Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED: Councillor Gidney was appointed Chairman for 2017-2018.

RESOLVED: Councillor Mrs Wright was appointed Vice Chairman for 2017-2018.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Parish and Smith.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED: The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

Those declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

There was none.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

There was none.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

Councillor Bambridge – all items.

Councillor Bird – all items.

Councillor Bubb – RD9

Councillor Devereux – RD9 and RD10.

Councillor Pope – all items.

If any.

The Chairman referred to correspondence which had been sent to Members of the Panel relating to the Riverfront Delivery Plan – Final Options Report.  He asked Members to consider the contents of the correspondence during discussion of the item.

Members of the King’s Lynn Area Consultative Committee have been invited to the Meeting for this item.

The Regeneration and Economic Development Manager and the Regeneration Programmes Manager presented the report which updated Members on progress and development of the final masterplan for the King’s Lynn Riverfront area.  A copy of their presentation is attached.

The Regeneration and Economic Development Manager clarified that the masterplan was not a planning application and planning consent would be required at the appropriate time.  The Masterplan included design principles, potential land uses and a vision for the site.  The Panel was informed that as part of the Local Plan sites were allocated within the development area. 

The Panel was informed that a public consultation exercise had been carried out and three options were considered.  The Panel were provided with information on the three options and were informed that the preferred option was option three.  Option 3 included exploring the use of Hardings Way and potentially opening it up to other vehicles.  He acknowledged that there had been some objections and concerns raised to this and explained that many options would be considered.  The Regeneration and Economic Development Manager explained that if no changes were made to the traffic arrangements there could be an increase in traffic using the other main routes into the town centre.

The Panel was informed that any changes to the road network would be subject to separate processes with Norfolk County Council and a thorough analysis would be required. 

The Panel was informed that the masterplan would be submitted to Cabinet and Full Council for approval.  If approved delivery options would be looked at and further consultation would be carried out as appropriate.

The Chairman thanked officers for their presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

In response to questions from Councillor Tyler, the Regeneration and Economic Development Manager explained that funding opportunities were available, however it was competitive and a strong bid would be required.  The Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership also had routes into funding.

Councillor Crofts informed those present that he supported option three.  He acknowledged the concerns about Hardings Way, but felt that the road was underused and consideration needed to be given to the cost benefit of the road.  Councillor Crofts referred to air quality issues along London Road and that if traffic was to increase the air quality would reduce.  Councillor Crofts also hoped that the riverfront area would be easily accessed to tourists and encourage bus trips to the area.

The Vice Chairman, Councillor Wright referred to the allocation in the local plan for housing and asked if figures were available on how many extra vehicles this could bring into the town centre.  The Regeneration and Economic Development Manager explained that the site allocation could be a different figure.  The next stage would be to look at what was viable and feasible on the site.

In response to a question from Councillor Mrs Collingham, it was explained the Nar Loop was currently connected to the Ouse but was mainly dry because of reed  ...  view the full minutes text for item RD9:

The Chairman invited the Panel to take part in a workshop exercise to look at the potential regeneration of the Southgates area.  The Panel were provided with information on the area and the surrounding land which was currently under the control of the Council.

Members broke into separate groups and gave consideration to the following questions:

-        Should the Borough Council proceed with purchasing further land around the Southgates?

-        What uses would you like to see in this part of the town?

-        How should future development look? Taking into account scale, form, mass, views and historic constraints.

-        Could regeneration incorporate any highways improvements?

The Panel then shared their suggestions and ideas and the general consensus was that the Council should proceed with purchasing further land around the Southgates and ideas were put forward on how to regenerate the area.

Councillor Bambridge addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34.  She felt that the park area opposite the Southgates would be well used if the area was improved.  She also suggested that if the area was improved, consideration needed to be given to public transport to the area, as at the moment many of the buses came down Hardings Way instead of London Road.

The Chairman thanked officers and the Panel for their contribution.  Officers explained that officers would consider the contributions from the Panel and return to the Panel in due course with an update on progress.

RESOLVED: Officers to consider the comments and suggestions made by the Panel and would bring back an update to Members at the appropriate time.

The Regeneration and Economic Development Manager and Regeneration Programmes Manager provided the Panel with an update on the Enterprise Zone.  The Panel was reminded that they had requested updates on the NORA site and at a previous meeting had received an update on the Housing projects.  The Panel were provided with a presentation, as attached, which included detail of the location of the Enterprise Zone and the approved uses of the sites.

The Regeneration Programmes Manager provided detail of the infrastructure work required in order to develop the site including the access road and the gas main diversion.  She informed those present that a feasibility study had been carried out by National Grid with their preferred option for the diversion.  The work would also incorporate the diversion of overhead cables to underground which would broaden development options on the site.

Work would also be required to determine ground conditions, especially on the Mortson site as investigations had not yet been carried out on these pieces of land.  The Enterprise Zone area would also have the benefit of Superfast Broadband.

Professional Design Consultants would develop the site infrastructure and design in consideration with the gas main diversion works.

The Regeneration and Economic Development Manager explained that a drop in and information event would take place to inform the public of the proposals.  Updates would also be presented to the Regeneration and Development Panel as appropriate.  It was anticipated that the scheme would be completed in 2019.

The Chairman thanked officers for their report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

The Leader, Councillor Long referred to the gas main diversion and asked if consideration had been given to moving the gas reduction site before the pipe came into the town, meaning that a low pressure gas main could be used.  The Regeneration Programmes Manager agreed to discuss the issue with National Grid.

RESOLVED: (i) The update was noted.

(ii) The Panel to be kept up to date with progress as appropriate.

To consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

The Property Services Manager provided the Panel with an update on One Public Estate.  Members asked questions about the facilities which would be available at King’s Court and the Town Hall.

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

RESOLVED: The Panel’s Work Programme was noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Regeneration & Development Panel is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 25^th July 2017 at 6.00pm at a venue to be confirmed.

The next meeting of the Regeneration and Development Panel would be held on Tuesday 25^th July 2017 at a time and venue to be confirmed.