the study area.

Stage 2 - Develop options in accordance with the long-term vision and assess against the strategic objectives Following sign off of stage 1, different development scenarios will be identified and a series of proposal options will be developed to respond and address the objectives, issues and constraints. The concepts will be assessed against the strategic objectives to provide recommended options for public engagement. In accordance with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government advice on the key points to take into account on design, options will promote: • character in townscape and landscape by responding to and reinforcing local distinctive patterns of development, landscape and culture; • public spaces and routes that are attractive, safe, uncluttered and work effectively for all in society including disabled and elderly people; • accessibility and local permeability by making places that connect with each other and are easy to move through, putting people before traffic and integrating land uses, supporting employment opportunities, and transport; • legibility through development that provides, recognisable routes, intersections and landmarks to help people find their way around; • adaptability through development that can respond to changing social, technological and economic conditions; • diversity and choice through a mix of compatible developments and uses that work together to create viable places that respond to local needs. It is envisaged that each project area will require a range of different design outputs which respond to the issues identified and will include minimum categories of connectivity, public realm, built form/character, land uses and viability.

Stage 3 Produce and consult on the Masterplan for incorporation into the emerging Local Plan and supporting Masterplan. Draft key strategic and area-based policy criteria to inform local planning policy. Provide strategic and area-based diagrams, policies map boundaries and supporting documents with detail to evidence local plan designation of Urban Living high density areas, design and public realm enhancements, key routes, sites, green infrastructure and transport schemes. Following public consultation, the final product output is envisaged to be North Fringe Urban Living policies and supporting Masterplan to seek to aid infrastructure delivery, setting out in detail the need, timing and type of housing and infrastructure required.

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8. Please set out how the activities to be undertaken through this Feasibility and Development Funding Application will be managed and resourced. If use of consultants or other third parties is proposed, please describe how these have been or will be procured.

Details: It is expected that the project will be managed in house by WECA. It is expected that a dedicated resource will lead and manage the work with support from consultants, via the WECA Professional Services Framework. Project governance will include SGC, BCC and WECA.

Internal input will be provided from the SGC in house specialist disciplines such as Planning, transport, Legal, Property, Engineering, Environmental and Communications.

It is expected that a procurement process for consultants will involve joint commissioning between SGC and WECA, as appropriate.

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9. What output will be produced using the funds awarded as part of this Feasibility and Development Fund Application, and when will this be completed?

Mark with an X Date (mmm/yy)

Feasibility Study Report

Option Development Report

Option Appraisal Report

Outline Business Case

Full Business Case/

Second Stage Skills Capital

Application

Other: Strategic Infrastructure June 2021 led Masterplan which will be used to inform policy (strategic and local and (WECA Investment Infrastructure and Investment Delivery Plan)

10. When do you plan to start and complete your project and what are the main project milestones? Please include the milestones related to the feasibility or development work to be undertaken through this application and the milestones for the subsequent implementation phase through to completion.

A. Milestones for the activities through this Feasibility and Development Funding

Milestone Date (mmm/yy)

Appoint delivery team Feb 2020

Procure and appoint consultants April 2020

Completion of Stage 1 Background report Sept 2020

Presentation of options to project governance and stakeholders October 2020

Completion of draft concepts and options and draft Masterplan Jan 2021

Consultation complete March 2021

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Completion of Strategic Infrastructure led Masterplan June 2021

B. Planned milestones for scheme development or delivery beyond this initial phase.

Milestone Date (mmm/yy)

Agreement of how the Strategic Infrastructure led Masterplan will be taken forward in Strategic and Local Plan policy and Sept 2021 designations and the WECA Infrastructure Investment Delivery Plan (IIDP).

11. Application sign off by the promoting organisation:

Senior Responsible Name: Laura Ambler

Owner Signature:

Date: 20th December 2019

Section 151/Chief Name: David Carter Finance Officer Signature:

Date: 20th December 2019

Date approved by WECA Committee:

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