ADD2741 Liverpool Street planning performance agreement

1.1.    Planning performance agreements (PPAs) were formally introduced into the planning system on 6 April 2008. They are principally aimed at major planning applications needing substantial officer time and negotiation throughout the life of a scheme. They enable the GLA to charge for this officer time; and allow officers to improve the quality of schemes that are eventually submitted as planning applications, and determined. Mayoral Decision 2475 (11 June 2019) delegated authority to the Assistant Director, Planning, to enter into PPAs up to £250,000.
1.2.    This PPA will fund a series of pre-application meetings with the applicant on a scheme for the redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station. These meetings are necessary to develop a deliverable scheme that will meet the Mayor’s objectives, and satisfy the local planning authority’s priorities.
 

2.1.    The principal objective is to maintain an effective, high-quality strategic planning service at a time of pressure on resources, and of growing external and corporate demands. This will be done by ensuring there are sufficient resources to deal with pre-application advice and applications – including call-ins by the Mayor. The expected outcomes are:
•    a continued ability to deal with increasing workloads, particularly the pre-application service, by having sufficient resources in place
•    the GLA planning function can keep up with the levels of demand for advice, while delivering an efficient, fit-for-purpose strategic planning function for the Mayor.  
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, in making these decisions, “due regard” must be had to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not. Protected characteristics include age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation (and marriage or civil partnership status, for the duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination only). In this instance the proposals have been considered; they are not expected to have any impacts on those with protected characteristics, as distinct from anyone else.

Mayoral strategies and priorities: 
4.1.    Pre-application advice is fundamental in implementing the Mayor’s London Plan. This Plan seeks to ensure that the city meets the challenges of economic and population growth with much-needed housing and commercial floorspace, and other associated social infrastructure and transport infrastructure, to enable development. The Mayor’s comments and decisions on referable planning applications are a key implementation tool of the London Plan. The pre-application service helps to ensure subsequent applications deliver London Plan objectives.
Risk management issues
4.2.    Income must be monitored regularly to ensure the costs of providing the service are covered; and the income is spent within the Regulations associated with the Local Government Act.
Conflicts of interest
4.3.    There are no conflicts of interest to note for any of those involved in the drafting or clearance of the decision.
 

5.1.    Approval is sought for expenditure of up to £30,000 for a PPA in respect of Liverpool Street Station; and the receipt of £30,000 on a cost-recovery basis from the LBH (as the applicant).
5.2.    The PPA income and associated expenditure are budgeted within Planning Unit budgets for 2024-25.
5.3.    The costs on this agreement will be capped. Any work required on the scheme, additional to the approved amount, will be subject to further approval via the GLA’s decision-making process.
 

6.1.    The project will be delivered according to the following timetable: