Local Government

Our work Driving Devolution Our services Ideas and insights Contact us

At WSP we care about the issues facing local government, and we’re passionate about creating social and economic value and delivering equitable solutions that help the United Kingdom’s places and communities to thrive.

In the UK, we have over 11,000 people in more than 30 offices working with district and county councils, unitary and combined authorities including the mayoral strategic authorities. This is alongside advice to sub-national, devolved, and national government where we help set standards and policy enacted by local government. In turn we help local authority clients seamlessly align with national policy.

As market leaders in the sector, we focus on local solutions and innovations that are actionable and are delivered at the right scale for our clients. This recognises pressures such as inflation and funding challenges facing local government.

Driving Devolution

In the age of devolution and local government reorganisation, our local government leaders share their ideas and reflections on key opportunities and challenges.

Driving devolution: Three priorities for place-led transformation in local government reorganisation

Local Government Reorganisation is resulting in the biggest change to local government in England for generations. As council structures change, Leanne Smith Perrins examines how local authority leaders support their workforce while ensuring they’re positioned to capitalise on the opportunity from transformation.

A picture of Sheffield Town Hall in Yorkshire in England. A large gothic building with a public pedestrianised square in front of it.

Driving devolution: How can you get the most from your Local Growth Plan?

This article in our series on devolution and local government reorganisation, Jim Coleman looks at Local Growth Plans that align local priorities to the UK Industrial Strategy. Maximising the potential of Local Growth Plans means going beyond government guidance to build ongoing consensus on investment priorities.

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Driving devolution: five lessons for initiating local transport programmes and projects

This article in our series on devolution and local government reorganisation looks at another big question facing all new or existing transport authorities. Whether a mayoral strategic authority or a strategic foundation authority: how do you ensure major programmes and projects get off to the best possible start?

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Driving devolution: integrated settlements signal all change for transport infrastructure funding

Local Government Reorganisation is resulting in the biggest change to local government in England for generations. As council structures change, Leanne Smith Perrins examines how local authority leaders support their workforce while ensuring they’re positioned to capitalise on the opportunity from transformation?

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Driving devolution: six ways transport and infrastructure authorities can establish high-performing transport teams

Devolution is reshaping UK transport. Learn the three critical success factors WSP identified for Strategic and Foundation Authorities to establish high-performing transport teams capable of delivering transformative infrastructure at scale.

A picture of the face of Cheltenham Town Hall in Gloucestershire in the UK. The town hall is designed in classical style with three bays and three Corinthian columns on both the first and second storey, the frontage has a large decorative pediment at the top

Driving devolution: The Place Squeeze in Local Government Reorganisation: Demand up. Capacity down. Complexity everywhere

This article in our series on devolution and local government reorganisation examines how council leaders can influence three key factors around demand, supply and complexity in their approach to Local Government Reorganisation. In doing so, reorganisation can become more manageable, and provide leaders with opportunities to unlock the integrated, financially sustainable future that councils are aiming for.

Social value enabled between 2022 and 2024

£344m

Source:

Paid hours of volunteering time paid by WSP for people globally in 2024

41,600

We’re accredited for our carbon management advice

PAS2080

Our work

As a multidisciplinary professional services firm we have a long track record of assisting our clients to create value and make opportunities out of their challenges.

Across the UK, our teams provide local authorities with advice on everything from transport to urban regeneration, and flood risk to securing funding.

A yellow tram passes through an otherwise pedestrianised section of St Peter’s Square in Manchester. The image is blurred due to a slow shutter speed so the tram extends from the left to the right. It is dusk and the sky is turning red.

Projects

Quantified carbon guidance for the UK Department for Transport

WSP worked as a technical advisor to the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport to advise them on the introduction of practical advice on carbon analysis that will help local authorities reduce carbon emissions through local transport plans and schemes.

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London, United Kingdom

Shaping infrastructure for a new community at Barking Riverside

Through their strategic advice and design expertise, specialists across WSP are supporting the large-scale regeneration of Barking Riverside into a sustainable community.

A computer generated illustration showing the new Gresham masterplan in situ within Middlesbrough town centre. The development is a mid-rise development and is surrounded by a mixture of other residential developments, including back to back terraces to the right. The town centre is in the background.

Middlesborough, North Yorkshire, UK

Breathing new life into Gresham

The Gresham redevelopment will transform a parcel of land that lies between the town centre, Teesside University and the Gresham neighbourhood with revolutionary parametric design helping to optimise and shape the future design.

Scotland - UK

Kinneil Kerse biodiversity revival

Kinneil Kerse’s biodiversity revival is a blueprint for sustainable restoration, blending science, community, and environmental care.

Projects

Somerset integrated sustainability

Discover how WSP's integrated expertise helps Somerset Council build a resilient future, tackling climate and ecological emergencies.

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England, UK

Forder Valley Link Road: providing sustainable transport infrastructure for improved journeys

From environmental advisory to transport planning, from design to project and construction management, our team of experts have helped Plymouth City Council deliver a strategic piece of infrastructure in the South West.

Leeds, England, UK

Regent Street Flyover

We partnered with Balfour Beatty on a complex project for Leeds City Council that replaced a bridge at the busiest junction in Leeds while keeping traffic flowing and unlocking social value for the city.

England, UK

Durley Chine Environmental Hub

Designing Durley Chine Environmental Hub using the latest innovative low-carbon techniques.

A picture of herring bridge in Great Yarmouth in the United Kingdom which crosses a river. It has two leaves which open in the middle to allow boats to pass.

England, UK

Herring Bridge: opening a new chapter for Great Yarmouth

Our multidisciplinary expertise and partnership approach helped take Great Yarmouth’s new river crossing – a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project – from inception to successful completion in just seven years.

Cornwall, England, UK

Making the case for Looe’s £74m flood defence project

South east Cornwall’s picturesque and historic fishing harbour of Looe holds the dubious accolade of being the UK’s most flooded town.

London, United Kingdom

Strand Aldwych: Repurposing a congested London road into a vibrant public space

WSP’s placemaking and street design specialists helped deliver a major transformation of Strand Aldwych, converting one of London’s busiest and most congested roads into a new 7,000m2 pedestrian space. This makes the area a destination in its own right and an economic and social hub.

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London, United Kingdom

Hanover Square and Gardens

WSP’s placemaking and street design specialists helped deliver a major transformation of Hanover Square and Gardens that will improve accessibility and encourage people to the busy area of London.

Our services

Our end-to-end approach gives us the agility and efficiency to adjust to changing circumstances so we can anticipate and meet clients' needs at any stage of their journey.

Utilising global and local networks, our specialist expertise gives us the experience needed to deliver insightful and resilient solutions, even to the most complex problems.

Transport and Infrastructure

Planning and Development

Economics and Funding

Property and Buildings

Energy, Supply and Demand

Water, Coastal and Flood

Earth and Environment

Advisory and Management Consultancy

Procuring our services

There are multiple ways to procure our local government services. We are often procured on specialist sole-supplier and multi-supplier frameworks by individual authorities. However, there are multiple other routes to procure our services and WSP has places on sector and national frameworks. Examples include Pagabo, Crown Commercial Service, NHS SBS and the Midlands Highways Alliance. Please contact us if you have any questions about procurement routes.

Ideas and insights

With funding, economic pressures and the prospect of political change, local authorities need ideas and solutions that are both efficient and resilient to an evolving landscape.

We invest in research to ensure that our clients benefit from market-leading Future Ready ideas to deliver long-term solutions that are ready for today as well as tomorrow.