Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent (copy attached).

Members considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath, which provided the Consultative Committee with an update on the progress of this project, since the last report in July 2012.

The Superintendent advised that considerable work had been undertaken in negotiating a contract for the appointment of the Design Team and the Strategic Landscape Architect (SLA). The SLA and the Design Team had now been appointed and the selection process for a Construction Contractor had commenced. The Water Management Stakeholders Group, consisting of representatives from local interest groups, had been established and had met monthly since July 2012. A wider consultation to reach Heath visitors and those living near-by had started and would continue throughout the duration of the project.

The SLA would report directly to the City, which meant that they would remain fully independent from the Design Team, thus providing assurances as to the protection of the natural aspect of the Heath. Once all other parties had been appointed they would all sign a partnership contract, which had been used in other major projects at the City. This contract would emphasise the importance of parties’ cooperation through dialogue in order to resolve challenges and ensure project success.

Jeremy Wright advised, that during the week preceding the meeting, officers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) had told him that cascades would not be included in phase one of the implementation of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 The Assistant Director of Engineering advised that DEFRA had previously advised him that the cascades would be included during phase one. The Assistant Director advised that the project would progress on the basis that cascades would be included, as this presented a more holistic approach in terms of respecting the natural landscape of the Heath and full proofing the need for further works in the future. If the City concentrated on only the reservoirs covered by current statute, then when cascades legislation was implemented it could have resulted in abortive works, with further projects having to be implemented to cover works across the other ponds.

The Superintendent read a letter from Andy Hughes, the project Panel Engineer, which advised that he would undertake a new risk assessment using tier three analysis and the industry standard for high-risk reservoirs. He undertook to circulate this letter to Members. Jeremy Wright requested that the letter containing advice from the Heath & Hampstead Society in relation to the scope of the Fundamental review be circulated as well as the proposed Scope of the Review being prepared by the Design Team.

The Assistant Director of Engineering advised that a competitive dialogue method was currently being undertaken for the appointment of the construction contractors. The process ensured that each applicant could not use the intellectual rights of other applicants’ proposals.

In response to a query from Richard Sumray, Ian Harrison, also Chairman of the Stakeholder Group, advised that the process could be too labour intensive for the Group to be involved in the process of contractor appointment. Ian Harrison advised that the stakeholder Group had been involved with the appointment of the SLA. The Group was progressing well and had already been on one site visit, which had proven useful. Informal notes of discussion were taken at each meeting and circulated to Consultative Committee Members.

The Superintendent advised that the Water Management Communications Officer had been managing “pop-up” consultations across the Heath, which had helped spread knowledge of the project to Heath users.

In response to a query from Richard Sumray, the Superintendent advised that he had not included timescales within the report as these had not yet confirmed. It was anticipated that this would be more certain once the Design Team had been appointed and he would be able to include timescales in his next report.

RECEIVED