Our Economics Team | Website Document

An Introduction to Iceni Projects

Introduction Our Projects Our Team Added Value

An Introduction to Iceni Projects A Multi-skilled Consultancy

Formed in 2005, Iceni is now the market leader and preferred consultancy for a fast-growing number of clients. From our offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Manchester, we deliver on a variety of schemes across the UK.

We have always sought to provide the “skills of a planner with the instincts of a developer”. The technical specialisms that the company hold have widened, but this fundamental objective remains the same. We are committed to putting our client’s interests first – and providing them with the tools to significantly improve their performance.

We achieve this by knowing our tradecraft – the technical skills that come through years of education and onthe- job experience that is recognised by professional accreditation. But it is also daring to be different; being proactive and thinking strategically. Our client relationships are built on trust, togetherness, enthusiasm, and a courage to challenge, where appropriate.

We are able to provide specialist advice in the fields of archaeology; built heritage and townscape; delivery; design; edonomics; EIA management; engagement; planning; sustainable development and transport. Our team are talented, relentless, intelligent, bold and experienced. Individually or collectively, you’ll know when you’re with Iceni Projects.

To Iceni, thinking strategically is what we fundamentally believe to be the right way of doing things; to assess needs, evaluate constraints and maximise opportunities. It’s about having a strategic vision for a site, often looking beyond the immediate constraint of development management policies, and utilising a diverse range of skills to deliver large scale infrastructure and development projects.

We have the expertise to deliver strategic planning at a sub-regional and local level, advising local authorities on evidence and strategy development across England. Our services include advising local authorities on aligning their evidence on housing need and economic growth, to deliver a collaborative approach to strategic planning.

Ian Anderson Chief Executive

 Orchard Park, Cambridge

 Greater Birmingham

 Westferry Printworks, London

An Introduction to Economics

Economics is Iceni’s newest team. The interface between our daily lives, the economy, property and housing markets has never been more important. Our population is growing, but also getting older. Technology is rapidly changing how we work, live and shop. Economic restricting is creating challenges in some areas, but opportunities in others. Our economics team has been established to help understand these issues and how they are affecting different places with the aim of providing clear, locally-specific evidence to guide and support development.

The work of our economics team is interlinked with that of our Futures team which provides cross-sector guidance on how changes to the climate, lifestyles and technology affect the built environment, and in turn, how the built environment affects our health and wellbeing. We are able to call upon expertise from a broad range of disciplines to ensure the environments we’re planning for today will be ready for the future.

We’ve brought together leading individuals in this area who are trusted advisors to the private and public sector and can provide expert support throughout the planning process, from local plan evidence and site promotion, justifying development proposals through to expert witness advice. Our expertise is nationwide and we have worked within or with over 150 local planning authorities across the UK. We have also been appointed to the Homes England Strategic Research and Economics Framework 2020-2024.

Our approach is one which is place-specific: we use a combination of data analysis and local engagement to get under the skin of local issues, understand what makes a place tick, but also the challenges and opportunities for it in the future. This locally specific approach, combined with our wider in-depth understanding of economic trends, demographics and property markets allows us to provide informed, commercially-realistic advice.

Our core services cover:

ƒ Business case development and funding bid support

ƒ Commercial property market assessment

ƒ Economic development advice and strategies

ƒ Economic impact assessment and development case-making

ƒ Economic needs assessment

ƒ Employment land review

ƒ Employment, skills and training strategies

ƒ Five year housing land supply

ƒ Housing delivery studies

ƒ Housing market and needs assessments

ƒ Social value assessments

ƒ Sub-regional spatial planning

Birmingham

The

Edinburgh 7

Glasgow 177

London Da

Manchester

The Team Structure of Iceni

Ian Anderson Chief Executive

Andrew Gale Chief Operating Officer

James Bompas Director | Business Devt. & Strategic Planning

ARCHAEOLOGY

Claire Cogar Director

BUILT HERITAGE & TOWNSCAPE

Laurie Handcock Director

Nick Walker Director

DESIGN

Paul Drew Director

ECONOMICS

Nick Ireland Director

Matt Kinghan Director

Paul McColgan Director

ENGAGEMENT & PLACE

Gemma Gallant Director

Philippa Curran Director

IMPACT MANAGEMENT

James Jaulim Director

LANDSCAPE

Silke Gruner Director

PLANNING

Callum Fraser Director

Chris Jones Director

John Mumby Director

Kieron Hodgson Director

Leona Hannify Director

Lewis Westhoff Director

Lorna O’Carroll Director

Nick Grant Director

Simon Fowler Director

TRANSPORT

Gary Mappin Director

Ian Gallacher Director

Ian Mayhead Director

James Waterhouse Director

Jamie Sullivan Director

Clive Burbridge Director

Fred Peters Director

Mike England Director

Rob Amey Director

Our Economics Expertise

Working with developers, landlords, investors, local authorities, other public sector bodies and occupiers, Iceni bring specialist expertise in assessing the need for and impacts of development.

The Iceni Economics offer is driven by our geographical breadth, depth of knowledge and range of capabilities and experience. Our directors are respected in their fields, formerly constituting the senior staff of GL Hearn’s economics team and advised in over 150 local planning authority areas. We are a trusted advisor to the public and private sector, providing local plan evidence, site promotion, technical studies and expert witness based on sound housing and economic advice.

Our core Services include:

HOUSING MARKET AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

We offer market-leading expertise in assessing housing needs, from working with Councils to put in place Strategic Housing Market Assessments; through to providing locally-specific evidence on housing mix or the need for different types of housing – be that affordable homes, build-to-rent, self-build or specialist housing with care.

HOUSING LAND SUPPLY & DELIVERY

We have extensive expertise in assessing and giving evidence on housing land supply for both site promoters and Councils. We also advise on housing delivery issues, from undertaking area-based assessments of the pace of housing growth which could be achieved, to advising on strategies to support delivery of major strategic sites at pace.

ECONOMIC NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

We love to get under the skin of local economics and understand what makes them tick and what an be done to make places prosper. This leads us into work with public sector clients in developing evidence, including economic needs assessment and employment land reviews and business cases.

ECONOMIC IMPACT AND BENEFITS ASSESSMENTS

We understand the impacts of investment in development and infrastructure and have advised on schemes from small to large including DCOs of HS2 and Luton Airport. This can help inform proposals, articulate a compelling justification for them or ensure that the benefits of development are maximised. Iceni has developed a robust model for setting out the economic benefits of a site which can be combined with quality graphic design to succinctly present findings.

EMPLOYMENT LAND AND COMMERCIAL ASSESSMENT

Commercial markets from warehousing to office schemes are more dynamic then ever, with e-commerce driving small and large warehousing demand whilst office markets are in flux. We use market intelligence to evidence the need for schemes – or the redundancy of others – providing public and private clients with solutions at the strategic and individual scheme level.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MARKET ASSESSMENT

Through our sound commercial experience and access to CoStar commercial property database, we provide robust analysis of commercial market signals, as evidence for future patterns in employment land whether it be for local plan evidence or case making for loss of employment.

EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS AND TRAINING STRATEGIES

Ensuring that the benefits of development reach local communities requires an understanding of how planning mechanisms are navigated through to implementation, which realistic and deliverable targets for local training and employment opportunities through strategies, where required.

BUSINESS CASE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING BID SUPPORT

Our team has produces HM Treasury Green Book compliant business cases, specialising in the economic case including cost benefits analysis, land value uplift assessment, monetisation of benefits and discounted cash flow. These have been typically used for funding work: Land Assembly Fund, Housing Infrastructure Fund and Regional Growth Fund; as well as for a range feasibility studies and options assessments.

SUB-REGIONAL PLANNING

We have a track record of advising local authorities at a sub-regional level on strategic planning issues, and the development of both statutory and non-statutory strategic plans.

FUTURES STRATEGIC ADVICE

We provide strategic futureproofing advice which is tailored to your site, organisation or strategy. Our advice is bespoke in terms of output, whether it be a focus on climate change, new ways of living and building, new legislation, health and wellbeing or technological advancements.

Iceni Futures

The Iceni Futures team was set up in response to the rapidly changing world and the acknowledgment that more than ever, we need to create futureproofed and sustainable development. The teams role is to assess, predict and influence change across the development industry. In practice that means exploring how places and people will function in the future, analysing existing barriers and providing strategic advice which aligns with clients goals and aspirations to ensure development is fit for the future.

The team doesn’t claim to be experts in every new discipline or product, but they understand the existing barriers and outdated development processes that persist across the industry and the importance of working innovatively and smarter to deliver client visions and change that actually works. It’s understood that each client will need tailored advice and the Futures team look to work collaboratively to provide advice which is tailored to a specific site, company strategy or product. Essentially, if you’re looking to plan for or capitalise on the future, Iceni Futures can be there to support you and drive that ambition.

Iceni Futures: Smarter Sustainability

Introduction Our Projects Our Team Added Value

Future of Warehousing in the Golden Triangle

Leicester and Leicestershire

Iceni directors, working with GL Hearn, led this ‘horizon scanning’ exercise to consider the long term changing nature of the warehousing sector in the centre of the UK, the largest market for super sheds.

The report consider the big changes to the sector such as decarbonisation, e-commerce and automation. It considered the floorspace requirements to 2040 and how these could be accommodated across the county, as well as the types of employment likely to be required to support this nationally critical sector.

Growth Needs Assessment

Oxfordshire

The five Oxfordshire authorities are committed to preparing a joint strategic plan cover the period to 2050 – the Oxfordshire Plan – responding to the Housing & Growth Deal which has been negotiated with Government, and Oxfordshire’s location within the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge Arc.

Iceni and Cambridge Econometrics have been working with the Oxfordshire Growth Board to prepare a Growth Needs Assessment to inform consideration of what level of provision should be made for housing growth and employment land over the period to 2050, and consider the implications of alternative strategic distribution strategies on how the area functions.

The Growth Needs Assessment includes an integrated evidence base and scenarios for economic growth and housing need. This is underpinned by an understanding of the county’s economy and its housing and commercial property dynamics. We have then been working alongside local stakeholders to consider alternative scenarios for the spatial distribution of homes and jobs across Oxfordshire, including considering the market capacity of different locations. The Growth Needs Assessment builds on work which Iceni has been undertaking with the Oxfordshire Growth Board in 2019 to understand potential scenarios for growth.

Newtown Works

Ashford

Iceni has been working with Quinn Estates to bring forward an ambitious mixed-use scheme for a film-studios complex (including studio an workshop space and a media village), hotel, c. 10,000 sq.m. commercial space, 300 residential units and 65 served apartments on a brownfield site in central Ashford.

Alongside acting as planning consultants for the scheme, Iceni Economics have worked to identify and quantify the economic benefits of the proposed development. This has included examining the structure of Ashford’s economy and labour market, examining the dynamics and growth potential of the UK Film and TV sector and articulating how the scheme will contribute to diversifying the Borough’s economic structure, delivering higher value employment and acting as a wider catalyst for regeneration and investment.

We have quantified the economic benefits of the scheme, addressing construction; occupational, fiscal and wider benefits; showing how the scheme will support an uplift in the Borough’s economy of over £100m.

Housing Needs Evidence

Central Lancashire

Iceni’s team members have provided advice on housing needs to the three Central Lancashire authorities – Preston, Chorley and South Ribble – for a number of years. Iceni’s latest Study has considered overall housing need, and modelled the need for affordable housing.

It includes updated evidence on the needs of older persons and those with disabilities, the potential of the build-to-rent

Iceni have also worked with the three authorities to appraise strategic development constraints and factors spatial options for the distribution of development across the three Central Lancashire authorities.

Regional Growth Fund Business Case

Chorley Council

Members of the Iceni team, in former roles at GL Hearn, produced a HM Treasury Green Book five case model funding bid to Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Regional Growth Fund bid.

Working with Hive Land, the work established the business case for remediation and employment development at Alker Lane in Chorley in order to bring forwarded needed employment units and local job opportunities. The authority acquired site as part of a land swap went through a series of funding assessments and secured finance under the Getting Building Fund.

Housing Strategy Advice

Oxfordshire Cotswolds

Garden Village

Iceni has provided housing strategy advice to West Oxfordshire District Council to inform the preparation of an Area Action Plan and Supplementary Planning Document for the Oxfordshire Cotswold Garden Village and West Eynsham Strategic Development Area (SDA) respectively.

WODC’s adopted Local Plan allocates the two strategic sites for development near Eynsham. The West Eynsham SDA is allocated for the delivery of 1,000 homes and the OCGV is expected to deliver a working assumption of around 2,200 homes. To guide the development of these two sites, WODC is in the process of preparing an AAP for the OCGV site; and a Development Framework for the SDA which is intended to be adopted as an SPD.

Iceni has prepared detailed evidence regarding the mix of housing which would be appropriate in each site, including house types, size and tenures; affordable housing requirements and delivery phasing/implementation. Our work has included exploring opportunities for custom/self-build, employment and education linked housing, the acceleration of housing delivery and long-term maintenance and management of the housing stock.

Economic Strategy

Southend Sector D

Iceni has worked collaboratively with Rochford District Council, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and site promoters Cogent Land LLP to develop an Economic Strategy in support of development of a major mixed-use urban extension to Southend-on-Sea of c. 7000 homes.

Iceni Economics first used an evidence-based approach and engagement with key stakeholders to develop an in-depth understanding of the structure, dynamics and growth potential of the local economy. We then appraised employment land dynamics, including consideration of local demand and market dynamics as well as competing locations within the wider sub-region. This provided a basis for considering potential economic opportunities.

Our Strategy sought to consider how the nature of work is changing, how employment opportunities could be integrated into 15-minute neighbourhoods and to test the scale of potential provision of more traditional ‘employment land’ which might be needed alongside this. It considered how the urban extension would inter-relate to other existing employment hubs, including the Town Centre and Southend Airport, and has been used to inform masterplanning for the site.

Public Inquiry

Oxford Brookes Wheatley Campus

Oxford Brookes University applied for planning permission for the residential redevelopment of its Wheatley Campus outside Oxford to deliver 500 homes. Following the refusal of the planning application, Iceni was engaged to provide expert witness evidence on housing need.

Iceni’s evidence addressed the need for housing in South Oxfordshire, including the evidence that housing need was higher than indicated by the standard method, based on the area’s economic dynamism. The Inspector found considerable merit in these.

Employment Land Evidence | West London

Iceni directors, in former roles at GL Hearn, led a study of the Ealing, Barnet, Brent and Harrow industrial markets. This assessed the current property market dynamics in detail and how these are expected to change over the next twenty years, supporting the boroughs in their discussions with the GLA during the preparation of the London Plan.

The London Plan’s industrial evidence identified a significant future shortfall in industrial land and encourages the intensification of existing sites. This study revisited the long term requirements for industrial land through established modelling techniques; and tested the viability of delivering industrial intensification across the host boroughs. The key issues for colocation with residential and industrial intensification at the local level were set out and the broad locations likely to be suitable. Future trends in industrial and warehousing requirements were considered including e-commerce, electric vehicles, last mile deliveries and the future for large scale warehousing.

Economic Benefits

Stonehouse Park

Iceni have provided specialist economic and socioeconomic expertise to prepare supporting evidence in support of a planning application the residential-led development of the former Brooke Hill Golf Club near Sevenoaks in Kent on behalf of Quinn Estates. The planning application includes 850 homes, a 180-unit retirement village, together with commercial space, sporting facilities and a new local centre.

Iceni has prepared a Socio-Economic Assessment and Economic Benefits Statement to support the Planning Application. The Economic Benefits assessment has considered the construction and operational impacts of the development, as well as articulating some of the wider housing market and social benefits of elements of the scheme including the retirement village.

Housing & Economic Development Needs Assessment

West Lancashire

Iceni has been working with West Lancashire Borough Council to prepare an integrated evidence base to inform its Housing Strategy, Local Plan and Economic Development Strategy.

The Housing & Economic Development Needs Assessment has included detailed consideration of economic dynamics and growth opportunities for the Borough’s economy and work with the Council to develop and test alternative scenarios for future economic performance. The implications of this for housing and employment land needs have then been appraised.

Alongside this, Iceni has undertaken an appraisal of existing and potential employment sites across the District.

The Assessment also includes the development of an up-to-date evidence base regarding the need for different types of homes, including from the needs of older persons, students, custom/ selfbuild and build-to-rent.

Introduction Our Projects Our Team Added Value

Our Team

Nick specialises in providing advice on strategic planning issues relating to housing and economic development.

DD: 020 3640 8508

M: 07917 417 834

E: nireland@iceniprojects.com

Nick joined Iceni having previously worked at GL Hearn and GVA. Nick has advised councils at a sub-regional level on strategic growth opportunities, including urban extensions, new settlements and strategic infrastructure. He led preparation of a Birmingham HMA Strategic Housing Study which encompassed a strategic review of Birmingham’s Green Belt; a Spatial Position Statement for the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), and has work with other local authorities in Buckinghamshire, Kent and Sussex to assess potential locations for, and the feasibility of new settlements and large urban extensions.

He has led preparation of the evidence base on housing mix for a substantial proportion of local authorities, and regularly acts for both public and private sector clients as an expert witness of housing need and housing delivery issues at both local plan examinations and s.78 inquiries.

He has led preparation of employment land studies for private and public sector clients, and authored expert evidence supporting the allocation of strategic employment sites through the local plan process, including major Green Belt releases, as well as assessments justifying loss of employment land. His work includes assessing the economic justification and impact for development schemes of a variety of scales.

Nick Ireland Director

Matt specialises in economic planning and evidence base work for both public and private sector clients.

DD: 020 3640 8508

M: 07753 222 920

E: mkinghan@iceniprojects.com

His key strengths are in economic planning and evidence base work including employment land and commercial demand reviews, social and economic impact assessment, developing economic & industrial strategies, social value assessment and Green Book business case appraisal. His experience ranges from urban renewal and town centre redevelopment proposals through to greenfield strategic sites and new settlements.

Matt’s recent project experience includes advising on economic development and employment land needs for around 50 authorities including in Greater Cambridge, Solihull and Bassetlaw and West Northamptonshire, appearing at numerous Local Plan examinations. He has undertaken specific warehousing needs and site assessments / promotion in Aylesbury, West Northamptonshire, Liverpool City Region and Leicestershire.

Matt also brings expertise in modelling the future of local economies and assessing the economic impacts of infrastructure projects. His experience includes assessing the economic and employment effects of major infrastructure projects including the expansion of Luton Airport and HS2 Phase 2b; and business case development for Homes England’s Land Assembly Fund, the Regional Growth Fund and Housing Infrastructure Fund monies.

Matt Kinghan Director

Paul McColgan Director

Paul specialises in housing and economic related evidence base work for both the private and public sectors

T: 020 3640 8508

M: 07827 944 637

E: pmccolgan@iceniprojects.com

His skills includes demographics, housing market signals, affordable housing need and housing mix. He also has an understanding of the needs for specific groups particularly older persons and students. Having undertaken a number of Employment Land Reviews and Housing and Economic Development Need Assessments, Paul also has a thorough understanding economic-led housing need as well as the need for employment land.

He has managed a number of major sub-regional studies examining these issues including areas with a dynamic economy such as Leicester and Leicestershire through to rural areas such as the South Downs National Park.

As well as covering all aspects of these assessments, he has also given evidence on behalf of local authorities and developers at Local Plan Examinations and acted as an expert witness at S.78 Inquiries on housing need, five year housing land supply and the need for specialist accommodation.

Paul has also presented to the Midlands Planners Conference and provided training to RTPI members concerning the standard methodology and the Housing Delivery Test.

Josie Doherty Consultant

T: 020 3640 8508

M: 07799 035 831

E: jdoherty@iceniprojects.com

Josie joined Iceni from a development management role at Medway Council in August 2021.

Previous to this she completed an integrated Masters degree in town planning and real estate at the University of Manchester. Josie has studied both planning and real estate surveying which has allowed her to develop a wide-ranging knowledge of planning systems, property markets and how they interact with each other.

During her time at university, she undertook a month long placement at Iceni’s Manchester office, which further deepened her desire to work within planning as well as various other work placements within Local Authorities and consultancies. She is currently working towards RTPI accreditation.

Josie’s assists the Economics team in a wide range of projects across the country. She undertakes various types of research into economic development within localities, including consultation with local experts in property markets and specific housing needs groups, economic baseline research and in-depth data analysis. Josie’s work aides in forming research bases for economic development strategies as part of emerging Local Plans.

Introduction Our Projects Our Team Added Value

iSite

iSite pulls together a number of services to enable the promoter of a project – but equally the respective consultant, local authority, consultee, local community and wider interested party – to gain the knowledge and understanding of a site or location that historically has only been possible from an in-depth site visit. Moreover, many projects are of the size and scale that even a physical site visit renders difficult to comprehend.

The key focus of iSite is to provide an intelligent digital design and consultation tool. This incorporates the use of drone photography, 360° camerawork (think Google Street View for buildings), interactive, virtual consultation halls and project web sites that can pool together all of the information for effective file management and sharing. So, whether you need to initiate an initial site survey appraisal, team site visit, pre-application meeting, public consultation event or committee presentation, iSite can help.

iSite won’t be for everyone. We understand that. But if you are looking for cost-effective ways to progress with your proposals, it could be the answer.

The Sustainable Development Scorecard

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has running throughout it the ‘golden thread of sustainable development’. In spite of this, there is no clear-cut, NPPF-based assessment criteria to consider a site or project’s sustainable development credentials, making current assessment processes both tricky and subjective.

The Sustainable Development Commission was established to address this recognised issue with our planning system. Made up of a balanced cross-section of industry professionals, the Commission has debated the issues and found solutions, culminating in the creation of the Sustainable Development Scorecard.

The Scorecard website is free to use and accessible to anyone with a vested interest in development, including developers, architects, planners, community groups and members of the public. By crystallising the NPPF’s guidance into a simple, online analysis tool, the Commission aims to provide a more consistent approach to sustainable development, leading to a more sustainable built environment.

www.thescorecard.org.uk

Birmingham: The Colmore Building, 20 Colmore Circus Queensway, Birmingham B4 6AT

Edinburgh: 7 Alva Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4PH

Glasgow: 177 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 2LB

London: Da Vinci House, 44 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH

Manchester: WeWork, Dalton Place, 29 John Dalton Street, Manchester, M2 6FW

www.iceniprojects.com