Council to hire legal services provider on contract to advise on major bypass

The local authority is leading the promotion of the Banwell Bypass Major Transport Scheme and associated works.

It is looking to appoint a legal adviser to:

• support, review and advise on the application for planning permission to construct and operate the scheme;
• develop Heads of Terms and ultimately legal contracts for appropriate land acquisition;
• undertake and advise CPO preparation, making and confirmation through all relevant formulation and statutory process stages;
• negotiate, prepare and complete of legal documentation in connection with the Banwell Bypass Works, including statutory orders and consents e.g. road classification orders, side road orders, traffic regulation orders, stopping up/diversion orders;
• direct and liaise with appointed land agent;
• support the council and the wider professional team in the planning process and order making stages, including at public inquiry;
• support all other statutory orders and consents, including road classification orders, side roads orders and traffic regulation orders;
• provide counsel services to advise on key elements of the statutory processes and advise on statutory tests including representing NSC at any Public Inquiry;
• attend at project team meetings and any other meetings as required.

The contract term is 5 + 2 (1 + 1). The contract will be awarded on the basis of quality (weighting: 50) and price (weighting: 50).

Last month North Somerset finalised a deal that will see Homes England invest £97m in the area. The funding will be used to design and build the bypass and a 900-place secondary school expansion at Parklands Village, as well as to improve local roads and utilities, and for flood mitigation.