Council to hire legal services provider on contract to advise on major bypass
North Somerset Council is to appoint a legal services provider to advse on a major transport scheme.
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.