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SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY MINUTES OF THE 58th BOARD MEETING 11 OCTOBER 2004
North Quay House, Plymouth
The minutes of the 57th meeting were agreed as a correct record.
MST
Commercial in confidence
RDA Funding
Geoff Wilkinson explained that the Agency had received unofficial notification that its share of the performance fund would be £3m, a £0.5m increase on the previous financial year. The official announcement was not expected until after 4 November.
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Nigel Costley, as Chair of the Urban Advisory Group, explained that the region's urban areas provided an important focus for productivity, but that the South West did not have a major central urban core. In common with many cities, pockets of concentrated deprivation existed and there had also been migration out of urban areas both to the suburbs and to fringe communities.
Claire Gibson provided the context for urban issues within the Regional Economic Strategy (RES), Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and the Sustainable Communities Plan. She explained that the RSS built upon the current land use strategy taking it forward to 2026. The RDA's role within that was to focus upon the economic elements, ensuring that RDA activity reinforced the RSS. Harry Studholme represented the Board on the Regional Spatial Planning and Transport Group. The Regional Assembly was currently consulting on spatial options and a draft Agency response was due to come to the November board meeting.
Colin Molton then outlined the variety of delivery mechanisms employed by the RDA, including high level Visioning (as with Trowbridge) which covered broad spatial options and Masterplanning (as with Weston, Taunton). Masterplanning took a more interventionist approach to include economic impact, environmental impact and "reality checking" proposals to determine what was truly deliverable.
Board members raised a number of points.
The needs of the local community, including those surrounding the main development areas, should be considered, particularly skills needs and transport issues.
They stressed the importance of working closely with local authorities, both officers and politicians, who should be the most aware of local needs.
A much more fundamental challenge was faced when attempting to "build" a community - this was not as visual as seeing a building development taking shape and took longer to achieve.
Access issues were cited as vital - with the example of South Bristol quoted. Claire Gibson explained that a study was currently being undertaken, jointly funded by GOSW/SWRA/LAs and the RDA, looking at the Greater Bristol area, the outcome of which would be the subject of a Board Issues Day in 2005.
The provision of funding expertise available for communities and organisations was considered an important issue in accessing the funding options available. Ian Piper confirmed that funding expertise was a core activity within Creating: Excellence, in respect of which a paper would be brought to the Board in November.
Colin Molton explained that the Agency had invested £379k towards the Visioning exercise in Trowbridge which had given local partners confidence to proceed.
Duncan Hames confirmed that the exercise had been a successful process with the RDA viewed as an "independent broker".
Colin Molton explained that the paper provided an update on the current position. He explained that the public realm works approved by the Board in June were already under way. The draft Area Development Framework was the outcome of a year of consultation, and it was expected that further consultation work would continue, particularly with villages on the outskirts of the town and with surrounding local authorities.
It was confirmed that the local authority would impose a percentage (probably between 25-40%) of affordable homes within the housing development. In response to the recent announcements about regional casinos, Ian Thompson explained that it was possible that one or two casinos would be proposed in the Greater Bristol area and that one of these might be in Weston.
Colin Molton introduced the item, and explained that a Partnership Board had been set up and that both Taunton Deane Borough Council and Somerset County Council had committed resources, both financial and personnel, to help drive the project forward. Taunton itself was highly unusual in terms of the amount of brownfield land (40 hectares) available for redevelopment in the centre of the town.
Cathy Bakewell confirmed that the RDA's involvement had brought enthusiasm and had encouraged aspirational thinking in the process. She invited the Board to visit Taunton early in 2005.
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Colin Molton introduced Mike Robinson and Paul Barnard from Plymouth City Council. Mike Robinson provided background to the problems that Plymouth faced. He explained that David Mackay, the eminent urbanist, had been tasked to prepare a vision to guide future development in the city.
Paul Barnard explained the Mackay vision in more detail and included the Millbay area, where a mixed use development was planned with a boulevard to link the area with the city centre. Plans for the city centre were discussed, as were proposals for the University/Bretonside/Sutton Harbour areas which would benefit from improved links to the city centre.
Colin Molton said that the RDA would continue working with Plymouth City Council and other partners to investigate an appropriate partnership delivery model to take the process forward.
Board members undertook a walking tour of the centre of Plymouth to give them an opportunity to view developments currently underway.
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