PAPER B

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, TOURISM AND LEISURE SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE – 10 MARCH 2005

SANDOWN BAY REGENERATION STRATEGY UPDATE

REPORT OF PORTFOLIO HOLDERS FOR TOURISM AND LEISURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UK AND EU AND REGIONAL ISSUES

REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

1. The Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy identified a range of opportunities to support the regeneration of the Bay at its meeting in December. The Select Committee indicated its support for further consultation to agree the Priority Projects which could help to deliver the Strategy. This report will support a presentation to the community at the Civic Centre in Sandown on 10 March 2005 and will aim to build consensus about the way forward.

ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE

The Select Committee is recommended to agree:-

1 To confirm that the Select Committee representatives on the Joint Steering Group will be Councillor Heather Humby and Councillor David Williams

2 To invite nominations from the local stakeholder organisations to nominate representatives on the Joint Steering Group

3 To note the arrangements and programme of meetings of both the Sandown Bay Regeneration Working Group and the Joint Steering Group

4 To note the Priority Projects identified by the Sandown Bay Regeneration Working Group and to consider whether these remain appropriate.

BACKGROUND

2. The Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy was completed by the jointly appointed consultants, ARUP, in early 2004. The Strategy relies upon the availability of resources to implement projects and recognised the need to introduce Supplementary Planning Guidance to maximise the development potential in the Bay.

3. It has not been possible to delivery Supplementary Planning Guidance due to changes in Planning legislation, however the Strategy has been usefully used as an opportunity to attract funding through the Market Towns Initiative. The key achievements as a result of this approach have been:-

· Cycleway improvements between Shanklin and Wroxall

· Improvements to the Revetment lighting

· Landscaping to the front of the Dinosaur Museum

· Improved transport links to stations during the Summer season.

4. From a strategic perspective, the Strategy has identified clear support for a deep seated investment in a high quality Tourism product in the Bay and on the Island generally. This has greatly influenced the emerging Tourism Development Plan which is receiving industry-wide support. In addition, the Strategy raised the profile of the Bay with Tourism South East which has agreed to part-fund further initiatives to take the regeneration of the Bay forward.

5. From a planning perspective, the opportunity has been taken by the Council through leading members to influence the nature of the South East Plan by securing Special Policy Area Status for the Island. The consultation draft of the South East Plan which has now been published currently contains robust policies to support regeneration, particularly in the Tourism sector, and this has the potential to support further public and private sector investment in the Bay.

6. The policies contained in the South East Plan will provide the opportunity for the development of an Area Action Plan (AAP) for the Bay as part of the emerging Local Development Framework which will replace the existing Unitary Development Plan. This ‘Island Plan’ will be the subject of extensive consultation with an anticipated completion date in the year 2007. Work on the AAP will start in early 2006. The change of emphasis in Planning legislation which will be enacted through the Island Plan should help us to identify viable development opportunities which will encourage a high level of investment in a quality Tourism product including holiday accommodation.

7. Further work still needs to be carried out on the ground to achieve improvements in advance of important changes in the planning framework for the Bay. To achieve this end, a cross-cutting Working Group of officers has been formed under the Chairmanship of the Strategic Director for Environment Services to develop a series of prioritised projects utilising existing assets to maximise their potential to regenerate the Bay. This work will be supported by a Special Project Officer using pump priming funds from the Tourism Service in partnership with Tourism South East.

8. The key to the success of this approach will be the pursuit of realistic priority projects which will make a significant contribution to the infrastructure of the Bay and which will underpin private sector investment. To ensure that these projects are the best place to start, it will be vital to test and agree these priorities with stakeholders through a Sandown Bay Regeneration Joint Steering Group whose emphasis will be to work for the whole Bay. The consultation meeting on 10 March is part of the process needed to agree with stakeholders how these arrangements can be effectively put into place so that the regeneration of the Bay becomes part of the delivery of the Island’s 2020 Vision.

9. The top Priority Projects have so far been developed by the Sandown Bay Regeneration Working Group and the potential top twenty and other projects yet to be prioritised are set out in the attached Appendix A. Comments have also been received from Shanklin Town Council and the Shanklin Hotel Association and these will need to be taken into account by the Sandown Bay Regeneration Joint Steering Group at its inaugural meeting.

10. The Working Group has continued to make progress with the top Priority Projects in the following areas:-

Eastern Gardens - refurbishment to be completed for the current season

Hotel Sector Futures Study due to report at end of June

Hope Beach Car Park Development – planning brief in preparation

Shanklin Library and Information Centre Review – initial appraisals commenced

Spa Site and Piazza – site clearance being investigated

Brown Sign Policy and maintenance under review

Shanklin Theatre – improvement plan in development stage

11. The programme of meetings for the Joint Steering Group is intended to meet on alternative months throughout the next year and currently the dates are anticipated to take place on the following cycle:

April

June

August

October

December

February 2006

12. These meetings will be fully supported by the inter-departmental Working Group which will meet on a monthly basis and will share progress reports with the Joint Steering Group.

13. During the course of the coming months, work on the agreed Priority Projects will help to confirm the resource allocation needed and the viability of funding from all appropriate sectors. As part of this approach, the Council will at a later date need to consider the potential for strategic disposals and how any receipts might be used to pump prime investment in the Public Realm. Opportunities will also be taken to develop appropriate bids through the Area Investment Framework funding from SEEDA and other potential sources possibly commencing in the year 2006/2007 depending upon competing priorities.

CONSULTATION PROCESS

14. During the course of the next two years, the Island’s Local Development Framework or ‘Island Plan’ will seek to identify clear opportunities which will support private sector investment in a higher quality Tourism product. A specific Action Area Plan will be prepared to support this approach

15. The consultation draft of the South East Plan contains special policies for the Isle of Wight which should support the development of Sandown Bay through to 2026. Confirmation by stakeholders from Sandown Bay that these policies are appropriate will help to ensure that these policies can be secured for the longer term.

16. The Head of Tourism Services is currently consulting local stakeholders about a revised Tourism Development Plan and this seeks to address many of the issues which were identified as part of the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy. The recently introduced Island Cultural Strategy recognises the importance of the links between Cultural Services and Tourism. One of its six themes relates to the development of all-year-round Tourism and part of its overall aim is to use Cultural Services to ‘assist’ in underpinning the Island’s Tourism industry.

17. The proposed Joint Steering Group of stakeholders from the community will help to ensure that the prioritisation of projects to deliver the Strategy are well understood locally. It is hoped that through clear communication, the business sector will be sufficiently informed and involved in opportunities to regenerate the Bay that they have the confidence to continue to invest in high quality products which meet the demands of future visitor markets.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS

18. The arrangements to develop a Working Group and provide a Special Project Officer can be met from existing budgets.

19. At some future date, the Council may be required to consider how its property assets may be used to maximise the potential of future investment in grading and managing the Public Realm.

20. Further analysis will be developed during the course of the next few months once the priorities are agreed with the local community and the Working Group supported by the Special Project Officer, who will be able to identify an appropriate resource plan.

APPENDICES ATTACHED

Appendix A - Proposed Priority Projects

Appendix B - Report to Executive – Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy update 26 January 2005

Appendix C - Section E10 of the draft South East Plan – The Isle of Wight Special Policy Area

BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT

Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy

Contact Point : Derek Rowell, Strategic Director for Environment Services, ( 823146

e-mail: [email protected]

Ashley Curzon, Planning Policy Manager, ( 823557

e-mail: [email protected]

JOHN FLEMING	HARRY REES
Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Leisure	Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, UK and EU and Regional Issues

APPENDIX B

Purpose : for Decision

REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE

Date : 26 JANUARY 2005

Title : SANDOWN BAY REGENERATION STRATEGY UPDATE

JOINT REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR TOURISM AND LEISURE AND THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UK AND EU AND REGIONAL ISSUES

IMPLEMENTATION DATE:………………………………

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

1. To note the circumstances which have affected the implementation of the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy and to agree the allocation of resources needed to deliver prioritised projects in partnership with local stakeholders.

BACKGROUND

2. At its meeting on 14 January 2004 the Executive received a presentation from consultants about the findings of their study which supported the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy. At that stage the Strategy was still out to consultation and it was hoped that there would be adequate support from the community to allow the development of Supplementary Planning Guidance. During that presentation the Executive noted that there was an aspiration that funding from the Area Investment Framework may be needed to support infrastructure investment but it was clarified that this was not possible in the short term.

3. At the public consultation meetings which followed the Executive meeting there was general support for the main principles of the proposals in the Strategy. However, there were also concerns about the mix of the elements of the proposals and whether they were sustainable or financially viable. As a result it was recognised by officers that there was insufficient support for the development of comprehensive development proposals which could warrant the preparation of Supplementary Planning Guidance under legislation which existed at that time.

4. Over recent months, a number of collaborative projects have been developed which have addressed some of the immediate solutions suggested in the Strategy using the opportunity to attract funding through the Market Towns Initiative. The key achievements as a result of this approach have been:-

· Cycleway improvements between Shanklin and Wroxall

· Improvements to the revetment lighting

· Landscaping to the front of the Dinosaur Museum

· Improved transport links to stations during Summer season.

5. From a strategic perspective, the profile of Sandown Bay on the Island’s regeneration agenda has been increased as a result of the Strategy and its needs are better understood. In addition, the deep seated need for investment in a higher quality tourism product in the Bay and on the Island generally has greatly influenced the Tourism Development Plan which is receiving industry-wide support. The raised profile and potential for further investment in the Tourism industry continues to interest Tourism South East which has agreed to part fund further initiatives to take the regeneration of the Bay forward.

6. In planning terms proposals to develop the regeneration of the Bay will now be able to benefit from changes in legislation enacted in 2004. The first step in these changes will emerge from the South East Plan and the opportunity has been taken by leading members to influence the nature of the plan by securing a Special Policy Area status for the Island. The consultation draft of the South East Plan currently contains robust policies to support regeneration particularly in the tourism sector.

7. The Island will have the opportunity to build on the policies through its own Local Development Framework which will replace the Urban Development Plan and essentially deliver the Vision for the Island through to 2026. This ‘Island Plan’ will also go out to consultation with an anticipated completion date in early 2007. The regeneration of the Bay will form an important part of the plan and it is intended that the special and detailed proposals for the Bay will form an Area Action Plan within the development documents. The change of emphasis in planning legislation should help to identify viable development opportunities and one of the key issues will be changes to the supply side of holiday accommodation to encourage investment in a quality market.

8. To support the development of appropriate retention, renewal and exit strategies for holiday accommodation in the Area Action Plan, Tourism South East has agreed to support studies for the whole of the Bay area. This work will usefully inform the work of identifying strategic development opportunities and is a key to rebalancing the holiday accommodation market so that businesses can invest in higher quality standards with confidence in long term success.

9. Further work still needs to be carried out on the ground to achieve improvements in advance of the important changes in the planning framework in the Bay. To achieve this end a cross cutting Working Group of officers has been formed under the Chairmanship of the Strategic Director for Environment Services to develop a series of prioritised projects utilising existing assets to maximise their potential to regenerate the Bay. This work will be supported by a special project officer using pump priming funds from the Tourism Service supported by Tourism South East.

10. The key to the success of this approach will be the pursuit of realistic priority projects which will make a significant contribution to the infrastructure of the Bay and which will underpin private sector investment. To ensure these are the best place to start it will be vital to test and agree these priorities with stakeholders through a joint Regeneration Steering Group for the whole Bay. Work is currently in hand to agree with stakeholders how these arrangements can be put effectively in place so that the regeneration of the Bay becomes part of the delivery of the Island’s Vision.

11. The top priority projects are currently being developed with local stakeholders and the potential top 20 and other projects yet to be prioritised are set out in the attached Appendix A.

12. During the course of the coming months, work on the agreed priority projects will help to confirm the resource allocation needed and the viability funding from all appropriate sectors. As part of this approach the Council will at a later date need to consider the potential for strategic disposals and how any receipts might be used to pump prime investment in the public realm. Opportunities will also be taken to develop appropriate bids through the Area Investment Framework funding from SEEDA and other potential sources possibly commencing in the year 2006/7.

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

13. Opportunities to regenerate the Island have been secured in the South East Plan and these policies clearly identify a role for strategic changes in the development of tourism. During the course of the next two years, the Island’s Local Development Framework or ‘Island Plan’ will seek to identify clear opportunities which will support private sector investment in a higher quality tourism product. A specific Area Action Plan will be prepared to support this approach and the work currently being undertaken to develop priority projects will help to inform this process with close consultation with local stakeholders.

14. Developing tourism is one of the 7 Themes of the Community Strategy. Action 6.2 of the Strategy relates to the developing of plans for the key gateways and resort towns and Action 6.9 is to ‘bring forward redevelopment proposals for Ventnor, Shanklin, Sandown, Ryde and Newport’.

15. Tourism development is a fundamental element in the Council’s Corporate Plan with the specific objective of ‘encouraging job creation and economic prosperity’. Within this objective the Council’s declared aim is to ‘support development of the Island as one of the UK’s leading tourist and leisure destination’.

16. The Head of Tourism Services is currently consulting local stakeholders about a revised Tourism Development Plan and seeks to address many of the issues which need to be addressed as part of the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy. Work in this area will have long term benefits and the Service has secured resources from Tourism South East to match its own to ensure that a special project officer can co-ordinate the development of projects which are consistent with this Plan.

17. The recently produced Island Cultural Strategy recognises the importance of the links between Cultural Services and Tourism. One of its 6 Themes relates to the development of all year round tourism and part of its overall aim is to use Cultural Services to ‘assist’ in underpinning the Island’s tourism industry.

CONSULTATION

18. Extensive consultation was undertaken as part of the delivery of the Strategy document prepared by the consultancy led by ARUP. Further work is now being undertaken to establish a joint Steering Group of stakeholders from the community to ensure that the prioritisation of projects to deliver the Strategy are well understood. It is hoped that through clear communication, the business sector will be sufficiently informed and involved in the opportunities to regenerate the Bay that they have the confidence to invest high quality products which will meet the demands of future visitor markets.

FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

19. The arrangements to develop a Working Group and provide a special project officer can be met from existing budgets.

20. At some future date the Council may be required to consider how its property assets may be used to maximise the potential of future investment in grading and managing the public realm.

21. Further analysis will be developed during the course of the next few months once the priorities are agreed with the local community and the Working Group supported by the special project officer is able to identify an appropriate resource plan.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

22. Part 1 of the Local Government Act 2000 provides the Council with power to do anything which it considers is likely to promote the economic, social and/or environmental well-being of its area. The Council must have due regard to the Community Strategy in exercising this power.

23. Part 1 of the Local Government Act 2000 extends the power in Section 144 of the Local Government Act 1972 which enables a local authority to, ‘encourage by advertisement or otherwise’, recreational visitors. That power subsists.

24. OPTIONS

1. To endorse the continuation of work to deliver the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy as outlined in this report.

2. To consider whether alternative measures should be used to deliver the proposals contained in the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy.

EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT

25. The production of the Regeneration Strategy was well-informed through extensive local consultation and research into local, national and international policies and trends which could have an impact on the Bay area. It therefore provides an effective baseline on which to judge a series of priority projects which can be used to regenerate the Bay area based on a viable partnership between the public and private sector.

26. The Strategy prepared by ARUP was generally accepted by the community, however, there were concerns about the viability of some of the projects proposed and whether in fact they could be implemented. As a result it was not possible to adopt large proportions of the Strategy Special Planning Guidance and officers are now working to address these concerns through further consultation which will be considered as part of the delivery of the Island Plan through an Action Area Plan specifically for the Bay area.

27. The Bay area is central to the Island’s tourism economy and provides opportunities to provide an improved product which will improve the viability of businesses and aid the regeneration to the Island’s economy. The key to future project is the development of realistic and viable priority projects which can be delivered within existing resources and the development of strategies to underpin the confidence of private sector investors through timely improvements in the public realm. As part of the development of new opportunities, the Council will consider seeking contributions from developers through the planning process to support investment in tourism and related infrastructure.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. To note the circumstances which have affected the implementation of the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy, and

2. To agree the allocation of resources which have been assembled to consider the delivery of prioritised projects in partnership with local stakeholders.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

28. Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

29. Appendix:

· List of Priority Projects as at Appendix A

Contact Point: Derek Rowell, tel: 823146, email: [email protected]