Julia Wallace

Folkestone & Hythe District Council

March 2019

The Otterpool Park story so far

• Opportunity to acquire land in Autumn 2015

• Government announce Garden Towns Programme Spring 2016

• Council as LPA commit to prepare a new Local Plan Summer 2016

• Council as landowner reaches agreement with neighbouring land owner and jointly commit to assemble land and prepare planning application Summer 2016

• Application submitted for 8500 homes Feb 2019

Council objectives• Sustainable future income to the council• Political leadership over delivery of homes and jobs• Place creation and the ability to plan comprehensively • willingness to be interventionist (housing and jobs)

Benefits of council-led development at scale

• Public /private sector partnerships - different objectives can be healthy

• Ensure equalisation of value across site

• Control over quality and who delivers

• Builds on existing partnerships

• Financial stability – reinvestment in community

opportunities

• Self and custom build• Heritage • Arts and culture

…And the challenges

• Viability – high expectations that the council will deliver everything for everyone

• Procurement

• LA has greater obligation for communication and engagement with community

• Continuity of representation and direction (for both LA and private sector)

• Infrastructure funding

lessons• Be honest about strengths and gaps in skills &

capacity• Put protocols in place to address perceived conflict of

interest between landowner and LPA• Recognise where advice needed to be an intelligent

client/ landowner • Be clear on where decisions sit - everyone will have

a view• Work closely with LPA – PPA process is useful• Focus on delivery not just a masterplan / application• Resist pressure for detail beyond appropriate stage

The Otterpool Park story looking forward