Planning Consultancy · UK public procurement notice

Lot 1: Planning Services and Support

What services shall be provided:

The scope of the contract will cover services that allow UKPN the ability and the capacity to fulfill any statutory planning requirements under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, General Permitted Development Order 2015 & Planning Act 2008 (NSIP), and any other relevant legislation across the company operational estate.

This may include but is not limited to:

• Seeking pre-application advice from Local Planning Authorities for new sites and development.
• Obtaining planning consent for new development;
• Supporting and coordinating legal agreements as may be required by the planning process;
• Seeking consent for the demolition of existing buildings;
• Obtaining consent for extending existing sites or works on existing land and buildings;
• Obtaining material and non-material amendment consents for existing permissions;
• Change of use applications;
• Associated applications for non-electricity uses (domestic/commercial);
• Seeking consents for construction compounds associated with overhead line / underground cable transition;
• Seeking exemptions from the S37 regime for overhead lines; and
• Provision of general advice in relation to permitted development activities and activities associated to the provision of our statutory undertaking.

Provision of third-party services:

Also, it is intended that when required and not sourced directly by UKPN, the associated requirements be sourced, coordinated, and managed by the successful bidder to provide seamlessly joined-up delivery. This will include:

• Party Wall Agreements (both associated with new project work and 3rd party);
• Rights of Light;
• Rights of Air;
• Landscape assessment and design;
• Contamination / Ground / Soil investigations & reports;
• Noise surveys;
• Ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain Reports;
• Arboricultural Assessments;
• Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Assessment;
• Highways and transport assessments (including Section 278 agreements);
• Communication consultants;
• Lighting assessments; and
• Flood Risk Assessments and drainage reports.

Lot 2: Biodiversity Net Gain Support and Unit Reservation

What services shall be provided:

The contract will cover services that will allow UKPN the ability and the capacity to fulfil their requirements as may be set out under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, the Environment Act 2021 and any other relevant legislation across the company's operational estate.

This may include but is not limited to:

• Advice in relation to achieving BNG requirements in relation to planning applications;
• Representing UKPN's interests at a local and national policy level in relation to future amendments to the BNG legislation (e.g. amendments to the exemptions regulations, local BNG policy targets etc);
• Supporting the planning application process to confirm and ensure BNG delivery;
• Identification and management of purchase of 3rd party biodiversity units; and
• Support on UKPN's BNG strategy (both in relation planning applications and OFGEM commitments).

Purchase of 3rd Party Biodiversity Units:

It is intended that the successful bidder will be able to provide access to the purchase of biodiversity units across the UKPN region. The provision of these units will be sourced, co-ordinated and managed by the successful bidder to provide a seamless joined up delivery. This may include but is not limited to:

• A reservation agreement for biodiversity units anticipated to be required for the delivery of UKP''s statutory undertaking;
• The delivery of a unit bank for the purpose of UKPN's use within their DNO area; and
• Purchase of Biodiversity units on a project by project basis to deliver BNG as required by legislation.

What services shall be provided:

The contract will cover services that will allow UKPN the ability and the capacity to fulfil their requirements as may be set out under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, the Highways Act 1980 and any other relevant legislation across the company's operational estate.

This may include but is not limited to:

• Production of Transport Assessments/Statements;
• General advice on the highways/transport impacts of proposed development or construction activities;
• Production and co-ordination of Construction Traffic Management Plans to support planning applications;
• Management of S278 application process;
• Production of technical and civil drawings in accordance with highways specifications to support S278 applications.

Provision of 3rd party services:

It is intended that, if the successful bidder is unable to provide the following services, they will be sourced, co-ordinated and managed by the successful bidder to provide a seamless joined up delivery. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Provision of Road Safety Audits in accordance with S278 requirements; and
• Undertaking of speed and traffic count surveys.

What services shall be provided:

The contract will cover services that will allow UKPN the ability and the capacity to fulfil statutory and non-statutory engagement requirements as may be set out under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, National Planning Policy Framework (NPF), local planning policy and any other relevant legislation across the company's operational estate.

This may include but is not limited to:

• Providing Stakeholder Engagement strategies align with planning and consenting programmes.
• Co-ordinating and supporting engagement with local political stakeholders.
• Supporting and co-ordinating engagement with third party local stakeholders (e.g. schools, community groups).
• Producing collateral required to support stakeholder engagement strategy (e.g. letters, websites and display boards).
• Organising and supporting in-person and online engagement events required to support planning applications and construction activities.
• Production of Statement of Community Involvement's as required to support planning applications.
• Support in responding to and engaging on complaints and objections that may arise during the planning process.
• Provision of general advice in relation stakeholder engagement and communication for UKPN's activities associated to the provision of our statutory undertaking.

Provision of 3rd Party Services:

It is intended that the associated requirements to the stakeholder engagement and communication activities be sourced, co-ordinated and managed by the successful bidder to provide seamlessly joined up delivery. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Print and display services;
• Distribution activities (posting and delivery of letters and notifications);
• Hire of venues required for engagement events; and
• Graphic design and website design services.