Committee and OV Panels - Report, 20 May 2008

Item 9
Report to
Planning and Transportation Review Panel
Date:
20 May 2008
Report of:
Chief Planning & Transportation Officer
Subject:
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME 2008/09
SUMMARY
A progress report on the Environmental Improvement Programme for 2007/08 is
provided. The Environmental Improvement Programme in its present form has
reached its tenth anniversary.
The Department for Communities and Local
Government ‘New Growth Point’ funding award of one million pounds for public realm
improvements in West Street means that officers have been fully committed to this
project throughout the 2007/08 financial year. Early indications are that the contract
will run into May and will require additional funding to overcome difficulties with
shallow and extensive underground services, which have affected street lighting, and
other unforeseen site problems. In this context it is suggested that the £50,000
capital allocation for the Environmental Improvement Programme 2008/09 be
allocated to the West Street improvement scheme, with any balance to be allocated
to planned improvements at the eastern end of West Street.
-2INTRODUCTION
1.
2.
3.
At its meeting on 16 January 2007, the Planning and Transportation Review
Panel supported the conclusions of a report (Item 8 refers) on the suggested
Environmental Improvement Programme for 2007/08 as follows:
(a)
That the £50,000 capital allocation for the Environmental Improvement
Programme 2007/08 and all available staff resources be directed to the
West Street Improvement Scheme; and
(b)
That the sum of £5,800 available for tree planting in the current financial
year (2006/07) be used for tree planting in Bath Lane Recreation Ground.
The Environmental Improvement Programme for 2007/08 was agreed by the
Executive at its meeting on 5 February 2007. The Executive resolved as
follows:
(a)
That the £50,000 capital allocation for the Environmental Improvement
Programme 2007/08 and all available employee resources, be allocated to
the West Street improvement scheme; and
(b)
That the £5,800 available in the current financial year (2006/07) for the
Annual Tree Planting Programme be used for tree planting and associated
works in Bath Lane Recreation Ground.
The Environmental Improvement Programme in its current form has now been
running for ten years and the list of achievements to date are summarised in
Appendix F. The following report details progress on the schemes in the
2007/08 programme, including those funded from town centre budgets and
other sources. It makes suggestions for a proposed 2008/09 programme.
2006/07 PROGRESS REPORT
Category A – Conservation Areas
Titchfield Square
4.
As reported to the Executive on 3 April 2006 (xho-060403-r07-mma),
partnership funding was obtained from the Hampshire County Council Country
Towns Initiative in 2005 for a scheme to improve footway surfacing in The
Square, using natural stone, and to improve the pedestrian link between Barry’s
Meadow car park and the High Street. The Executive also agreed on 5
December 2005 to a request for Matched Funding for this scheme. The
improvements to The Square, together with new street lighting, were completed
during 2007. The works to improve the pedestrian link between the High Street
and Barry’s Meadow Car Park, which are weather dependant, are likely to be
completed during May. A plan is attached at Appendix B.
Town Quay
5.
It was agreed by the Executive on 3 April 2006 that improvements in the Town
Quay Conservation Area should be confined to Upper Wharf and Lower Quay,
because the proposed redevelopment of the foundry site may require the re-
ptp-080520-r02-mma
-3alignment of roads and junctions affecting parts of the A32 ‘Promenade’ area.
Upper Wharf
6.
Much of the improvement work at Upper Wharf was completed in 2006 and has
greatly improved the access to Bath Lane Recreation Ground. Work to a short
section of Upper Wharf, close to its junction with Quay Street, was postponed to
enable a redevelopment scheme to proceed. The building is now finished and
the remaining improvement work across this frontage will be carried out when
the scheme at Lower Quay is completed. A plan is attached at Appendix C.
Lower Quay
7.
Detailed proposals for the Lower Quay area were agreed in 2007 and the
improvement work started on site in January 2008. It is now complete with the
exception of the resin bonded surfacing of the footways, which will take place in
late May, and the new street lamps. A plan is attached at Appendix D.
Category B – Improvement Schemes not in Conservation Areas
West Street, Fareham
8.
This project, which had its origins in the Vision for West Street, approved by the
Executive in October 2004, is nearing completion. It will make a major
contribution to achieving the high corporate priority of leading the regeneration
of the western end of West Street, Fareham.
9.
A scheme to improve the environment of parts of West Street first appeared in
the Environmental Improvement Programme for 2005/06 with initial funding of
£50,000 using the capital allocation for the 2005/06 programme. In January
2006, an additional £65,000 was allocated to the West Street project from the
capital section of the 2005/6 Planning Delivery Grant (PDG). In April 2006 the
Executive agreed that the Environmental Improvement Programme capital
allocation of £50,000 for 2006/7 again be directed to West Street together with
approximately £115,000 from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive
(LABGI) scheme grant for 2005/6. At a meeting on 5 February 2007, the
Executive agreed that the Environmental Improvement Programme capital
allocation of £50,000 for 2007/08 also be directed to West Street.
10. The total FBC funding therefore directed to the West Street project to date is as
follows:
EIP 2005/06
EIP 2006/07
PDG capital
LABGI funding
EIP 2007/08
£45,000
£50,000
£65,000
£115,000
£50,000
Total
£325,000
11. In October 2006 the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) was
successful in obtaining designation for South Hampshire as a ‘New Growth
Point’ (NGP). As a consequence of PUSH obtaining this NGP designation,
Fareham Borough Council made a successful bid for Department of
ptp-080520-r02-mma
-4Communities and Local Government ‘New Growth Point’ funding of one million
pounds for public realm improvements in West Street, Fareham. The Council
has included the £325,000 above as partnership funding, to provide a total
scheme budget of £1,325,000.
12. Over the past year, consultations have taken place, detailed drawings and
documentation have been prepared, and tenders obtained, all as set out in
separate reports to the Executive on 11 June 2007 and 18 October 2007,
respectively. The main improvement works contract with Ashridge Construction
Limited commenced on site in November 2007. The scope and extent of the
works are summarised on the plan attached at Appendix E.
13. At a progress meeting just before Christmas 2007, it was recorded that the
works had fallen slightly behind programme and the Engineer to the Contract
granted Ashridge Construction Ltd 10 working days extension of time. This
meant that the work in the Westbury Manor Museum area was initially likely to
continue into April. Delays caused by late ordering of materials by the contractor
and additional work to install the special lamp column roots will extend
completion into May.
14. The factors that have led to the delay to the works programme are:
(i)
additional amounts of hard material dig encountered within the
current phase of works, over and above that anticipated;
(ii)
additional amount of shallow services within the current phase of
work requiring additional hand digging, and
(iii)
a delay in the delivery of some of the pre-ordered materials.
15. It was not anticipated that the delay would cause difficulties with the DCLG
funding agreement, the intention being to use the £1m DCLG grant funding first
and thereafter to spend the £325,000 funding from FBC. In the event the target
expenditure of just over £1m was achieved by 31 March 2008 and the full grant
has been claimed from DCLG.
16. The extra work which led to the delay, referred to in paragraph 14 above, will
also incur additional costs. Further additional costs have been incurred to
achieve the agreed street lighting scheme and will take the contract value
above the existing budget. It is suggested that the £50,000 Environmental
Improvement Budget capital allocation for 2008/09 financial year should be
directed to the West Street Improvement Scheme to cover such additional
justified costs.
Category C – Small Schemes
17. The Town Well sculpture was replaced, with a new stone plinth, in the Henry
Cort area of West Street in February 2008, as agreed by the Executive,
Category D – ROUA Schemes
18. The improvement scheme for Lower Quay is a partnership scheme in the
Hampshire County Council Regeneration of Older Urban Areas programme but
the commentary appears under category A, Conservation Areas.
ptp-080520-r02-mma
-52008/09 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME
19. The Council’s capital allocation for the Environmental Improvement Programme
2008/09 is £50,000. The main issues to be considered are set out below.
20. The New Growth Point funding for West Street was awarded on the basis that it
would be spent completely in the 2007/2008 financial year. The relevant officers
have been involved full time on the West Street scheme for the past year and
this will continue into June 2008 and beyond. In the circumstances, officers
suggest that the prime focus for the first part of the 2008/09 financial year
should continue to be the completion of the current work in West Street.
21. The improvement scheme in West Street covers a section measuring 700
metres in length. Current funding is not adequate to cover anticipated additional
costs and the problems that have been encountered. For this reason it is
suggested that the £50,000 Environmental Improvement capital allocation for
2008/09 financial year should be uncommitted pending resolution of the West
Street Improvement Scheme and confirmation from the Engineer to the
Contract of the final agreed costs.
22. Towards the end of October 2007, a letter was received from Hampshire
County Council requesting bids for potential schemes for their Environmental
Enhancement Programmes for the period 2008-2010. These are the
(Regeneration of Older Urban Areas Initiative (ROUAI) and Country Towns
Initiative (CTI). Fareham have been actively involved with both over a number of
years, with great success. A response was sent, following discussion with the
Executive Member for Planning and Transportation, which set out the Council’s
position. It made reference to work, currently underway, on the preparation of
the Fareham Town Centre Area Action Plan, which looks at the wider town
centre. It explained that our priorities are derived from this plan and that there is
potential for a range of improvement and regeneration as follows:

improvements to the eastern and western ends of West Street, to
compliment and complete the West Street Environmental Improvement
scheme already in hand, supported by the high corporate priority of
regenerating West Street;

taking a wider view, the streetscape and environmental improvements to
the eastern end of West Street, most of which is within the High Street
Conservation Area, link to the High Street itself. The recently adopted
Fareham High Street Conservation Area Character Assessment also
identifies a range of environmental improvements, one of which is already
underway in partnership with HCC – rationalisation of highway signage;
and

environmental and access improvements to the major town centre open
space and waterfront at Bath Lane Recreation ground.
23. The letter concludes with a request that HCC give consideration to these
important further improvements to our town centre when establishing their
2008-2010 programme for the Regeneration of Older Urban Areas Initiative.
24. It is suggested that these improvements, which may succeed in attracting
ptp-080520-r02-mma
-6outside funding, should be agreed as the priority for future work within the
Council’s Environmental Improvement Programme. Financial and Staff
Implications.
25. The proposed programme can be achieved using resources from the sources
identified above. It is suggested that in view of the high priority, scope and
complexity of this major project that all resources, both staff and financial,
should be committed to completing the current improvement scheme and
thereafter extending the improvements in West Street to the eastern section.
Other implications
26. The suggested programme can be delivered using existing employees and
specialist consultants working in partnership with Hampshire County Council for
specialist highway advice. Where necessary additional consultancy advice will
be sought as required.
CONCLUSION
27. It is suggested that the £50,000 capital allocation for the Environmental
Improvement Programme 2008/09 and all available staff resources be directed
to completing the current West Street improvement scheme and to formulating
proposals for the improvement of the eastern section of West Street.
Background Papers: None
Enquiries:
For further information on this report please contact Mike Maude-Roxby (Ext 2425)
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Fareham
PO16 7AZ
www.fareham.gov.uk
ptp-080520-r02-mma
-7TITCHFIELD SQUARE
New lantern on existing
column and paint column
New lantern on
existing column
and paint column
APPENDIX A
Cream / buff
surface dressing
New lantern on
existing column
and paint column
New lantern
on existing
column and
paint column
York stone paving
Relocated or
York stone kerb
York stone kerb
New lantern
on existing
column and
paint column
York stone paving
New lantern on existing
column and paint column
York stone
paving
Relocated or
York stone kerb
YORK STONE PAVING
YORK STONE KERB
REGRADE PARKING AREA
CREAM / BUFF SURFACE DRESSING
FAREHAM
BOROUGH
COUNCIL
PO BOX 92 CIVIC OFFICES CIVIC WAY FAREHAM PO16 7TT
-8UPPER WHARF
APPENDIX B
Eastern Way (A27)
oa
d(
A3
2)
Railway Viaduct
Go
spo
rt R
Bath Lane
Recreation
Ground
New
street
AREA
light
TO BE
COMPLETED
LATER
ptp-080520-r02-mma
New granite
sett footpath
New
street
light
New bitmac
-9LOWER QUAY
APPENDIX C
5 M KERB
4M
DROPPED
KERB
9 SM GRANITE SETTS
4M
DROPPED
KERB
18 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
14 M KERB
82 SM HIGHWAY
SURFACE DRESSING
42 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
40 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
19 M KERB
9 SM GRANITE SETTS
26 SM GRANITE SETTS
3M
DROPPED
KERB
4 M LENGTH OF 3 M RADIUS KERB
7 M LENGTH OF 3.5 M RADIUS KERB
200 SM HIGHWAY
SURFACE DRESSING
16 SM GRANITE SETTS
40 SM YORK STONE
21 SM GRANITE SETTS
66 M KERB
2 M KERB
272 SM HIGHWAY
SURFACE DRESSING
3M
DROPPED
KERB
25 M KERB
20 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
3 SM GRANITE SETTS
23 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
8 M DROPPED
KERB
15 SM GRANITE SETTS
18 M KERB
36 M KERB
5 SM GRANITE SETTS
72 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
6 M DROPPED KERB
40 M KERB
32 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
22 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
8M
DROPPED
KERB
5 SM GRANITE SETTS
376 SM HIGHWAY
SURFACE DRESSING
18 M KERB
5 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
3 M KERB
3 M LENGTH OF 6 M RADIUS KERB
3 M KERB
4 SM GRANITE SETTS
4 M DROPPED KERB
5M
DROPPED
KERB
6 M KERB
7 M LENGTH OF 10 M RADIUS KERB
43 SM GRANITE SETTS
40 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
10 M LENGTH OF 7 M RADIUS KERB
28 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
8 M KERB
2 M LENGTH OF 1 M RADIUS KERB
18 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
240 SM GRANITE SETTS
8 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
76 SM GRANITE SETTS
86 SM GRANITE SETTS
15 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
58 SM GRANITE SETTS
13 SM GRANITE SETTS
6 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
36 SM GRANITE SETTS
72 SM GRANITE SETTS
56 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
6 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
34 SM GRANITE SETTS
22 SM GRANITE SETTS
8 M FLAT GRANITE CHANNEL
120 SM BITMAC AND RESIN BONDED BAUXITE
ptp-080520-r02-mma
- 10 WEST STREET
APPENDIX D
For a full version of this plan please follow the link below:
M:\General\environmental improvements\West Street\MTA-080108 A3 PLAN.pdf
ENTRANCE TO ALDI
Scientific Services (206)
New Spice Indian Restaurant (204)
Hargroves Cycles (202)
Vacant (200)
West Street Dental Clinic (205c)
Town Cut (205)
Fastway Auto Centre (196 -198)
Vacant (194)
Centre Security Locksmiths (203)
Crescent Road
Praills Opticians (203D)
Grove Care Group (192)
South Coast Appliances (190)
A Touch of Class (188)
Kree-Ate-A-Kake (186D)
Envy (186C)
Cartridge World (186B)
Perfect Pizza (186A)
Beauty Solutions (205C)
Fareham PC Centre (203)
CYCLE
RACKS
LB
cctv
LB
SEAT
Indian Cottage Restaurant (184)
Oxfam (182)
Fareham Fireplace Centre (180)
Solent Diabetes Association(178)
Connexions (189-199)
Equity Insurance (187A)
Davis Business Travel (187)
Golden Boat Takeaway (185A)
Rovers Fishing Tackle (178)
Chris Gage Hair Salon (176)
New Sher Kan Restaurant (174A)
Harvey Homebrew (174)
L A Nails (172)
English Cutting Company (170)
Conception (168)
Human Factor Solutions (166)
Fareham Sewing Machines (164B)
Simon's Barber Shop (164A)
The Fareham Gallery (162B)
Lisa Edwards Hair Care (162)
Edward Jones Investments (162)
Rawsons Florists (160)
L J Chinese Cuisine (183A)
Domino's Pizza (183)
Venture Portraits (181)
Kimbers Keyboards (179A)
Portsdown House (175)
Vacant (175)
Motorworld (175)
The Kings Centre (171 - 173)
cctv
Nationwide Group (156 - 160)
Pyramid News (201B)
Marked & Sparkling (201)
BENCH
LB
SEAT
LB
Swinton Insurance (154)
Oasis Wine Merchants (152)
Canton Express (150)
Heli-beds (167 - 169)
Construction Site (163 - 165)
Holy Trinity Church
Trinity Street
Vacant (161)
Cycle Paths (159)
One Five Seven Menswear (157)
Ca$h Converters (155)
Zodiac Cash & Carry (142 - 144)
HM Hair Design Group (153A)
Pam Purred Pets (153)
Tang Bentley & Jackson Solicitors (151)
Consol Sun Centre (149)
Connaught House (149)
Beneficial Finance (149)
P & S Cripps (147)
PK's Body Piercing Studio (145B)
Abbey Electrical (145)
Bodrum Kebab House (140)
L A Orient (138)
E Birks Ltd (134 - 136)
The Bridal Suite (132)
Craft Crazy (130)
Alterations (130A)
Osborn Road South
Kings Road
Alliance & Leicester (143)
Kallkwik (128)
Deep Blue (141A)
Club Nokia (141)
Town Centre Kebabs (139)
Sony Centre (137)
London Camera Exchange (135)
The Furniture Company (133)
Mobile Phone Centre (131)
Tiffanys (129)
Red Cross Shop (127)
Vacant (125)
Cheltenham & Gloucester PLC (123)
Playland Amusements (121)
Thomson Holidays (119A)
Naomi House Shop (119)
Vacant (126)
Hampshire Sewing Centre (122)
The Well cafe & Bookshop (116)
Naz Indian Cuisine (114)
Cassino (110)
Fast Tan (110)
The Lord Arthur Lee (100 - 108)
Ladbrokes Racing (98)
Help The Aged (96)
Brook Street Bureau (94)
Capelli (92)
Post Office (117)
Bet Fred (90)
Reed Employment (119A)
Hugs Jewellers (113)
The News(88)
Halifax PLC (109)
Hartlands Road
Martins Newsagents (107)
MacDonalds (103 - 105)
Westbury
Manor
Museum
Vacant (101)
Argos (97 - 99)
cctv
Westbury Road
Harper Way
Robert Dyas
ptp-080520-r02-mma
Nationwide
- 11 ACHIEVEMENTS
Scheme
APPENDIX E
Date
Fareham
Borough
Council
Funding
Hampshire
County Council
Funding
DCLG, SRB &
Other Funding
Total Funding
Middle Road Park Gate
1998
138,000
27,000
12,800
177,800
Portchester Shopping Precinct
1999
65,000
1,500
23,500
90,000
Wallington Conservation Area
(CA)
1999
20,000
Broadlaw Walk Shops
2000
5,000
Hill Head Picnic Area
2002
4,000
Sarisbury Green CA
2002
Castle Street Portchester CA
20,000
33,500
38,500
6,000
4,000
14,000
132,000
25,000
18,000
175,000
2004
195,000
249,000
Town Quay CA - Old Gosport
Road
2004
85,000
85,000
Town Centre Improvements Relocation of Jubilee Gates
2005
10,000
10,000
Highlands Road Shops
2006
90,000
70,000
850
160,850
Crofton Lane Shops
2006
25,000
12,000
3,000
40,000
Tree Avenue - Market Quay Car
Park
2006
17,000
17,000
Harper Way
2006
100,000
100,000
Town Quay CA - Upper Wharf
2006
Titchfield Square
2007
50,000
133,000
183,000
Town Quay CA - Lower Quay
2008
90,000
145,000
235,000
West Street (DCLG)
2008
325,000
EXPENDITURE TO DATE
AVERAGE ANNUAL
EXPENDITURE 1998-2008
Percentage share of funding
ptp-080520-r02-mma
30,000
444,000
5,000
35,000
1,000,000
1,325,000
1,351,000
698,500
1,100,650
3,150,150
135,100
69,850
110,065
315,015
43
22
35
- 12 APPENDIX F
RISK ASSESSMENT
Impact
Description
CORPORATE
OBJECTIVES
Implications in relation to:
 achieving Corporate
Objectives and Priorities
 Corporate Governance
Responsibilities
Potential Risks
No significant risks.
Comments
Potential
Opportunities
Significant
opportunities.
No significant risks.
Significant
opportunities.
FINANCE AND
RESOURCES
Implications in relation to:
 Budget Constraints
 Funding
 Contractual Obligations
or Penalties
 Use of Land or Assets
The completion of the
West Street
improvements will
require additional
resources
No significant risks.
LEGAL
Implications in relation to:
 Statutory or
discretionary powers
 National Legislation
(e.g. Human Rights,
Data protection etc)
 Failing to comply with
legislative requirements
of service
 Potential litigation action
The achievement of
the target spend in
West Street by 31
March has secured
the full DCLG grant of
£1m
Significant
opportunities.
Implications in relation to:
 Organisational change
 Employee policies and
conditions
No significant risks.
PARTNERSHIPS
PERSONNEL
Implications for any
existing partnership
arrangements
Risks or opportunities for
new partnerships
No significant
opportunities.
Comments
The regeneration of
West Street is a high
corporate priority.
Engagement with the
2008-10 ROUAi
Programme
represents a
significant opportunity
to continue a
worthwhile
partnership with HCC
Formulation and
publication of proposals
for the preservation and
enhancement of
conservation areas
discharge the statutory
duty in S 71 of the
Planning (Listed
Buildings and
Conservation Areas) Act
1990
- 13 Impact
Description
SERVICE
 Skill availability
 Training and
Development
Implications in relation to:
 performance targets
 the operation of the
service
 the need for Change
Management
 Competitive advantage
of the service
 Technological impacts
 Innovation
 The needs of residents,
businesses or visitors to
the Borough
Implications for the Health
& Safety of the Public,
Employees or Members
HEALTH &
SAFETY
CRIME &
DISORDER
ENVIRONMENTAL
EQUALITY AND
DIVERSITY
ptp-080520-r02-mma
Implications in relation to:
 Council’s Section 17
Obligations
 Community Safety
 Anti-fraud and
corruption
Implications in relation to:
 Sustainability
 Public Health
 Physical risks
Implications in relation to:
 Inclusion
 Equality of access and
opportunity
 Cohesion
 Diversity
Potential Risks
Comments
Potential
Opportunities
No significant risks.
No significant
opportunities.
No significant risks.
No significant
opportunities.
No significant risks.
No significant
opportunities.
No significant risks.
No significant
opportunities.
No significant risks.
No significant
opportunities.
Comments