Northern Devon Engineering and Innovation Centre

Feasibility Study

Phase 1

1.1 Identify strategic context and support

2. 
   Identification of potential stakeholders
   

Stakeholders are to be identified immediately and will include the LEP, Employment Skills Board, Petroc, TDC, NDC, DCC, RWE, etc. This list is not definitive. The link between the educational establishments and industry is to be explored and clarified with recommendations for the most appropriate level and scale of training to be provided. The stakeholders will form a group from which the Project Board will be drawn.

2. Existing Industry

This piece of work needs to identify all existing engineering companies located within the Northern Devon area and their current employee numbers, proposed expansion and training arrangements, now and in the future. This list should include the sub-sectors within the existing industry and areas of potential growth in the future such as renewables.

2. Existing Training Provision in Northern Devon

Petroc in Barnstaple already provides training at a local level including undergraduates who could take one year’s further study at Plymouth University to convert to a full Honours degree, and Bristol University, Plymouth University, University of the West of England in Bristol and Exeter Universities also run engineering courses at degree level and beyond, including those at Duchy College.

Phase 2

2.1 Future Demand – Business Space

The partners need to understand the level of existing demand for business space from companies already located in the Northern Devon area and how this is met. There is a known requirement from an existing tenant at Caddsdown Business Park, PARC, who are currently operating out of 6 starter units following the company’s expansion. Helitune who are co-located with Beran Instruments, based at Torrington, require 8,000 square feet for their expansion (they currently occupy 18,000 square feet) within 24-36 months. There may be other companies seeking to expand such as Babcock Marine in Appledore and TDK Lambda in Ilfracombe who would wish to influence this development at an early stage to ensure that their requirements for occupation are met.

It is intended that the units vacated by PARC at Caddsdown will also become part of the project by re-instating them back to workshops for innovative businesses working in the engineering and/or renewables sector.

2.2 Future Demand – Training Facilities

The partners wish to identify any existing skills and training shortages or weaknesses and any likely to occur in the short to medium term, possibly but not exclusively as a result of the development of the Atlantic Array. The methods of addressing these shortages through the development of the Engineering and Innovation Centre or other facilities including links to other training and development facilities need to be outlined in the final report.

2.3 Future Demand – Renewables Sector

Future demand from the renewables sector both during the construction and the operation of the Atlantic Array will need to be considered using examples elsewhere in the UK. Demand for training/skills is to include both direct and supply chain requirements.

Research should involve RWE, developers of the Atlantic Array, and establish their likely requirements that may include specialist training.

2.4 Future Demand – Advanced Engineering

Advanced engineering with its use of recently developed techniques and equipment producing high tech and complex products, may require dedicated R&D functions and is likely to have strong links with academic institutions. By definition this area of engineering uses cutting edge solutions and innovative entrepreneurial approaches in design and production. Existing companies include aerospace and pharmaceutical companies and new opportunities should be encouraged in these areas, along with the renewables sector.

We need to understand any special requirements these companies may have in terms of accommodation and their training requirements which will focus on mathematics and computer sciences, and whether links with universities/R&D facilities might be strengthened or improved. This sector is strongly represented in the South West and in Northern Devon.

2.5 Exemplars across the UK
Other centres have been developed across the UK, including those funded through offshore wind development and the project should benefit from lessons learned from these projects and good practice.
One example of a successful engineering and innovation centre is Hethel, near Norwich in Norfolk, where a third phase is now proposed, funded using ERDF. There are plenty of examples of successful engineering companies across Northern Devon whose requirements need to be more clearly understood.

Phase 3
Once a clear understanding of the support, context, existing provision and future requirements has been established the physical development needs to be considered.
3.1 Sustainability
The partners wish to identify any potential savings from innovative construction methods; whether build costs or longer term revenue savings. The facility will be required to appeal to a range of different occupiers and will as far as possible need to be self-sustaining and guarantee ongoing revenue to avoid uncertainty over future local authority funding contributions. Budget provision needs to include all start-up costs and provision for transitional funding for the first 5 years to a point of self-sustainment.

3.2 The Proposed Development

The site area to accommodate the floorspace required is to be justified by proven demand (Phase 1). The most appropriate specification for the business space also needs to be identified, balancing the requirements of the occupiers against the construction costs and likely rental levels.

Caddsdown in Bideford, Tamar in Holsworthy and Pathfields in South Molton provide examples of differing types of accommodation and take up rates of business space across Northern Devon but other privately developed schemes across the South West and beyond may give more appropriate examples of the accommodation required.
An innovative approach is required to the design and delivery of the scheme. It may be that the optimum solution involves more than one geographical location or a “hub and spokes” approach.
The final report should provide a suitable solution to the scale of buildings and any required external works, including access and car parking, taking into account planning constraints, and bearing in mind the rural nature of the sites under consideration. Any specialist requirements in terms of specific equipment or specifications for the engineering sector (floor loadings, eaves heights, etc) should be clearly identified and included in the specification.
An option appraisal will consider alternative sites, including the site at Caddsdown that is currently available, along with Barnstaple, Torrington, lfracombe and South Molton, and recommend a suitable location(s) for the development. This appraisal will include required infrastructure, and any planning or ownership constraints. Site values will be a factor in appraisal of construction costs, and ownership and control will be an important consideration in establishing the most appropriate site. The location will also be influenced by the identified demand and potential links to established engineering companies and specialised testing facilities serving the sector. Access, across all the Northern Devon area, including public transport routes, will be a factor.

Phase 4
When the parameters of the project are in place the best method of delivery and alternative funding sources need to be considered.

4.1 Delivery

The merits of different methods of delivering the project need to be understood by the partners before agreeing the delivery model. The report should identify a preferred method, and state clearly the rationale for selection. The stakeholders forming the Project Board will need to agree the approach.

North Devon+ will not only have a role as a member of the Project Board overseeing the project but also take space within the building and act as facilities manager. The company occupy 2,500 square feet of space within the existing Caddsdown facility that could be easily relet. The proposals for the Engineering and Innovation Centre could include the company taking an ownership interest in the new completed facility.
TDC, North Devon+ through the Employment and Skills Board, and NDC are working together to progress the project. Others might include Devon County Council, Petroc, University representatives, senior board members from local engineering companies, RWE, RegenSW, but this list is not definitive. The preferred delivery model will have an impact on the procurement requirements of the project. Procurement will need to be transparent and comply with statutory requirements, including where applicable OJEU, and the local procurement rules of the public sector organisations involved. Recommendations for the procurement of the project are to be included in the final report.

4.2 Funding

The intention is that part funding for the project could come from the Community Benefits package associated with the Atlantic Array offshore wind farm to be developed by RWE NPower. TDC who will own the land at Caddsdown could gift the land as part of the project. Other funding sources should be explored within both the UK and EU programmes.

The development will need to be self-financing as there will be no continuing revenue support from the partners involved. Rental levels and any other income will be required to cover all costs to ensure that the project is sustainable. This will need to be considered at the design stage to ensure that running costs are minimised.

4.3 Programme

A programme is to be prepared and agreed to cover both the pre-construction work including funding bids, planning, procurement, etc and the construction period to completion.

Risks should be identified in the programme at all stages and measures put forward to mitigate these and minimise any potential delays.


Further Information
North Devon+ will be the sole client in this commission although close co-working and liaison with partners will be required through attendance at project meetings.
The client project manager will be Sally Nelson of North Devon Council.
Any enquiries regarding this tender or the terms of the commission should be made to Sally Nelson 01271 388418 or sally.nelson@northdevon.gov.uk

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