Decision

For the Joint Head of Housing Development, Finance & Resources, to approve entering into a contract with Blackacre Surveyors Limited to provide Rights of Light Surveyor services in relation to the development at 505-511 Archway Road N6, for a sum of £5,000.00 pursuant to Contract Standing Orders 11.01 and 11.02 – approval of award of Contracts with a value up to £25,000.

Blackacre Surveyors Limited have not to date carried out any previous work on this project.

The total cost of work carried out by Blackacre Surveyors Limited over the life of the project (including this appointment) to date is £5,000+VAT.

Reasons for the decision

The 505-511 Archway Road site has been designated by Haringey Council for the direct delivery of new Council homes. The project requires a multi-disciplinary consultant team to input on the design and delivery of the project throughout the project lifecycle.

This contract involves the appointment of a ROL Surveyor to provide surveyor services to assess impacts on specified neighbouring properties – namely 100 North Hill N6, where potential ROL impacts have been raised by adjacent landowners.

Blackacre Surveyors Limited have been approached by adjacent landowners and are in effect acting on behalf of owners at 100 North Hill, N6. The Council, as part of its obligations to respond to potential Rights of Light impacts, needs to cover the reasonable costs of surveyor services to assess any potential impacts and associated compensation.

For clarity, The Council has already appointed its own Rights of Light Surveyor, DPR to act independently on the Council’s behalf under a separate Contract.
Both the surveyor acting on the Council’s behalf and already appointed, and the surveyor Blackacre Surveyors Limited acting on behalf of the adjacent landowners, are required to allow independent assessment and subsequent mutual agreement on any potential impacts and associated compensation.
Scope outlined for this appointment is as follows:
Right of Light consultant professional services for 100 North Hill, London, N6, for inspection, negotiations, tech review, HoT’s – to include:
- Site visit & joint measure.
- Review of technical work produced by DPR surveyors.
- Advice note issued to the dominant owners on findings.

Alternative options considered

Option 1 – Do nothing / Do not appoint a ROL surveyor. The Council could decide not to appoint this consultant or to commission ROL surveyor services, however this consultant service is essential to review ROL impacts and determine validity of any associated claims, to ensure that the council is fulfilling its obligations in this regard while also minimising any potential claims that may be sought.

Option 2 – Approach the market. As these consultants were in effect approached directly by adjacent landowners, the Council running a competitive tender for these services is not a realistic option in this case. The Council’s own appointed ROL consultant, has on the Council’s behalf already negotiated the price for these services to what is considered a reasonable level for the work involved, thereby ensuring that the Council achieves value for money for these services.