MD1626 Development of Land at Stephenson Street, West Ham

Procurement and Evaluation

1.1 The Mayor’s Housing Strategy sets out that he will encourage institutional investment in the private rented sector as a way to increase the supply and choice of housing in the capital, as well as promoting the accelerated delivery of much needed houses.

1.2 In September 2013 the GLA’s Housing Investment Group (HIG), supported the option for GLA land and Property Ltd (GLAP) to dispose of the site at Stephenson Street for a residential-led mixed use scheme, along with sites at Pontoon Dock and Silvertown Way. The site at Stephenson Street had a number of complexities to overcome and subsequently taken longer to prepare for disposal than the other two sites.

1.3 The developer selection process was based on the standard LDP three stage mini-competition process, which involves an ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI), ‘Sifting Brief’ (SB) and ‘Invitation to Tender’ (ITT).

1.4 A sifting brief was sent to all interested LDP panel members in April 2015, providing further information about the project. It also included a set of questions to evaluate the applicants, in order to identify a shortlist to be invited to the third stage ‘Invitation to Tender’.

1.5 An Invitation to Tender (ITT) was issued in May 2015 to the bidders shortlisted through the sifting brief evaluation. The ITT provided detailed information on the site and set out the delivery requirements and strategic objectives for the development opportunity, which are as follows:

• A residential-led development with approximately equal proportions of PRS, private for sale, and affordable in an appropriate range of accommodation and sizes;
• A high-quality and effective management proposition for the private-rented homes with a guaranteed retention as private-rented tenure for a minimum 10 year period, commencing at practical completion;
• Provision of a significant proportion of non-residential floorspace;
• Provision of enhanced access to and from the site, to overcome its isolated position;
• The identification of a suitable site of 1.17 Ha to be set aside for the construction of a free school on the site following agreement from the Education Funding Agency;
• Delivery of a new western station entrance to connect into West Ham station.

1.6 An evaluation methodology was provided as part of supporting documentation issued with the ITT. This set out how the tenders would be assessed, including the evaluation criteria to be applied to each part of the bid. This was reviewed and approved by TfL Procurement, acting as the procurement agent for the tender.

1.7 Following careful assessment of the tender responses using set evaluation criteria, BHSEL were assessed to be the highest scoring bidder.. This decision to appoint BHSEL as the preferred development partner for the scheme was endorsed at HIG in November 2015. Since the November HIG GLAP and BHSEL have been populating the standard form LDP documents and finalising the other contractual arrangements required to accommodate their bid.

1.8 Key terms of the arrangements with BHSEL are included in the confidential part 2 of this decision along with the details of the various associated legal documents that have been agreed required for the delivery of such a large and complicated site.

2.1 In accordance with BHSEL’s tender proposal the development will deliver (as a minimum standard):

• 3500 new homes.
• 35% of these to be affordable up to this threshold, 32.5% to be privately rented, and 32.5% to be private for sale.
• A new station entrance to the west of the Jubilee and DLR lines to connect to West Ham Station.
• A new pedestrian bridge across Manor Road to link the site to Milner Road.
• Upgrades to the Stephenson Street road bridge structure
• A new large public plaza to form an entrance to the site.
• Extensive green open space comprising no less than [5ha] of public realm.
• 13,000 sqm of commercial space.
• Site assembly and third party land acquisition.

Further details of the programme are contained in part 2.

The scheme will need to be fully accessible and/or DDA compliant in respect to Wheelchair accessible housing for the development and public realm. The proposal meets this requirement and will be addressed in more detail as the detailed design progresses.

a) key risks and issues

b) Mayoral Strategies:
The Mayoral Housing Strategy sets out a long-term ambition to increase the supply to at least 42,000 new
homes per annum. Of these, at least 17,000 should be affordable with 5,000 for purpose built long-term market rent. The proposed development at Stephenson Street will make a substantial contribution to this.

c) Impact Assessments and Consultations
As part of the planning process BHSEL will be undertaking extensive impact assessment and stakeholder consultation.

5.1 GLAP has completed its procurement process for the selection of a developer to develop the Stephenson Street site. Berkeley Homes (South East London) Limited was selected as the successful bidder. GLAP is now seeking approval for Berkeley Homes (South East London) Limited, BHSEL, to be the development partner for Stephenson Street, and for GLAP to enter into a development agreement with Berkeley Homes South East London) Limited.

5.2 The consideration offered and accepted was not only based on the financial value, but also on the prospective developer providing the most economical advantages to the development.

6.1 GLAP has and is being advised by Eversheds throughout this project including in relation to the fine tuning of the Development Agreement and other scheme documents.

6.2 Section 30 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (as amended) (GLA Act) gives the Mayor a general power to do anything which he considers will further one or more of the principal purposes of the GLA as set out in section 30(2) which are:
i. Promoting economic development and wealth creation in Greater London;
ii. Promoting social development in Greater London; and
iii. Promoting the improvement of the environment in Greater London
and, in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers confirm they have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:
• pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
• consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons in Greater London, promote the reduction of health inequalities between persons living in Greater London, contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom and contribute towards the mitigation of or adaptation to climate change in the United Kingdom; and
• consult with appropriate bodies.
6.3 Sections 1 to 3 of this part 1 indicate that the Mayor has the power to proceed to make the decisions as requested within this report.