Decision making process for the siting of Kettering multi purpose driving test centre.

Driving Standards Agency

Customer Enquiry Unit

P.O. Box 280

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE99 1FP

Enquiries and Bookings : 0300 200 1122

Fax: 0300 200 1155

[email address]

www.direct.gov.uk/drivingtest

Our ref: 0804/00594

16 May 2008

Dear Mr Moore

Thank you for your request for information on the decision to site a new
multi-purpose test centre in Kettering rather than in Wellingborough.
Please allow me to apologise to the delayed response to your enquiry.

Decisions relating to the number and location of test centres are the
responsibility of our Estates department. We have forwarded your email to
Estates, however the member of staff dealing specifically with the area
including Northamptonshire is currently away from the office and will
return next week. We will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Tristan Williams

Customer Enquiry Unit

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Mr Moore

As a member of the MPTC project team, I have been passed your query
regarding the choice of Kettering as the location of an MPTC as opposed to
Wellingborough.

At the start of the MPTC project the DSA identified the requirement for a
search centred on Wellingborough. It was identified that location of an
MPTC in either Wellingborough or Kettering was acceptable.

The site search was undertaken from the Northampton office of our
acquisition agents Lambert Smith Hampton by way of mail shot to agents
active in the areas, approaches to land owners and developers andpublic
authorities. This was supported by a national advertisement in the Estates
Gazette.

A number of options were identified within the Wellingborough and
Kettering areas and the following schedule identifies these possibilities
and provides a commentary as to why they were pursued or abandoned:-

+-------------------------------------+
|Park Farm|Operationally |
|Industrial Estate,|suitable, but the|
|Huxley Close,|Council were|
|Wellingborough. |selling the site|
| |and preferred|
| |another bidder on|
| |employment |
| |grounds. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Irthlingborough |Operationally |
|Road, |unsuitable for|
|Wellingborough |the DSA. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Bevan Close,|Contaminated site|
|Wellingborough |and acquisition|
| |deal fell|
| |through. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|The Embankment,|Operationally |
|Wellingborough |suitable and|
| |terms agreed with|
| |the vendor. |
| |However, the|
| |vendor withdrew|
| |from the|
| |transaction to|
| |use the site for|
| |his own hire|
| |business. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Ogee Business Park,|Operationally |
|Wellingborough |unsuitable for|
| |the DSA. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Sanders Road|Operationally |
|Business Park,|suitable, but|
|Wellingborough |remediation |
| |required putting|
| |this outside|
| |scope for|
| |acquisition |
| |within the period|
| |required by DSA. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Meadow Close, Ise|Operationally |
|Valley Industrial|unsuitable for|
|Estate, |the DSA. |
|Wellingborough | |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Gerrard Way,|Operationally |
|Kettering |unsuitable for|
| |the DSA. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Henson Way,|Operationally |
|Kettering |unsuitable for|
| |the DSA. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Patterson Road,|Operationally |
|Wellingborough |suitable, but|
| |unable to agree|
| |terms with|
| |developer who|
| |favoured sub|
| |division of|
| |existing building|
| |rather than|
| |demolition and|
| |develop. |
|-------------------+-----------------|
|Orion Way,|Operationally |
|Kettering |suitable and the|
| |site that is|
| |being developed|
| |for use as an|
| |MPTC. |
+-------------------------------------+

As you can see, the DSA searched both Wellingborough and Kettering,
considering a number of options that were brought to our attention.
Following due diligence, the first one that proved deliverable,
represented value-for-money and was approved by the appropriate local
planning authority was Orion Way, Kettering. Therefore the decision was
taken to locate an MPTC there and this should become operational in
August.

Kind regards

Chris Huntington

MPTC Project

Driving Standards Agency

email: [1][email address]

Tel: 0115 936 6838

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References

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