Kempston Street

Project overview 

Liverpool City Council published guidance on delivering social value from major developments in the form of an Employment and Skills Strategy.  

Kempston Street, a development of two apartment blocks totalling 70 apartments and 400 sqm of ground floor commercial space, passed the threshold for the statement.   

This meant that as part of the planning process, the principal developer and contractor had to demonstrate how they will optimise employment and skills for local people.  

Kempston Street was the first planning application required to go through this process. 

The challenge 

The Employment and Skills Strategy for Kempston Street was the test case for Liverpool City Council’s social value guidance. There was no precedent set for what the council would accept. 

Targets had to be deliverable as progress would be monitored via regular meetings with the council.

The solution 

Early in the process, the Pegasus team met with the council to determine what best practice would look like from its perspective. 

The aim then was to respond to those expectations while ensuring what was proposed was realistic and deliverable for the client.  

Working closely with the client, the team researched the day-to-day on-site experiences to determine what was already being achieved and the opportunities. The client was also keen to set stretch targets where possible.  

The team identified that the project would support 141 direct and indirect jobs. Targets were set for job postings and for opportunities for apprentices, long-term unemployed, the disabled and ex-offenders. 

While future commercial tenants were unknown at the time, Pegasus also helped the client identify appropriate operational phase targets which would be achievable. 

 

If you’d like to discuss how Pegasus can support your development, get in touch.