Strong views on £919k consultants' pay-day

READERS CALL COST OF MASTERPLAN A WASTE OF COUNCIL TAXPAYERS' CASH

- By DAVID PRINCE

READERS have been expressing strong opinions following the announcement of Plymouth City Council's plans and their decision to hire consultants.

The main points of contention among readers of The Herald's sister website PlymouthLive are the cost, value for money, and the balance between city growth and local needs.

Some argue that the city should accelerate its pace and support large-scale projects to stimulate job creation and civic pride.

Plymouth City Council is set to pay nearly £1 million to city centre masterplanners, a move acknowledged as a "financial risk" for the council. This month, the council appointed “global placemaking experts” WSP to devise a plan for underutilised areas of the city centre to accommodate 10,000 new homes.

Documents reveal that WSP UK Ltd will receive £919,687 to prepare “a development framework, masterplan and associated documents in respect of Plymouth city centre and the delivery of housing”.

The decision to remunerate the company was made by a single council officer acting under delegated powers.