To consider the following regeneration and
culture related reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 20
December:
· Poole Regeneration
The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.
Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Mark Howell, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Culture.
The Cabinet report will be published on 12 December 2019 and available to view at the following link:
https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=285&MId=4171&Ver=4
Minutes:
Poole Regeneration – The Chairman asked the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Culture to introduce the report a copy of which had been circulated and which appears as Appendix 'A' to the Cabinet minutes of 20 December in the Minute Book. The Portfolio Holder outlined the aims of the report and recommendations. The report outlined high-level consideration of the work required to develop a Masterplan for the sustainable regeneration of Poole’s Town Centre including possible options for the level crossing. The Board raised a number of issues with the Portfolio Holder including:
· Whether there was any evidence from network rail regarding the safety of the level crossing and whether there had been any funding from network rail confirmed. The Portfolio Holder advised that there were issues of confidentiality around any discussions which had taken place with network rail regarding this and also that the Portfolio Holder for Transport would be the best person to respond to this issue. Whilst moving the Poole Railway Station would make sense in a perfect world there were constraints to this including whether funding would be available and currently this issue was at a very early stage of consideration.
· The report included lots of high-level options but there were deliverability issues. The level crossing was an interesting start point for integration within the plan and also if the crossing was a danger what Network Rail would be doing to resolve the issue. The strategy was to ensure that Poole would be a vibrant and successful place into the future. There were possibilities of accessing the future high streets fund and network rail contributions.
· The geographic scope of the report covered a very large area. The Portfolio Holder responded that the Heart of Poole Project was artificially confined to a small area as only areas under Council control were included but this was an opportunity to consider wider options. Poole needed to become more attractive to investment and the masterplan would help to show this along with marketing and forging links with developers.
· A Councillor asked if there were parallel plans being developed for moving the railway station which would take many years and whether an incremental approach would be undertaken. The Portfolio Holder reiterated that the primary purpose was not moving the railway station, but it was something that would be factored in if the option became available. It was confirmed by the Service Director that the project team had been thinking in terms of a phased approach;
· The Chairman queried whether Poole could wait 5-10 years for something which could potentially be great but also may not happen. It was noted that there would be a rounded approach addressing the big picture as well as a more granular approach which would consider interventions along the high street. Plans and projects would become more evident over the coming months.
· The Board expressed concern that the work already undertaken on the Heart of Poole Project would be lost and action was needed now. The Portfolio Holder advised that the report explained how the money from the Heart of Poole would be used. The Service Director advised that the team would be working hard to ensure that the best parts of what had already been done would be utilised as possible.
· In response to a question the Portfolio Holder explained that Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) were needed as an option on the table as a bargaining chip and to follow though if necessary as not all areas identified for regeneration were owned by the Council. Some Councillors expressed concern at this due to previous experiences with CPOs.
Following the Boards discussions, it was:
Resolved that:
1) Cabinet be recommended to build on existing work already done in the development of a revised Masterplan for Poole Town Centre;
2) the revised Masterplan for Poole Town Centre be received by the O&S Board for scrutiny, once developed, and prior to wider consultation on the Masterplan;
Voting: Unanimous
3) The Acquisition and Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) Strategy be received by the O&S Board for scrutiny, once developed.
Voting: For: 14, Against:0, 1 Abstention
The meeting adjourned at 7.31pm and resumed at 7.36pm.