Expression of Interest Stage - Milton Keynes City Council

Planning Performance Agreements Planning Consultant Framework

Given the large scale growth facing Milton Keynes City, the Council, in its capacity as the local planning authority (LPA), receives a significant number of strategic and large scale planning applications with some applicants wishing to enter into a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) to give themselves more certainty about the process of determining their proposed development.

For context, the LPA has received well over 3,000 planning applications a year over the last five years. Major planning applications account for approximately 100 of these applications in any one year. We are an LPA with both high housing targets and high levels of housing delivery, which we need to maintain. We have an up to date (2019) Local Plan, which includes significant allocations for Sustainable Urban Extensions, regeneration proposals for older towns, and proposals to support a renaissance of the City Centre (Central Milton Keynes). As a consequence, the work profile of the LPA going forwards is set to remain high profile with a range of development proposals coming forward for planning permission.

The LPA is therefore looking to establish a framework of experienced planning consultants to help manage and deliver on the PPA's that it enters into. From this framework, the LPA in consultation with the applicant would select a consultant or consultancy who would provide a time limited service to the LPA to progress the development proposals concerned and manage the PPA, delivering the necessary outputs under the agreed scope of the PPA and in accordance with its milestones.

We are inviting Expressions of Interest in this Framework opportunity via email to Strategic Procurement Lead Mark Culley, mark.culley@milton-keynes.gov.uk