Agenda item

The document attached to the agenda outlines the request from Councillor Bird for the item to be considered.

 

Members may be interested in referring to the Business Premises Needs Assessment which was published in April 2018 and is available at https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/5162/business_premises_needs_assessment.pdf

 

Depending on the nature of Members discussion it may be necessary to go into closed session for part of the item.  In this case the following resolution will need to be passed:

 

“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”.

 

 

Minutes:

The Panel was informed that this item had been added to the agenda at the request of Councillor Bird.  Councillor Bird was present at the meeting and introduced Mike Ruston, Vice Chairman of the Hunstanton Coastal Community Team who had accompanied him to the meeting.

 

Councillor Bird felt that there was a need for more commercial premises in Hunstanton.  He referred to the Business Premises Needs Assessment which had been commissioned by the Borough Council, a link to the survey had been included in the Agenda.

 

Councillor Bird felt that the results of the survey backed up his suggestion in that there was a need for commercial premises in the North Western corner of Norfolk.  He referred to land allocated for employment in the local plan, which was allocated for a care home complex and open market housing.  He explained that the creation of houses with care could provide full and part time jobs in the area, which would be a benefit to Hunstanton.  Councillor Bird also commented that the creation of workshop space would also provide employment opportunities.

 

Councillor Bird highlighted that there was an imbalance of current working options for locals, that there was an overwhelming need to redress this by offering employment on a year round basis rather than depend so completely on seasonal work.  He also commented that Hunstanton was a separate offer to King’s Lynn and the provision of employment and how the area was promoted and marketed needed to be adjusted accordingly.

 

Councillor Bird suggested that there could be an Enterprise Zone or Service Centre established in Hunstanton, but with separate marketing and promotion to facilities in King’s Lynn.

 

Councillor Bird made reference to the following sites in Hunstanton, which he considered to have potential to provide commercial premises and employment opportunities:

 

·        Site allocated for employment in the local plan.

·        Valentine Road Building

·        Hunstanton Bus Station

·        Southend Road Car Park Frontage

·        Coach Park

·        Smithdon School Playing field

·        Redundant Infant School, Valentine Road

·        Amalgamation of the Ambulance, Police and Fire Station

·        Keith Brown Autos and redundant empty bike shop.

 

The Chairman thanked Councillor Bird for his presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

 

The Chairman enquired if some of the sites and aspirations mentioned by Councillor Bird were already being addressed as part of the Hemingway Masterplan work.  Councillor Bird did not think that they were because the Hemingway work was all about developing the leisure and tourism offer, whereas his aspiration was to provide commercial and employment opportunities all year round.

 

The Portfolio for Corporate Projects and Assets, Councillor Beales, thanked Councillor Bird for his presentation and for highlighting specific issues, many of which the Council were already aware of and looking at opportunities through One Public Estate and the Hemingway Masterplan work.  He acknowledged that progress was slow, which could be frustrating, but he assured Councillor Bird, that these sites were being considered and opportunities were being looked at.

 

Councillor Smith acknowledged that it was important to try and make Hunstanton a place for year round employment and that the development boundary could be restrictive when it came to sites which could be allocated. 

 

The LDF Manager explained that the Core Strategy nominated Hunstanton as an important hub and detailed policies had been included in the Local Plan specifically for Hunstanton.  He referred to the allocated site for housing with care and explained that this could be expensive to provide, so would be offset with some market housing on site as well, but he felt that it was a good opportunity.

 

The LDF Manager reminded those present that the draft emerging Local Plan would be presented to Cabinet on 5th February and, if endorsed by Cabinet, would be available for public comments and consultation.  The LDF Manager commented that this would be the opportune time for individuals in Hunstanton to put forward their views for Hunstanton and the type of development they would like to take place so that comments could be considered as appropriate.  

 

The LDF Manager reminded the Panel that Hunstanton Town Council were in the process of producing a Neighbourhood Plan which could highlight local issues and direct the type and location of development in the area.

 

With regard to the development boundary, the LDF Manager explained that this could be restrictive when it came to the distribution of development.  Councillor Bird commented that if the boundary was moved it would provide more land, which could be developed for commercial use to the benefit of Hunstanton.

 

Councillor Bird acknowledged that there was a lot of development happening in Hunstanton, but it was important to keep the momentum and drive forward because there were less people now living in Hunstanton, and this could be because the lack of year round employment opportunities.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Assets and Projects, Councillor Beales explained that the council were making efforts to take the housing with care site, and opportunities for other sites forward and discussions were ongoing.  He reiterated comments made by the LDF Manager in that individuals would soon have the opportunity to comment on the draft Local Plan and he encouraged them to do so.

 

The Chairman, Councillor Kunes, asked if it would be possible for the Panel to be presented with key findings from the Business Premises Needs Assessment and it was suggested that this be added to the Work Programme.

 

RESOLVED: The key findings from the Business Premises Needs Assessment be presented to the Panel at their meeting on 9th April 2019.   

Supporting documents: