City Deal Update Report
North Lanarkshire Council · 17 February 2023
Back to Enterprise and Fair Work Committee — 17 February 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Enterprise and Fair Work Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☐ Yes ☒ No Ref LN/PH Date 17/02/23 City Deal Update Report Programme of Work PO21 From Pamela Humphries, Chief Officer of Place E-mail NobleLy@northlan.gov.uk Telephone Lyndsay Noble 07970016256 Executive Summary The North Lanarkshire City Deal Programme Update report seeks to inform the Enterprise and Fair Work Committee of the current status of North Lanarkshire City Deal Infrastructure subprojects. Recommendations It is recommended that the Committee: 1) Note the status and recent progress of North Lanarkshire City Deal infrastructure subprojects. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve economic opportunities and outcomes Ambition statement (5) Grow and improve the sustainability and diversity of North Lanarkshire's economy
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1. Background 1.1 The Glasgow City Region (GCR) City Deal is an agreement between the UK and Scottish Governments and the eight GCR Local Authorities, with the sole focus of creating additional economic growth. The 20-year GCR Deal was accepted by GCR Council Leaders on 20 August 2014 and incorporated: • implementing a £1.13bn Infrastructure Fund to improve the regional transport network, regenerate sites for economic use and improve public transport provision; • supporting growth in the life sciences sector; • helping small and medium enterprises to grow and develop; • establishing programmes to support the unemployed; and • piloting new ways of boosting the incomes of low wage employees. 1.2 The City Deal programme for North Lanarkshire as part of the Infrastructure Fund comprises the following projects: • A8/M8 Corridor Access Improvements o Strategic Active Travel o Orchard farm Roundabout • Glenboig Link Road (complete) • Pan-Lan Orbital Transport Corridor o East Airdrie Link Road o Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure o Motherwell Town Centre Transport Interchange 2. Report 2.1 Motherwell Town Centre Transport Interchange (MTCTI) 2.1.1 The redevelopment of Motherwell Rail Station by ScotRail’s appointed contractor, Balfour Beatty, is due to complete in March 2023. Over recent months, work has focussed on the new extensions to the station building, new roof structure and glazing. Access to the station and platforms for passengers has continued to be maintained throughout the improvements. The temporary ticket office in the station forecourt has been removed and relocated into the new retail unit space, until the new travel shop is complete. 2.1.2 Committee will be aware that Balfour Beatty has also been appointed by the council to undertake the improvement works to Muir Street comprising expansion of the bus stop; provision of a new access road to Motherwell Rail Station with new taxi rank and public realm improvements. 2.1.3 Both the Motherwell Rail Station and Muir Street contracts were scheduled to be complete by July 2022. Due to delays primarily in delivering the station contract, the station works are now expected to be complete in March 2023. Through joint working with Balfour Beatty and ScotRail, it is anticipated that the Muir Street works will be completed ahead of the station works, during February 2023. Due to the need to ensure safe pedestrian access between the expanded bus stop and Motherwell rail station, reopening of the bus stop occurred at the end of January. SPT have been notified and have communicated this timescale to bus operators.
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2.1.4 Some road closures of short duration have been put in place to date for the Muir Street works to carry out some activities safely. For each road closure, advance notification is provided to local businesses and the public (through signage on site, website updates and other communication channels). Road closures have been arranged at weekends to minimise disruption to the town centre. The majority of work requiring road closures is now complete, however a further closure may be needed to install the new pedestrian crossing from the east side of Muir Street to the bus stop area. 2.1.5 Officers within the Enterprise Projects Team are working with the communication team at Balfour Beatty and the Motherwell Rail Station Communications Group to ensure that communications are coordinated across both contracts. 2.1.6 Community Benefit outcome delivery by the contractor is progressing well. To date, a number of skills, employability and training initiatives and community project have been delivered. In recent months, a site visit has been held with local school children; local groups have been supported via a volunteering day undertaken with Balfour Beatty staff assisting to lay paving slabs and install a shed and foodbank voucher support and materials have been donated to a local school. The provision of benches for a local church and group will be completed in early January. 2.1 Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure 2.2.1 The Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure project comprises three projects: • a new road connection between Motherwell and Ravenscraig from Airbles Road, passing under the West Coast Main Line railway, and on to the Regional Sports Facility • completing the dualling of Airbles Road between Airbles Farm Road and Hamilton Road and improving facilities pedestrians and cyclists • upgrading the A723 for three kilometres from the New Craig Road junction at Ravenscraig to the M8 at Holytown to create a dual carriageway and shared footway/cycleway 2.2.2 The project will be delivered in phases, beginning with the new rail bridge for the future connection between Motherwell and Ravenscraig. 2.2.3 Significant progress has been made by Story Contracting, with the construction of the new bridge structure complete in December and ahead of programme. Whilst not shortening the overall programme, this provides greater programme contingency for the works that are required to take place over the winter months. Works during early 2023 ahead of the track closure will focus on preparations for works to the track and associated reequipment. 2.2.4 In preparation for the next 3 phases of works, the project team: • have completed the Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the Construction of the dual carriageway into Ravenscraig ready for publication during March. The outcome of the procurement will be reported to committee in due course. It is intended that the works will start in the autumn following City Deal and Committee approval, and once the bridge is fully complete. The delay to this tender has been to allow design of additional works to improve safety for road users and Non-Motorised Users at the existing roundabout by the Regional Sports Facility.
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• competed negotiations with the bridge contractor for advance preparatory works for the new dual carriageway to both simplify the contractual relationship with Network Rail and the Council during our works and to mitigate the impact of time lost to the additional design work noted above • negotiated to remove the one objection to the Compulsory Purchase Order to allow the construction of the dual carriageway into Ravenscraig and continue to seek to negotiate with all other owners and occupiers for the remaining land required to deliver all parts of the Ravenscraig Infrastructure Access project. Acquisitions are reported to, and approved as required by, Finance and Resources Committee; and • have progressed refining and developing the detailed proposals for the dualling of the A723 from Ravenscraig to the M8 at Holytown. 2.2.5 Related to this project, a planning application has been approved, land acquired and site clearance works commenced on the alternative location for the Evans Halshaw Ford car dealership. The dealership will relocate to part of the nearby former Taggarts site which has laid vacant for some time. This will allow the existing Evans Halshaw Ford car dealership to be retained within Motherwell whist facilitating the new road connection between Motherwell and Ravenscraig. The new dealership will occupy the front part of the site with the rear part of the site being made available for residential development, potentially as part of the council’s new supply programme. 2.3 East Airdrie Link Road 2.3.1 East Airdrie Link Road will provide a new strategic link between the M8 and south Cumbernauld. Following a detailed Stage 2 option appraisal, and a further review of the emerging option, a preferred route has now been agreed. Feedback from an earlier Stage 2 public consultation was reviewed and additional options were assessed at the northern section of the proposed link road. Further public consultation has taken place from 28 November to 23 January (8 weeks) on the preferred route and on the environmental report as part of the Strategic Environmental Appraisal. The feedback and comments from this consultation will be full considered moving into Stage 3 as the specimen design and planning application is developed. 2.3.2 As previously reported, a section of the preferred route has been realigned to accommodate the proposed Monklands Hospital replacement project. The project team continue to liaise with NHS Lanarkshire to ensure coordination, secure efficiencies and to maximise benefits. 2.3.3 In line with previous approvals, the procurement for professional services for the development of the specimen design for the road, preparation of the planning application and the collation of the outline Business Case has commenced. It is intended that the ITT will be issued in March 2023 and awarded in August 2023, subject to committee approval. The outcome of this procurement activity will be brought back to Committee in line with General Contract Standing Orders. 2.3.4 The programme for the development and delivery of the EALR has been reviewed both technically and following changes to the Monklands Replacement Hospital programme, whereby the proposed hospital at Wester Moffat is anticipated be opened during 2031. The EALR programme now anticipates that the link road will be constructed between 2028 and 2030. This is to accommodate complex design and planning requirements, technical and business case approvals, land acquisition (both through voluntary and a proposed compulsory purchase order) and critically to align with the Monklands Hospital programme. The revised programme will ensure that both projects are aligned to minimise risk around funding approvals, technical consents and physical
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construction interface. It is intended that the outline business case will be submitted to Committee and GCR Cabinet in Q4 23/24 to secure the city deal funding for the significant development work prior to full business case in Q3 27/28. 2.4 Orchard Farm Roundabout 2.4.1 The ‘A8/M8 Corridor Access Improvements’ Outline Business Case (OBC) including the Orchard Farm Roundabout was approved by the GCR Cabinet on 30 August 2022. As reported, the scope of the Orchard Farm Roundabout project comprises a financial contribution of £2m to the developer for the construction of the junction on the A8. 2.4.2 The Orchard Farm Roundabout is a new junction on the A8 All Purpose Distributor Road and critically supports the development of the Mossend International Rail Freight Park (MIRP) and provides important access to a number of development sites to the north of the A8/M8. 2.4.3 MIRP is a low carbon rail-based infrastructure project with a significant co-located logistic park development. Peter D Stirling Limited (railfreight terminal operator/landowner) and Mount Park (new landowner) seek to develop the Mossend Railfreight Terminal into a European scale railfreight terminal and distribution park with all-electric facilities. MIRP is one of very few sites within the UK that can offer integrated multi-modal logistics of this scale, quality and economic value. The MIRP supported the bid for the Clyde Green Freeports. 2.4.4 The proposed Full Business Case (FBC) for the new junction will be underpinned by a funding agreement between the council and the developer/s and will establish funding arrangements, obligations and key milestones. The remainder of the costs and any associated delivery risks relating to the delivery of the infrastructure will be met by the developer/s. The infrastructure will form part of the strategic road network and will fall under the responsibility of Transport Scotland. 2.4.5 It is proposed to submit the Full Business case (FBC) for the Orchard Farm Roundabout for approval to the GCR Chief Executive’s Group in August 2023. The FBC will report on the procurement of the new Junction and associated works and is the final stage in the funding approvals to allow for contract award and the delivery of the infrastructure to progress. Agreement will be sought from Committee to submit the FBC to the GCR Chief Executives Group for approval. This would allow for works to commence in late autumn 2023, with the intention that the works would be complete in October 2024. 2.5 A8/M8 Corridor Strategic Active Travel 2.5.1 The provision of Strategic Active Travel Links, connecting Eurocentral/Maxim Office Park/Newhouse and Mossend to surrounding local communities and local rail stations was approved by GCR Cabinet on 30 August as the new preferred option for the Eurocentral sub-project. 2.5.2 The routes identified are to the south of Eurocentral between Bellshill Rail Station/town centre and the M8 cycle route at North Road; Bellshill town centre, Mossend and Holytown, connecting into Eurocentral from Holytown and between Holytown and Newhouse. To the north of Eurocentral, a route has also been identified from Whifflet rail station to the M8 cycle route at Shawhead. These routes are designated as Strategic Network Routes within the North Lanarkshire Active Travel Strategy.
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2.5.3 In total, it is aimed to deliver 10km of shared use walking and cycling routes with City Deal investment. The routes link with other planned active travel route improvements as part of the Ravenscraig Infrastructure Access and East Airdrie Link Road projects and with other projects being developed by the Infrastructure and Transportation Service. There are also opportunities to seek match funding from other external funding sources to expand the scope of the project to connect more communities to employment opportunities. 2.5.4 Further feasibility and design work has been taking place to develop the active travel routes. It is planned to appoint consultants to progress detailed design work in early spring 2023. It is then intended, subject to Committee approval, to submit the sub- project Full Business Case in Spring 2024 and commence work on site in Summer 2024. 3. Measures of success 3.1 As the second largest Local Authority within the GCR, North Lanarkshire’s residents and businesses will directly benefit from the City Deal through: • creation of 2,000 new workplace jobs, representing a 1.6% uplift in the future jobs growth forecast for North Lanarkshire; • a significant share of some 15,000 temporary construction jobs anticipated to be generated by the development of the Infrastructure Investment Fund projects – construction being a predominant local employment sector; • estimated 9.2% of North Lanarkshire working age residents having heightened access to employment opportunities within the wider GCR area; • additional tender opportunities as a result of GCR City Deal investment for North Lanarkshire Business and SME’s; • community benefits derived from all GCR City Deal contracts awarded over £50,000; and • a proportionate share of the £2.2bn per annum Gross Value Added (GVA) increase in the GCR area over the lifetime of City Deal, equivalent to 4% uplift in the region. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 No supporting document presented. Pamela Humphries Chief Officer of Place
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The City Deal Cabinet has agreed that Inclusive Growth is to be fully embedded within the GCR City Deal programme delivery and that it is also committed to supporting the delivery of the Fairer Scotland Action Plan. Future NLC subproject OBC/FBC development will be scrutinised to ensure it meets the duties of the Fairer Scotland Action Plan. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☒ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The North Lanarkshire Council City Deal Programme approved funding allocation across the 3 headline projects is as: • A8/M8 Corridor Access Improvements £6,478,521 • Glenboig Link Road (complete) £6,223,205 • Pan-Lan Orbital Transport Corridor £224,696,493 The City Deal funding comprises funding from the GCR City Deal Infrastructure Fund (£148,956,293) and North Lanarkshire Council (£88,441,926). The financial implications of the City Deal Programme are incorporated within the Council’s Long-term Financial Plan and to date budgetary implications have been approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☒ No ☐
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If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The City Deal Team work closely with Legal Services on all sub projects focusing on land acquisition and CPO, procurement and contract preparation and management, funding agreements and any other related matters. 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? All infrastructure projects developed by the Council as part of the GCR City Deal will be subject to relevant environmental and sustainability appraisal and as part of subsequent planning application approvals and procurement. Furthermore, to adhere with HM Treasury Greenbook best practice, each iteration of project business case seeking GCR City Deal funding will include a review of the sustainability considerations, this will include carbon management, involving categorisation, assessment and mitigation. 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact?
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The City Deal programme and the delivery of the projects will continue to be promoted through Corporate Communications and the Glasgow City Region’s Communications team. Specific to Muir Street Improvements, a joint communications group with Scotrail, Transport Scotland and North Lanarkshire Council has been set up to coordinate communication and promote the Motherwell Station redevelopment and the City Deal Muir Street improvements. In terms of East Airdrie Link Road, a joint communication plan will be developed with NHS Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire Council to coordinate communication, stakeholder engagement and promote the projects as they develop. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? A key risk for the City Deal Programme is the current global economic climate and its short and long term impacts on the delivery of the city deal projects. This risk is becoming a live issue for the Programme and will be assessed and recorded within the City Deal Issues Register. This is not unique to City Deal and the approach to this risk and issue management will be carried out in conjunction with Finance and the Glasgow City Region Project Management Office. Risk management of North Lanarkshire’s City Deal activity is incorporated within the council’s City Deal programme risk register which is reviewed by the City Deal Manager and reported to the council’s City Deal Board. The City Deal risks are also integrated in the Planning and Regeneration Service Risk Register. Each City Deal sub project has a detail risk register and is managed by the Project Manager. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services.