Agenda item

Objective : Understanding the delivery of social value in the Golden Valley development

Paul Minnis, Director of Major Development and Regeneration

Amy Keates, Head of Construction

The Chair welcomed Paul Minnis, Director of Major Development and Regeneration, Richard King, Head of Construction and Amy Keates, Construction Project Manager,

from the Golden Valley Development (GVD) team, thanking them for their report and their work so far.  Responses to Members’ written questions had been provided and there were no follow-ups.  She said the objective is to increase understanding of the delivery of social value with GVD, and invited Members to ask further questions.

Members welcomed the excellent report, and in response to their questions, GVD officers confirmed that:

-       safety and reducing crime is crucial and is being highlighted and considered as part of the Social Value Strategy.  This is currently a working draft, and a lot of detail will be drawn out over the next 12 months;

-       the team will be working closely with the chosen construction company to ensure that the effects of construction traffic, including its CO2 emissions, are taken into account. Phase  1 of the construction period will include well-lit paths and on-site patrols, with answers to other questions to be drawn out over the next 12-18 months;

-       construction traffic is inevitable with any development but actions can be taken to minimise its impact, such as ensuring the contractor uses pre-defined routes, excludes larger vehicles from suburban areas, agrees a good logistics plan for getting construction vehicles in and out of the site, identifies suitable parking and offloading facilities, and provides on-site facilities for construction workers to minimise to-ing and fro-ing throughout the day;

-       also being drafted into the document is the promotion of local suppliers and workers, with a key performance indicator of a 30-mile radius from the site, although some materials will need to be brought in from further afield;

-       regarding the juxtaposition of a high-security cyber centre with the low-level petty crime and anti-social behaviour of the surrounding area, the vision is very much for the new development to be an extension of West Cheltenham and at the same time to enhance local communities through different initiatives.  These include contractors visiting local schools to talk about opportunities in the construction industry, giving talks to the community and holding drop-in sessions with the opportunity to meet the site and project managers and discuss how the development is progressing.  It will also elevate the area with walkways, sports provision and green space, all available to local communities, and involve initiatives which potentially give local people priority for employment.  Officers are thinking about the bigger picture, and the long-lasting impact and legacy of the development, and has received good feedback so far from the Plexall community engagement project, which is looking at how we can improve and support people in Springbank and Hesters Way;

-       apprenticeships and work experience are a big part of the tender, and officers are already building a relationship and links with the construction college in Cheltenham, and aiming to involve people of all ages and abilities in the development.

-       regarding communications and marketing, and the some residents’ perception that the GVD is a ‘vanity project’ in West Cheltenham with no benefits for the rest of the town, the team is very much working on changing perceptions and ensuring that people understand that there will be benefits for the whole of Cheltenham.  The communications and marketing team are involved in the social value strategy to help get the message across;

-       with reference to the minimum lease period for future tenants and the positive impact of a stable, long-term tenant base,  lease negotiations are driven by equity market forces.  Average lease lengths have come down over recent years from 25 years to five or less, and the team have to get the balance right between tenants who want to commit to the scheme through a relatively long lease, and those who are starting up or scaling up, in the cyber security field, for example, and require more flexibility.  They are aiming for a broad range of tenants.

The Chair thanked the team for their report, saying she appreciated the KPIs which will act as a measure of success and can be used to change the strategy as it progresses.  The Cabinet Member for Major Development and Housing Delivery thanked Members for their questions and observations before the report is taken to Cabinet, and concurred that it was important that residents understand that the Golden Valley Development will not only bring jobs and economic benefits to Cheltenham, but through social value will transform lives across the town.  He thanked the team, and also everyone at HBD for their hard work.

The Chair said she is keen to keep the Golden Valley Development high on the agenda, making sure that councillors are able to share beneficial communications and keep residents as informed as possible.