… anticipating a Regeneration Board… … There are concerns that Sidmouth’s Port Royal will be seeing some kind of ‘redevelopment’
Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >>> District Council’s ‘scoping exercise’ to be debated by Town Council >>> Monday 2nd November
On the agenda for next week’s Town Council meeting on Monday 2nd November at 6.30pm is the following:
Eastern Town Regeneration Scoping Exercise
Members will be aware that the Town Council has been eager to progress with the regeneration of the Eastern end of The Esplanade for some time.
Following recent speculation and a number of discussions between the Town and District Councils, stemming from the negotiations on the proposed transfer of Knowle to the Town Council, it is proposed that a Scoping Exercise is undertaken to start the process of looking at regeneration of Eastern Town.
A Scoping Exercise is an analysis and study to establish what a potential project could involve, what the risks and possible difficulties are, and how such a project should be planned and implemented.
East Devon District Council as the main landowner, have offered to fund the majority of the costs of the study and are asking that Sidmouth Town Council as a partner, contribute £2,000 towards the exercise.
To start the regeneration process with a maximum of transparency, the scoping exercise would include a consultation exercise with key stakeholders and interest groups.
This proposal is in fact being put to the Town Council the month before the Neighbourhood Plan Task and Finish Forum (TAFF) reports to the full council:
This followed on from the ‘scoping exercise’ carried out by the Port Royal Steering Group: Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: VGS and PRSG
Community Engagement Brief for Regenerating the Port Royal and Ham area,Sidmouth Eastern Town. Spring 2012
Community Engagement Brief for the Regeneration of Sidmouth Eastern Town. Spring 2012: APPENDICES
One of the starting points of any negotiations will be ownership:
> The Town Council own the Ham and the Sidmouth Trawler’s fish shop premises.
> The Sailing Club own their building, although not the land on which it stands.
> The County Council own the turning circle and other areas.
> The District Council own ‘the rest’ – although the current/future use is not clear: Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: who owns what
A view of the eastern end of the town. Photo by Simon Horn.
COMMUNITY representatives tasked with a crucial project, key to the re-development of Sidmouth’s Port Royal, have revealed details of the bid for the first time.
MEMBERS of the group tasked with a crucial project, key to the redevelopment of Sidmouth’s Port Royal, have revealed details of their work for the first time.
The news comes as the authority that handed ‘power to the people’ – because it couldn’t produce a long-awaited development brief for the site – said it has yet to receive “a commercially viable plan”.
The Herald reported in October 2009 how East Devon District Council (EDDC) gave the go-ahead for a steering group made up of representatives from Sidmouth’s town council, Vision Group, Chamber of Commerce and Hospitality Association, to produce the document.
The Herald understands the brief was initially intended to go before the council’s executive committee in September and was told by an EDDC spokesperson: “The work of the steering group has not, to date, provided a commercially viable plan. We await developments in this respect.”
When asked about the issue, Richard Eley, a member of the Port Royal Steering Group, said he was hopeful of progress in 2011. He added: “The group has delivered a draft document to EDDC which sets out our broad suggestions for the redevelopment of this very important area. We’ve tried to establish parameters which will guide potential developers and encourage a high level of quality proposals. Those parameters must be realistic, but they should also be ambitious and do justice to what is a wonderful location.
“EDDC has responded with a number of comments which we have considered. In the New Year, we hope to meet with them to decide how to move things forward. The welcome purchase of the Drill Hall means that the site is now much more deliverable, and approaches from developers are likely and should be encouraged.
“We wish to see an open debate, with maximum consultation, leading to a considered and measured appraisal of the potential of the site. The consolidation of the ownership, brought about by the Drill Hall purchase, means that a rushed, piecemeal development of the site can now be avoided, and we can look forward to a comprehensive scheme and a well-considered future for Port Royal.”
