Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent.

Simon Lee (Superintendent, Hampstead Heath) was heard relative to progress with implementation of the Hampstead Heath Ponds Project (Water Management Project).  He referred to the report before Members setting out project management activities, risk mitigation factors and also the work that is underway to develop a Communication and Engagement Plan.  An indicative communication timetable, as set out at page 51, was highlighted, although it was noted that due to the complexity of the project, it would take some time to reach the final design stage.

With regards to initial public consultation, Atkins had received approximately 79 responses and the feedback had generally been very positive.  Once the long and short-listing exercises had been undertaken, comprehensive consultation would commence involving the public, the Stakeholder Group and the Committee. 

In respect of the appointment of the contractor, a number of tenderers had withdrawn within a short space of each other and so, due to the complexity of the project requirements which included substantial research into and understanding of the Heath, further work in respect of the procurement process was required to ensure that the most appropriate contractor could be identified.  It was acknowledged that the "Hampstead Effect" could also be a contributing factor and therefore feedback from the contractors was important.  With reference to the Special Meeting of the Consultative Committee which would take place on 8^th April, the preliminary results of the fundamental review from Atkins would be circulated ahead of the meeting.

Ian Harrison (Vale of Health Society) then updated the Committee about the work of the Stakeholder Group in respect of the project, which had involved monthly meetings, a number of site visits to the principal chain of ponds and attendance at a number of workshops.  Appendix 1 (Hampstead Heath Ponds - A Critical Review of key issues by the Water Management Stakeholder Group) set out the key issues, threats and opportunities relative to each pond, thus enabling a divergence of issues to be distilled into a single document for future reference.  Whilst substantive revisions to the project were not anticipated and less intrusive works overall were expected, it was noted that the document could only serve as a snapshot of current issues. 

In response to a query regarding the introduction of a new approach to the project, the Superintendent commented on the use of different terminology but assured Members that no major changes had been introduced.  The Committee was advised that the issues had been reviewed afresh and appropriate options for dealing the problems were now being explored in detail.  It was hoped that the scale of the works would be reduced but that the forthcoming reports from Atkins, including a technical summary, would clearly set out suggested options at the appropriate stages.

Members of the Committee thanked the Stakeholder Group and Peter Wilder (Strategic Landscape Architect) for their development of the critical review document.  Thanks were also conveyed to the City of London Corporation for its collaborative work with the Stakeholder Group, specifically in respect of the tender approval arrangements and also for the extension of the consultation period.  It was suggested that future consultation should be set out in a clear strategy to ensure that any further consultation was based around clear propositions.

In noting that the project may now warrant reduced intervention, the Committee was advised that as no precise scheme was currently in place, it was difficult to gauge exact costs.  However, delay to the project remained a risk and therefore all options to engage suitable contractors at the earliest opportunity, would be pursued. 

NOTED.