2020 Report details for project: A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down

Project name A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down - there are 5 reports for this project: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Google search Google search on project name (opens in new window) opens in new window
Contracts Contracts search (opens in new window) opens in new window - under development
Organisation DFT (D9) - see all reports for this organisation
Report year 2020 (data is from September 2019)
Category Infrastructure - see all reports for this category
Description: Freeflowing dual carriageway replacing the current single lane on the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick down including a twin bored tunnel under the majority of the world heritage site and a northern by-pass of Winterbourne Stoke.
DCA (RAG) Amber
DCA text: The IPA Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating at Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) was Amber, which has not changed since last year's Q2 1819 Amber, due primarily to the following factors; - At Q2 18/19, the scheme's potential value for money (VfM) was assessed as low. There was concern that the removal of Private Finance as an option would increase costs to a point where the VfM would be too low to sustain the project. This issue has since been resolved with Treasury approval of the OBC in Oct 2019. - One of the key risks to the project was Highways England's confidence in successfully passing Development Consent Order (DCO) given the high profile challenges to the scheme from 3rd parties, such as heritage and environmental lobbying groups. This risk was largely mitigated through a successful Examination Phase ending in Oct 19. A DCO decision was due from Secretary of State on 2nd April 2020. This has been delayed to 17 July 2020. Since the Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) Amber IPA DCA, the following non-project operating environment activities have impacted the original Q2 IPA DCA; - HM Treasury approval received in October 2019 and funding certainty was provided in the March 2020 Budget statement demonstrating government support for the scheme. - The DCO decision has been delayed until 17 July 2020. This is the decision by the Secretary of State that give planning permission for the scheme. The delay in DCO decision is not confined to this project and decisions on a number of other road infrastructure projects have also been delayed Since the Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) Amber IPA DCA, the following primary project actions have impacted the original Q2 IPA DCA; - Successful completion of DCO Examination Phase in Oct 19, with an expected Secretary of State Decision now planned for 17th July 2020. - The Invitation to Participate in Dialogue for the main works contract was published on 1 May 2020
Start date 2014-12-01
End date 2028-06-01
Schedule text The scheduled baseline project end date at Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) is 01/06/28, has not changed since last year's Q2 1819 date of 01/06/28, due primarily to the following factors; - The key risk regarding the delivery of the project related to funding certainty which impacted the likelihood of the scheme going ahead rather than its completion date. This certainty was provided in March 2020 in the Budget. - The project schedule was fully assessed and rebaselined during the approval process to HM Treasury, notwithstanding any issues beyond the control of the project, the original project end date was seen to be viable at Q2 1920. Since the Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) baseline project end date of 01/06/28, the following non-project operating environment activities have impacted the original Q2 baseline project end date; - Despite Treasury approval of the project in Oct 19, BREXIT and the subsequent General Election delayed a statement of funding certainty being released until the March 20 Budget Statement. This has required a project rebaseline which has injected a delay of approx. 6 months to the project. - The Secretary of State DCO decision has now been confirmed as delayed until 17 July 2020 and a further re-plan is required to factor in this delay as the DCO decision is on the projects critical path. Since the Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) baseline project end date of 01/06/28, the following primary project actions have impacted the original Q2 baseline project end date; - Project rebaselining activity to accommodate slippage to the HMT Funding Announcement. - Further project rebaselining to accommodate current delay to Secretary of State DCO decision.
Baseline £39.70m
Forecast £39.70m
Variance None%
Variance text: Budget variance less than 5%
Whole Life Cost £1,919.90m
WLCost text: The baseline Whole Life Cost at Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) is £1,919.90m, has increased by £363.50m since last year's Q2 1819 (£m) baseline Whole Life Cost of £1,556.40m, due primarily to the following factors; - Removal of the option of Private Finance in the 2018 Budget has led to an increase in the amount of non-recoverable VAT which needed to be included in the cost estimate - this accounts for the majority of the £363m difference. This is as a result of the difference between the treatment of non-recoverable VAT in privately or publicly financed projects. - The project was approved by Treasury in October 2019 after the Q2 1819 submission (30th September 2019) and thus this difference and the reasons for it have already been accepted by Treasury. Since the Q2 1920 (30th September 2019) £1,919.90m baseline Whole Life Cost, the following primary project actions have impacted the original Q2 baseline Whole Life Cost; - The Project has been rebaselined to accommodate the delay in announcement of Funding Assurance and further rebaselining will now be required following delay to the Secretary of State DCO announcement. - Any additional costs arising from any schedule delay are likely to be largely mitigated by the project being able to exploit new inflation rates to the funding model.
Notes1:
Notes2:
Sourcefile IPA_2020.csv

Home Selection Search All Reports Projects +dates Projects +costs Organisations Years Categories


Acknowledgement: GMPP data has been re-used under the Open Government Licence.