INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PLANNING (IDP) AND THE LSP
The Local Development Framework (LDF), SCS and IDP
The LDF is the spatial expression of the SCS vision for the borough. The LDF is a collection of local development documents, and the key document within this is the ‘Ealing Development Strategy 2026’. It contains a vision, strategy and policies relating to existing and new housing, transport, employment, green space, and community facilities, to cover the period 2011-2026.
An Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) is required as evidence to support the Development Strategy 2026 (DS), to demonstrate that the DS can be implemented sustainably. The IDP will demonstrate how infrastructure will be delivered in the right places and at the right times, and by whom, to support the anticipated amount of development in the borough. Most detail is required for the first 5 years (2011-2016). The IDP will seek to deliver the spatial requirements to fulfil the ambitions for the local area set out within the SCS.
The flow diagram attached as Appendix Two sets out the relationships between the SCS, LDF and other relevant strategies.
IDP progress – IDP report and delivery schedule.
The IDP includes a report (with mapping) and delivery schedule. The IDP report includes an audit of various social, physical and green infrastructure (eg education, health, culture sports and leisure, transport, waste, utilities, emergency services). Information gaps around types of infrastructure yet to be included are acknowledged below. A supply and demand analysis is included for each type of infrastructure, as details of standards, costs (where known) and delivery mechanisms for proposed infrastructure over a 15 year period, with most detail provided for the first 5 years. The current draft IDP report is a ’living’ document, being updated as research continues and partners’ plans and strategies and changes to funding streams emerge.
The most critical infrastructure (that upon which implementation of the development strategy relies) is highlighted in the report, by type of infrastructure and by area/locality. Scenario testing is included around high/medium/low population projections and risks to delivery of infrastructure provision and contingency plans are set out. Mapping of various types of existing and proposed infrastructure are included.[1]
The IDP Delivery Schedule (see Appendix 3) provides useful summary spreadsheet information on what, where, when and who will provide the various infrastructure. Details of costs, risks and contingencies are also identified, as well as whether sites for new provision will be required.
Emerging findings and information still required
The emerging IDP findings to date are that:
- Primarily infrastructure providers are changing the ways of delivering their services, although some new provision (and sites) are required eg for schools)
- The critical infrastructure required to support the anticipated development set out in the Development Strategy 2026 includes Crossrail, education and health facilities
- Ealing’s population projections are largely attributed to natural growth (rather than in-migration)
- Baseline information on existing infrastructure provision, demand, and capital programmes from infrastructure services/providers of further and higher education, acute care and mental health care. The LSP Executive are requested to help provide information and/or contacts to help fill these gaps.
- Additional information on the supply and demand issues and capital programmes re: of infrastructure providers of voluntary sector, energy, utilities, ambulance and fire service, open space, libraries, community centres. The LSP Executive are also requested to help provide information and/or contacts to help fill these gaps.
- Additional information on existing and planned infrastructure in adjacent boroughs
- Consistency check with LBE Property Strategy
Difficulties encountered in producing the first draft IDP include:
- Keeping up-to date on the evolving strategies of infrastructure providers
- Engagement of some partners
- Fragility of funding streams – eg BSF and PCT
- Emphasis on longer-term planning
- Establishing standards of provision (eg provision required per head of population)
Implications of findings
The IDP is iterative. The IDP seeks to demonstrate that planned infrastructure can support the development quantums anticipated. The report includes detail of contingencies which set out how the Council may however deal with potential risks to infrastructure delivery (eg withdrawl of funding streams). The development quantums and/or their phasing as identified in the LDF Development Strategy 2026 may therefore need to be reviewed if the IDP findings indicate that, for whatever reasons, the required infrastructure cannot be delivered in the right places and at the right times to support sustainable communities.
How the IDP fits with existing LSP responsibilities
The IDP will help to:
- Deliver the Sustainable Community Strategy vision and LAAs
- Achieve efficiency savings in service delivery/reduce costs
- Enable partners to see where investment is planned and how it can be better coordinated (eg to identify opportunities for co-location)
- Communicate confidence to businesses and communities (through providing a summary of evidence of planned investment by the Council and other infrastructure providers)
- Prioritise investment decisions by type of infrastructure and by locality
- Provide a spatial dimension to service plans (promoting place-shaping and the emerging localism agenda)
- Provide evidence of need for infrastructure
- Identify critical dependencies
- Identify risks and contingencies
- Monitor need and delivery
How the IDP fits with LSP evolving role and responsibilities
Suggestions are sought from the LSP as to how the IDP can be integrated into the evolving LSP structure and responsibilities, which may become more project-based. This could potentially include:
- Identifying an LSP delivery lead against the infrastructure projects set out on the IDP schedule
- Adding NI indicators against projects
Next Steps in production of the IDP
The IDP is to be reported to Cabinet (20 July 2010) as one of various LDF documents, seeking approval for public consultation during Sept-Nov 2010 (including a specific event on Infrastructure). The ongoing IDP work required, timescales and reporting include:
- To establish links with and obtain data from other service providers including further and higher education, acute care, mental health care, open space, voluntary sector, energy, utilities and ambulance and fire service on existing infrastructure provision, future need and capital programmes
- Commissioning search for Primary School sites (Planning Policy and Education dept)
- Making explicit the ‘critical kit’
- Updating findings based on emerging research (eg LBE Population Study)
- Undertaking consistency checks (eg with LBE Property Strategy)
- Securing validation and sign-off by partners
- Using IDP evidence to inform priorities for developer contributions in the emerging s106 Supplementary Planning Guidance
- Formal submission to Inspectorate Jan 2011 for examination May 2011
- Monitoring infrastructure project delivery, impact of population change and infrastructure needs
- Annual update of the IDP schedule
The LSP is asked to:
- Note the process and timescales for production of the IDP
- Consider identifying and including LSP leads for infrastructure project delivery on the IDP schedule
- Consider including NI referencing against projects in the IDP schedule as a tool to help monitor progress and delivery of projects for which the LSP have responsibility.
- Consider the existing and future role of the LSP Executive in the IDP as oversight, providers and users of infrastructure, or both
APPENDIX TWO
Flow diagram – To be circulated at LSP Exec Committee meeting
[Showing IDP/LDF/SCS/SCI/Property Strategy/LDF Sites document etc]
APPENDIX THREE
Infrastructure Delivery Plan Schedule
[Attach A4 pdf or Excel]
[1]Examples of mapping will be circulated at the LSP Executive meeting