PAPER B

Purpose : for Decision

REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE

Date : 14 JANUARY 2004

Title : SANDOWN BAY REGENERATION STRATEGY

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR TOURISM AND LEISURE

IMPLEMENTATION DATE : 26 January 2004

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

1. Members are asked to receive and endorse a strategy for the Regeneration of Sandown Bay. (Sandown Bay Summary Development Proposals)

BACKGROUND

2. In August 2003 Arup, in association with Pan Leisure Consultants Ltd and Matrix Partnership were commissioned by the Council and Tourism South East (TSE) to prepare a Regeneration Strategy for Sandown Bay.

3. Sandown Bay is felt to be a key element in the Island’s tourism offer. The 2003 tourism baseline audit identified that it contains approximately 70% of all “serviced” bed spaces and 40% of all bed spaces on the Island. A further study by Tourism South East estimated the value of tourism activity in the Bay area to be £114m, roughly one third of the Island’s total. Yet the Bay has suffered a decline in fortunes common to many of Britain’s seaside resorts.

4. The fundamental aim in the production of the Regeneration Strategy was to reverse this decline in fortunes in a way which complements and reinforces the wider regeneration objectives of the Island. It was also the intention that the Council be able to adopt the strategy as part of its Local Development Planning Framework for the Island.

5. The production of the strategy has necessitated extensive research and also consultation with the community and Industry representatives. A large number of face to face interviews were also conducted with visitors to the area. Works have been undertaken in 4 phases:-

1. Baseline position - A review of all existing information, establishment of key themes and issues.

2. Visioning for the area - Summary of key themes and issues, revision of original proposed vision and objectives set in the study brief for the area.

3. Strategy - Development of a “suite of ideas” following consultation.

4. Action Plan - Production of plan, identifying potential funding streams to enable delivery of the strategy.

6. The final results of Arup et al’s work have been received in 2 reports:-

(i) A summary of background information and research undertaken to inform the development of the strategy.

(ii) The Regeneration Strategy itself including a proposed Action Plan for its implementation.

7. The strategy itself is presented in 5 parts. One dealing with projects to be undertaken at non-specific sites throughout the whole of the area. (A total of 34 projects). The remaining parts each relate to key development sites in the Bay area and the projects to be delivered in these locations:-

· Culver Parade – Yaverland

· Sandown Pier and Esplanade

· Battery Gardens, The Heights and Los Altos Park

· Shanklin Esplanade including the spa site

8. The Strategy accompanies this report, as does a summary of the 60 projects being proposed in it. Arup and their partners will be in attendance at the meeting and making a presentation of their overall Regeneration Strategy for the Bay Area.

9. It is important to note that the proposals being made by Arup in the Strategy are done so from a solid base of research and consultation. They represent Arup’s view of the most effective way to regenerate the area over the next 10 years. For the strategy to be truly effective, however, it requires the complete support of all of the major partners; public, private, voluntary, responsible for its delivery. The endorsement of the Strategy by the Council is the first step on the road of securing the necessary support for it.

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

10. Developing tourism is one of the seven themes of the Community Strategy. Action 6.2 of the strategy relates to developing plans for the key gateway and resort towns and action 6.9 is to “bring forward re-development proposals for Ventnor, Shanklin, Sandown, Ryde and Newport”.

11. Tourism is encapsulated in the Council’s Corporate Plan 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 destinations”.

12. The recently produced draft Island Cultural Strategy recognised the importance of the links between the 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.

13. Tourism is estimated to be worth £312 million to the Island’s economy and to support 1 in 3 jobs (directly and indirectly). In March 2002 Council formally recognised that tourism was the “Island’s major industry” and that it is the “future key to prosperity”.

CONSULTATION

14. The appointment and work of Arup et al has been overseen by a steering group comprising representatives of:-

· Isle of Wight Council

· Isle of Wight Economic Partnership

· Tourism South East

· Sandown and Shanklin Town Councils

· Tourism Industry

· Sandown Regeneration Forum

· Shanklin Regeneration Forum

15. Extensive consultation, as set out in the Strategy document, has been undertaken in the production of the Strategy.

FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

16. There are no financial implications to the Council from endorsing the Strategy document. It should however be borne in mind that the Council is a significant landholder in the Bay area. It is therefore likely that if the plan were to be implemented, then some costs would accrue to the Council in upgrading and managing the local infrastructure and generally driving the implementation of the Strategy. It may well be that some of these costs could be met from capital receipts made from land disposals undertaken as part of the delivery of the Strategy.

17. An analysis of the Council’s potential financial commitments would form a key part of the development of an implementation/delivery plan.

18. The production of the Strategy has cost in the order of £70,000, half of this sum being met by Tourism South East and Market Towns Initiative funding for the Bay area. The balance has been funded by the Council.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

19. Part 1 of the Local Government Act 2000 provides the Council with the power to do anything which it considers 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.

20. Part 1 of the Local Government Act 2000 extends the power in S144 Local Government Act 1972 which enables the local authority to, “encourage by advertisement or otherwise”, recreational visitors. That power subsists.

OPTIONS

1. To endorse the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy as produced by Arup and partners.

2. To reject or amend the proposed Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy.

3. To receive a further report in April 2004 detailing proposals for the implementation of the Sandown Bay Regeneration Strategy.

EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT

21. The presentation of the Strategy by Arup and partners is the final action required of them under the terms of their current contract. It necessarily follows quite quickly on from the receipt of the final strategy immediately prior to Christmas. This has not therefore permitted an in-depth consideration of how the strategy could be implemented and at what cost to the Council, which accounts for how the recommendations are phased.

22. The production of the Regeneration Strategy has been well informed through extensive local consultation and research into local, national and international policies and trends which could have an impact on the area. It therefore provides the most effective model and basket of projects to regenerate the area within this context.

23. The strategy however must be accepted by the majority of the individuals, businesses, organisations, and public bodies affected by it and its proposals if it is to be truly effective in achieving its objectives. The promotion of the strategy to achieve these necessary levels of local buy-in will need to form one of the first stages in the work to implement the Strategy.

24. The Bay area is central to the Island’s tourism economy and therefore also its overall economy. It is of sufficient import for the Island to be seeking to address its decline as a matter of priority. The Strategy is a first step on a long but necessary journey for the Bay area and the Island.

RECOMMENDATIONS

25. That options 1 and 3 be adopted.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

26. Presentation to the Committee by Arup and partners.

Contact Point : John Metcalfe, Head of Community Development and Tourism

( 823825 Email: [email protected]

David Pettitt, Strategic Director of Education and Community Development

John Fleming, Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Leisure