Infrastructure consulting firm Aecom has started work on a new contract to deliver spatial planning advice to Highways England in two of its regions, including advice on development proposals affecting the strategic road network (SRN).
Aecom secured work in the Midlands and East of England regions under Highways England’s new three-year National Spatial Planning Contract, with work mobilising during April and May.
The contract award notice, published in January, gives the value of the Midlands contract as £15m and the East contract as £10m.
Under the contract, Aecom will provide technical consultancy advice in all stages of the planning process, focusing on the network demand, social value, safety and environmental impacts of new developments on the SRN.
Keyvan Rahmatabadi, head of transportation planning – UK & Ireland, AECOM, said: ‘We are delighted to have been appointed to this important new contract, building on our highly collaborative relationship with Highways England in providing advice throughout the planning process and supporting them on many, often time-sensitive, matters.
‘Our proactive approach with key stakeholders in the regions will provide Highways England with a thorough understanding of future developments to inform plans and strategies and strengthen the critical role of the SRN in boosting local economies.’
AECOM said it will engage with local authorities, developers, local enterprise partnerships and sub-national bodies to understand future pipelines and assess their impact on the SRN to help support local growth opportunities in the two regions.
It added that the work builds on its longstanding relationship with Highways England, which includes the delivery of spatial planning and development management services under previous contracts for more than 20 years.
AECOM said its team includes specialists in transport planning, infrastructure delivery, traffic modelling, economic impacts, safety, environmental consultancy and accessibility and that it will also draw on a number of SMEs and niche consultancies to support its work.
