1. Introduction
There is currently a major opportunity to shape the comprehensive development of a new high quality urban quarter for East Norwich, which has the potential to deliver significant new housing and employment development, and act as a catalyst for regeneration of both East Norwich and the wider city. The sites that make up the East Norwich area (the Deal Ground, including land in Trowse; Utilities site; and Carrow Works) are in a variety of ownerships and suffer from a number of physical constraints including restricted access and connectivity which have prevented their development to date. Furthermore the strategic road network in this part of the city has limited capacity to accommodate significant additional traffic generation.
Following the announcement in 2018 of Britvic / Unilever vacating the Carrow Works site, Norwich City Council commissioned a study to explore the opportunities presented by its availability for redevelopment and the potential to stimulate wider regeneration in East Norwich. ‘A Vision for East Norwich’ (5th Studio, 2018) identifies the release of Carrow Works as presenting a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to address the challenges of the three sites strategically, and sets out a vision for East Norwich as a new productive quarter for the future growth of the city. It envisages that the quarter could provide up to 4,000 new homes and 100,000 sq m of employment space, accommodating up to 6,000 new jobs. Unlocking the full development potential of the East Norwich area relies on the provision of common infrastructure to serve all the sites which will allow for sustainable growth to be focused in this location.
The challenge is to test and refine this vision and to ensure the delivery of a sustainable new community in East Norwich, hence the establishment by Norwich City Council of the East Norwich Partnership.
2. Partners
The Partnership comprises the following parties:
- Homes England
- New Anglia LEP
- Norwich City Council
- Norfolk County Council
- Broads Authority
- South Norfolk Council
- Network Rail
- Utilities Site Owner
- Deal Ground Owner
- Carrow Works Owner / Contracted Private Sector Developer
- Carrow House Owner
In addition it is proposed to establish a wider Reference Group of key stakeholders identified as having a particular interest in the development of these sites. Its membership will include the following and may be added to / amended by the Partnership:
- Wolong Laurence Scott
- Norwich City Football Club
- Broadland Housing Association
- Historic England
- Norwich Society
- Broads Society
- Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association
- Trowse Parish Council
- Carrow Yacht Club
- Crown Point Estate
- Greater Anglia
- Anglian Water
3. Purpose and Scope
The East Norwich Partnership is an informal partnership with no decision-making powers. Its purpose is for partners to work together in developing a masterplan to:
- Steer preparation of a high-level vision for the regeneration of the East Norwich area as defined on the map below that is viable, deliverable, capable of informing policy in the GNLP and will form the basis of a supplementary planning document to be considered for adoption by local planning authorities. In particular this will address the need for investment in substantial new infrastructure including new bridges to serve the sites, road infrastructure, sustainable transport links, strategic flood risk measures, education, health and community facilities and open space and recreation; and
- Identify barriers and blockages to the delivery of the East Norwich project. To seek to resolve these through both the partnership, and through engagement with other relevant private and public sector bodies, including the exploration of potential funding opportunities.
The Partnership will also work to identify a proposition for an appropriately constituted delivery mechanism to ensure the provision of the common infrastructure needed to unlock the East Norwich Sites and implementation of the vision. This delivery approach should be capable of committing parties to delivery and setting out an agreed approach to apportionment of infrastructure costs and values between the different partners.
These Terms of Reference are effective from June 2020.
East Norwich area
4. Responsibilities of Partners
All partners will be represented on the East Norwich Partnership Board, which will meet on a bi-monthly basis.
Norwich City Council will chair the Partnership Board and facilitate / host meetings. Board meetings will be conducted in private however minutes will be published on Norwich City Council’s website, excluding any commercially sensitive material.
Norwich City Council will be the ‘accountable body’ for collecting and managing contributions to costs, procuring a masterplan, appointing / paying consultants, and ensuring project management of the commission.
At various stages it will be necessary to involve other parties adjacent to the East Norwich area and with an interest and/or wider community representation on preparation of the delivery plan or formulation of the delivery body. Meetings of the wider reference group are anticipated to be quarterly. Changes to membership of the Board need to be agreed by all current members.
The East Norwich Partnership is an informal partnership and as such will aim to reach decisions in a collaborative manner and by consensus. Where this is not possible, funding partners will have a key say in decision-making.
Partners agree to fund a dedicated project manager and specialist support to enable delivery of the delivery plan and consideration of options for a delivery vehicle.
Partners agree to the production of a communications strategy to ensure co- ordination of publicity in relation to the Partnership and the emerging masterplan.
Partners also agree to production of a risk register to identify possible risks which could have a negative impact on the ability of the Partnership to deliver the project and to identify measures/actions required to manage any risks.
5. Financial arrangements
The masterplan brief sets out a 3 stage process.The cost of the masterplan for East Norwich (Stages 1 and 2) is estimated at around £0.5m.
Partners will contribute to the costs on the following basis (to be confirmed through discussion with individual parties):
- Public sector partners: £275k total (capped at 55% of total cost)
- Private sector partners: £225k total, comprising £75k from the landowners of the 3 sites2 (capped at 45% of total cost), £50k being payable by each landowner at commencement of Stage 1, and £25k at commencement of Stage 2. Contributions will be confirmed once tenders are received and costs are clear.
Further costs to Partners over and above what is set out above (ie. £0.5m) are not anticipated at this stage but, if required, will be subject to their agreement. The Partnership will also seek external funding to supplement Partner contributions.
6. Frequency of review of partnership
These Terms of Reference is for an informal partnership arrangement required to steer and oversee production of a high level masterplan. It shall be reviewed on an annual basis from the effective date referred to in section 3 above.
Updated February 2021
