WSP has won a contract worth up to £100m to provide consultancy services for a wide range of built environment services to Shropshire Council.
The contract commenced on 1 April and runs for an initial period of five years with the option to extend for two further periods of two years.
WSP will support the council's placemaking and economic development aims, as well as advice on highway asset management and the delivery and provision of engineering design and other technical services.
'A key component of the contract is developing and operating a data and governance office (DGO) to manage the flow of information and decisions needed to achieve delivery at pace. The DGO will integrate into the Council's wider management office plans to support the Place Directorate in its aims,' the contract notice states.
The Built Environment Consultancy Contract (BECC) was officially launched on 25 May and expands on Shropshire Council’s previous highway and transport engineering consultancy contract, which was held by WSP from April 2015 to March 2023.
Chris Schofield, Shropshire Council’s deputy cabinet member for highways, said: 'Our work with WSP in recent years has delivered a range of successful projects and we look forward to building on these successes by continuing to work in partnership and through collaboration.
'This new contract will directly impact the quality of the county’s roads and necessary capital projects, helping to ensure a positive quality of life for all using roads and transport in the county – as well as improved placemaking.'
Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for growth, regeneration and housing, said: 'WSP’s support will enable the council to achieve our statutory duties and deliver our economic development strategy, mitigate climate risk, address net zero targets and manage our assets. It will also help the council to drive our visions and priorities and meet the aims of the new Shropshire Plan.'
The contract covers the following service areas:
• Placemaking and growth advice
• Built environment advice and industry best practice
• Identification and development of funding opportunities
• Major projects, including traffic, highways asset, transport and masterplan development
• Highways maintenance strategy and advice
• Highways schemes advice, design and project development
• Flood and water management advice and design
• Street lighting, traffic signals and Smart Streets advice, design and innovation
• Transport services, including traffic planning and public transport
• Bridges and highways structures advice, design and project development
• Asset inspection, monitoring and audit services
• Natural environment advice, design and best practice, including Rights of Way and natural assets
• Data and governance
David Stephens, managing director for local government at WSP, said: 'We are delighted to be awarded this contract and look forward to continuing our long-term relationship with Shropshire Council, working together to further enhance the county’s built environment. This new contract brings an expanded scope of services with a greater emphasis on placemaking, economic development and investment, enabling WSP to provide a broader range of expertise to the council and its communities.'
WSP is also a partner in the Shropshire Highways alliance, with Shropshire Council and Kier.
Projects that WSP and Shropshire Council have worked together on in recent years include:
• Town centre improvement schemes in Shrewsbury and Shifnal.
• Shrewsbury North West Relief Road.
• A529 road safety improvement schemes.
• Mile End junction improvements, Oswestry.
• Carbon-neutral highways maintenance programme.
• Oswestry Innovation Park.
• Shrewsbury River Severn safety report.
