DD2202 Royal Docks Estate and Public Realm Improvements

1.1 Mayoral Decision MD 2049 approved expenditure of £3.5m for the financial years 2017-19 to fund the establishment of the new Royal Docks EZ Delivery Team, to enable the preparation of a EZ Detailed Delivery Plan and implement an early programme of regeneration and promotional activity to drive forward the potential of the EZ and, critically, to achieve an early business rate income.

1.2 The next two years are critical in the 25-year lifetime of the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone (EZ), and it is important that there is a visible change to developers, investors, businesses and visitors to the area. The key development partners in the Royal Docks have identified the activation of their sites and the surrounding area as one of the highest priority short term actions required to catalyse investment and occupation.

1.3 A survey has taken place with the existing GLA Estate team and their contractors GVA, to highlight a number of public realm improvements that are not covered by the existing maintenance regime and to identify enabling works for meanwhile spaces.

1.4 The approved indicative budget set for these estates management and public realm physical improvements in the MD2049 was £350,000 capital. The additional £33,000 of revenue expenditure for project management of the meanwhile-sites enabling work and £260,000 of both revenue and capital for the Custom House Gateway meanwhile-site enabling work and events will be covered from the EZ Early Project Delivery budget (and so is contained within the overall £3.5m Royal Docks EZ delivery budget). Therefore, the approval request for these project activities are expenditure of up to £643,000. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2017-19 financial years.

1.5 This estates and public realm physical improvements approval request is one of three DDs for which approval is being sought, all of which link back to the MD2049. There is also a DD for promotion and investment and a DD for activation and events.

1.6 Public realm improvements

1.7 The identified public realm improvements include landscaping, new bin and bench installations, drinking fountains and street lighting upgrades. These works will be carried out under the existing GLA maintenance contract with GVA Grimley. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2017-19 financial years.

(£65,000 capital)

1.8 The new assets will be added to the existing maintenance regime within the GLA. There will be minimal increase in cost as the improvements are largely replacing existing infrastructure that is damaged or nearing the end of its life. The upgrade of street-lights to LED will have a direct saving on future budgets of the GLA Estate team.

1.9 Meanwhile site enabling works

Three meanwhile sites have been identified for enabling works. These spaces are mainly development sites available for meanwhile use for five years plus. A schedule of enabling works is required to make them fit for purpose and Health & Safety compliant, so that they can be used for meanwhile activities. The sites include:

o Dockside Park (next to Building 1000)

o Silvertown Square

o Crystal Gardens and flyover

1.10 The works for both the public realm improvements and meanwhile space enabling will take place through the existing GLA maintenance contract with GVA Grimley. As the GLA’s approved suppliers for maintenance and repairs, GVA will procure these works through competitive quotations/mini tender exercise. This will include:

o Write up tender specification

o Write a procurement strategy

o Procure the works and seek competitive quotations

o Provide a Tender Analysis Report

o Provide Contract Management

o Project Manage the works

It is intended that the public realm improvements and the schedule of enabling works are completed by April 2018. The enabling works will be completed by June 2018. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2017-19 financial years. (£33,000 revenue and £195,000 capital)

1.11 Custom House Gateway

1.12 Custom House is the gateway to the Royal Docks – and the subject of a comprehensive LBN housing-led redevelopment and new stop on the Crossrail Elizabeth line, the latter adding significant footfall to an already busy multi-modal transport hub. The Royal Docks Team and LBN are proposing a suite of interventions designed to address the area’s poor environmental quality, legibility and levels of activation. Those delivered by LBN will be more local-benefit orientated, whilst the Delivery Team will enhance the Royal Docks gateway through meanwhile activation and legibility.

1.13 The meanwhile space enabling work at Custom House will take place through the existing GLA maintenance contract with GVA Grimley along with the above meanwhile-sites (point 1.10). GVA will procure these works through a competitive quotations/mini tender exercise. Services for development and delivery of meanwhile activation and events where relevant will be procured as per the GLA’s Contracts & Funding Code and via TFL procurement.

1.14 It is intended that the Custom House gateway enabling work will be completed by December 2018 and the activation of events will be completed by March 2019. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2018-19 financial year. (£70,000 revenue and £190,000 capital)

1.15 Legible London Wayfinding

1.16 A wayfinding audit has been carried out by the GLA in partnership with the London Borough of Newham (LBN) and TfL across the Royal Docks. The existing wayfinding is insufficient and out dated, much of which was installed pre-2012 and gaps have been identified.

1.17 It is intended to deliver Legible London wayfinding in two phases; the first phase will include the area around Royal Victoria Dock and will be installed in this financial year. The second phase will include Royal Albert and King George V Docks and will be installed later in 2018.

1.18 GLA are working with landowners to gain approval for signage locations and will continue to do this for both phases of delivery.

1.19 LBN have agreed to take on the ownership and ongoing maintenance of the signage and will have delivery agreements in place with all relevant land owners.

1.20 The signage will be produced and installed by Trueform, TfL’s contractor for wayfinding services. LBN already has a contract in place with Trueform and therefore funds will be transferred from GLA to LBN for payment via a grant agreement. LBN will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and ownership of the new Legible London signage in the Docks, however, GLA will maintain lead throughout the delivery and approval for signage locations and funding will be provided to LBN on terms reflecting this. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2017-19 financial years. (£90,000 capital)

2.1 To improve movement and connectivity within the Royal Docks by making public spaces more accessible and desirable.

2.2 To change perceptions of this part of London by offering a high level of public realm.

2.3 Improve accessibility and permeability within the Royal Docks.

2.4 To promote health and wellbeing and increasing sustainable public realm spaces.

2.5 To promote activities and new opportunities to visitors, creating a Royal Docks destination.

3.1 Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor of London must have ‘due Regard’ of the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

3.2 Additional benches will assist less mobile people to use the streets more easily and encourage the use of public space.

3.3 LED upgrades to street lights will provide brighter lighting that may assist those with visual impairments.

3.4 Drinking fountains will have multiple height levels so that they are accessible to a range of accessibility requirements.

3.5 Works will ensure that all meanwhile spaces are fully inclusive and accessible and compliant with statutory obligations.

3.6 Improving wayfinding throughout the Royal Docks is intended to support increased physical activity for local users and visitors. LBN has a high level of obesity, with 25% of adults in Newham classed as obese.

4.1 Key risks that could impact on the project are identified as:

4.2 Delays in the programme may occur. To mitigate these risks, a detailed project plan outlining timescales has been created. Contingency time will be incorporated into the project plan to manage over-runs.

4.3 Overspend may occur. To mitigate these risks, a detailed project plan with budgets will be created. A 10% contingency fund has been included in the project budget.

4.3 The detailed specification and condition survey may highlight that there is not enough budget to compete all desired works. A sliding scale of enabling work projects will be created for each site so that a decision can be made on the priority of funding.

4.4 Lack of support from landowners preventing access to their land for the installation of wayfinding signage. All landowners will be consulted throughout the project to ensure buy in.

4.5 Post-implementation, there is a risk of vandalism of the new assets. Resilience of assets will be a factor when deciding on the suitability of products.

4.6 Post-implementation, there is a risk of increased anti-social behaviour due to more seating. The improved LED lighting will mitigate this risk which will be carefully monitored going forward.

4.7 Risks will be continually reviewed via the programme risk register.

4.8 Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities include:

4.9 The provision of free drinking water fountains helps improve public health, reduces waste from single-use plastic bottles and supports the circular economy through the use of reusable water bottles. Free drinking water fountains that can refill water bottles as well as be drunk from should be provided in appropriate locations in new or redeveloped public realm. Appropriate locations for these water fountains will be identified by the borough during the planning process. These locations include areas with high levels of pedestrian activity, as well as areas of the public realm used for play, exercise and relaxing, such as parks and squares. The ongoing management and maintenance of facilities should be secured and agreed at planning stage to ensure long-term provision is achievable. (Policy D7 Public realm; London Plan)

4.10 The lighting of the public realm needs careful consideration to ensure it is appropriate to address safety and security issues, and make night-time activity areas and access routes welcoming and safe, while also minimising light pollution. (Policy D7 Public realm; London Plan)

4.11 These works will support priorities set out in the City for All Londoners and Healthy Streets, including; identifying things to do and see, making people feel safer and encouraging people choose to walk and cycle.

4.12 The works will also contribute towards the London Plan, through creating better streets and public spaces which are accessible and inclusive to all.

5.1 This decision requests approval to expend up to £643,000 (capital of £540,000 and revenue of £103,000) to undertake a wide range of public realm physical improvements to advance the promotion and activation of the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone.

5.2 MD2049 approved £350,000 of capital expenditure for Estates Management and public realm physical improvements (see section 44, bullet point 3, for further details). This decision will utilise the above capital allocation in full and will further draw down (£190,000) from the underspend incurred from the Detailed Delivery Plan, which has been allocated £500,000 expenditure (MD2049, table in section 49) and has to date spent £160,000 with no further costs envisaged to be arising in the future.

 

5.4 The requested amount (£643,000) is broken down by activities as follows:

5.5 This expenditure is to be funded from the Royal Docks EZ Projects Delivery Budget (MD2049) and forecasted to be expended over the 2017-18 and 2018-19 financial years. MD2049 (section 56) provides further details around business rates income forecasts.

6.1 This report requests approval of expenditure already authorised via MD2049. The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

6.1.1 the decisions requested of the Director concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the statutory powers of the GLA to do such things as may be considered to be facilitative of or conducive or incidental to the discharge of the GLA’s principle purposes; and

6.1.2 in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

(a) pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;

(b) consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and

(c) consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2.1 The GLA must, in the exercise of its functions, have due regard to the need to:

(a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010 (“the Act”);

(b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;

(c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

6.2.2 Having due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to:

(a) remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are connected to that characteristic;

(b) take steps to meet the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are different from the needs of persons who do not share it; and

(c) encourage persons who share a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activity in which participation by such persons is disproportionately low.

6.2.3 The steps involved in meeting the needs of disabled persons that are different from the needs of persons who are not disabled include, in particular, steps to take account of disabled persons' disabilities.

6.2.4 Having due regard to the need to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to: tackle prejudice; and promote understanding.

6.2.5 Compliance with the above duties may involve treating some persons more favourably than others, but that is not to be taken as permitting conduct that would otherwise be prohibited by or under the Act.

6.2.6 The relevant protected characteristics are: age; disability; gender reassignment; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation.

6.2.7 A reference to conduct that is prohibited by or under the Act includes a reference to a breach of: an equality clause or rule; or a non-discrimination rule.

6.2.8 To this end the Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.



6.3 The services required must be procured by Transport for London Commercial who will determine the detail of the procurement strategy to be adopted in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code. Officers must ensure that the relevant contract documentation is put in place before the commencement of the services.

6.4 Officers must ensure that Legal review and advise (as required) on the funding agreement referred to at section 1.9 of this report before transferring funds to LBN.