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
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:-
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
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 A
SANDOWN
BAY REGENERATION STRATEGY
Priority Brainstorm
Potential Top Twenty
· Branding of Projects
· High Street Lighting
· Sandham Gardens
· Osborne Steps, Shanklin
· Centre for Extreme Sports
· New Board Walk beside Lake
· Mixed Retail/Office/Residential scheme
· Nature Trail
· Battery Gardens
· Indoor Leisure Space
· Mini Performance Areas
· Carnival Skills
· Concession Areas
· Access Routes for the Disabled
· Improved Streetscape
· Heritage Trails
· Beach Huts
· Pedestrian Crossing
· New Link Road
· Park and Ride Car Park
· New Piazza Urban Space Pier
· Health and Social Care Accommodation Review
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:………………………………
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.
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.
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]
JOHN FLEMING |
HARRY REES |
Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Leisure |
Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, UK and EU and Regional Issues |