Appendix 1

Although many of the Island towns are characterised by a good quality built environment, there are areas of our settlements which suffer from a lack of investment creating economic, social and environmental problems. Some of these areas have been known and identified for many years whilst others have been the subject of more recent changes.

The principal problem is the historically low levels of investment that have come forward and even where development has taken place it has been focussed on green field development characterised by the large suburban housing estates of the 70's and 80's. At the same time the Council has not had the resources available to fund major town centre regeneration schemes and even pump priming private sector investment has had limited success.

There have, however, been some fundamental changes in approach to development at national and local level in recent years which has begun to focus development back into town centres and more importantly brown field sites and areas in need of regeneration. The government is committed through the Urban White Paper to the objective of urban renaissance and also involving the community in bringing forward solutions at the local level.

The Council is actively involved in an extensive public consultation exercise to progress the Community Plan and has also undertaken similar exercises in producing both the UDP and LTP. It is becoming increasingly clear through documents like the Green Paper on Planning and Modernising Local Government that in bringing forward any proposals, plans or strategies it is expected that the Council will engage local people in the process.

The Council has undertaken a number of site specific consultation exercises in recent years, for example in respect of proposals for the Parade and Northwood House at Cowes and Newport Quay. The most recent approach has been the process carried out at Ventnor in respect of the Central Area. Taking the Ventnor consultation as a model it is suggested that the following stages may be appropriate :

• Executive agree to progress regeneration proposals for a particular site (including officers involved, resources needed etc)

• Identify lead officer and member/officer working group to oversee project

• Pull together key information and draft options.

• Initial public consultation exercise undertaken to identify key issues/opportunities.

• Preparation of detailed planning and development brief based on results

• Results reported back to Select Panel together with recommendations for amendment.

• Revised brief endorsed by Executive and adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance

• Expressions of interest sought including any external funding etc

It is likely that the Council will become involved in regeneration projects in a number of areas and a consistent approach to dealing with the corporate process is needed if resources and outcomes are to be effective.

In January 2001 the Council resolved to carry out a public consultation exercise in Ventnor on proposals to regenerate the Central Area of the town and report the findings back to the Executive. It is recommended that the Council adopts a twin track approach by continuing to work towards an agreed scheme whilst discussions are ongoing with a major food retailer which may bring about an alternative solution to the regeneration of long standing derelict sites.

The ‘central area’ of Ventnor comprises land in the vicinity of Pound Lane which for many years has suffered for a lack of investment and consequent poor environment. The land is in two principal ownerships (including the Council) and has been the subject of a number of planning consents that have remained unimplemented which have lead to further dereliction, dumping and vandalism in the area. A location plan is attached as Appendix A.

In partnership with the Town Council proposals were developed which incorporated other IW Council land holdings within the area as a way of funding a comprehensive regeneration package. A major public consultation exercise was held over two days in March 2001 at the Winter Gardens with the exhibition continuing at Ventnor Library until May 2001. Some 258 responses were received and a summary of these are included at Appendix B. The full document has already been made available to local people and is also on the Council’s website. The principal findings were that although the majority (96.5%) supported some form of regeneration, a significant number (76.7%) did not agree with the specific proposals put forward.

Soon after the consultation had concluded, the Council were made aware of an interest by Aldi stores in developing a number of retail outlets across the Island including Ventnor. Ongoing discussions have identified the Central Car Park as the preferred location and Aldi have taken an option on land at Pound Lane which could enable a land swap with the Council and allow for a comprehensive scheme to come forward. A separate report on this appears elsewhere on the agenda.

In November 2001 officers presented the findings of the questionnaire back to a public meeting which endorsed the approach of continuing to explore a feasible solution to regenerating the Central Area whilst bringing forward proposals for a new food store.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That the Council adopts the process set out in paragraph 5 for bringing forward regeneration projects across the Island.

2. That the Council adopts a twin track approach to regeneration of the Ventnor Central Area by :

- facilitating appropriate land transaction to ensure ongoing opportunities to redevelop central area in partnership with Aldi are not compromised.

- reconsidering proposals put forward for public consultation in the light of comments received in respect of the planning and development brief for the area.</TBODY>

Contact Point : Ashley Curzon, tel 823557, Planning Policy and Environment

M J A FISHER

Strategic Director

Corporate and Environment Services

B LAWSON

Portfolio Holder - Agenda 21 and Countryside Matters