Agenda item

Members received a presentation by Tim Child, Service Lead - Place, Assets & Commercialisation, who reported that the Queen’s Drive development site had been a key project for the council for over 8 years. It was first identified in the Exmouth Seafront and Town Centre Masterplan: Exmouth Vision. The first part of the report set out the current position for phase 3 of the site with information on the recent work undertaken by Hemmingway Design and Lambert Smith Hampton. It also set out the position regarding the temporary uses on the phase 3 site. The second part set out a brief summary of the background to the Water Sports Centre project – how and why this was pursued and details of the various activities that were necessary to facilitate its delivery and covered other contextual information that was helpful for members to be aware of.

He reported that he was coming to the development with a fresh pair of eyes as he had not been involved in the early stages. Achievements so far were:

1.    Newly aligned road

2.    New car park.

3.    Temporary uses on the Phase 3 site.

4.    The new Water Sports Centre.

The current position was that progress on Phase 3 was on hold. The Council could progress the site by marketing it, which was a two stage process and which was provided for by a Cabinet decision earlier this year.  A commercial element on a part of the site was important to pay for the free play and public realm on the remainder as per earlier decisions by Members.  He reported that Officers were ready to support Members. The Officer’s role was to take forward proposals agreed by Cabinet or Council. This was a great opportunity to complete the final stage of the Queens Drive Development and provide a sustainable legacy.

During the lengthy discussions the following points were noted:

·         Temporary uses on the Phase 3 site had been successful.

·         It was the intention of the new administration for members and officers to work together to get a successful seafront development done.

·         Importance of providing a high quality outdoor attraction that was commercially viable, but also to listen to the views of the public.

·         The vision was to provide a project/facility directed at the young and not so young, both local people and visitors. A landmark building on the Harbour View site was needed providing excellent facilities.

·         The hotel site would provide a capital receipt.

·         Need to see what has been spent on developments so far and what income had been received. The current position of Ocean Blue, including cost and revenue.

·         Impressed with what has happened on the site and the free play area was superb. Businesses had been pleased to be there but would like longer leases for their businesses.

·         Importance to the rest of East Devon that we get this development right.

·         Need to focus more on a staycation and environmental concerns. People appreciated the natural environment of Exmouth. Importance of the development for future of the seafront.

·         Whatever was to be provided for on the site had to be paid for and needed to be cost neutral. Development should not be entirely down to what visitors want.

·         This was a very complex issue and we need to focus on what we do going forward. The need to invite the public to contribute in as simple a way as possible.

·         Crucial we need to get this right. Exmouth has one of the UK’s finest beaches. The development has not taken full advantage of the natural capital of Exmouth seafront. There was the need to listen to the public and move forward.

·         The loss of income to the Council for businesses that had been closed was £178,000 lost in rent and rates.

·         Appropriate development was needed on the site and felt that a hotel was not appropriate. There was a need for something that was commercially viable and generate income for the council and be self-financing. Encourage people to come to the seafront in sustainable ways.

·         Who pays for the Coast Watch tower?

·         Need to move forward with accurate evidenced information. Businesses that had been moved on from the seafront had spent a lot of their own money on plans to upgrade their offer and this had been wasted. Felt that the project had been ill thought out from the beginning with poor management and little effective public consultation. The site was OK before the development and just needed updating.

·         Was the proposal to include a hotel in the development pre-determined?

·         Exmouth was critically important to East Devon and the council need to do the right thing. The project should not be taken forward on an artificially tight deadline, which will result in poor decisions being made. Would like full disclosure of what happened in the past. The Council seemed to have been hoodwinked by private developers and the public of Exmouth have suffered as a result. Concerned about the effect of Brexit. Need to obtain a consensus view of the way forward.

·         Would like to see the Dinosaur Park extended into the car park and get older children involved.

·         Many residents of Exmouth feel that the Harbour View building should be retained

·         Look at alternative routes for funding the developments.

·         Any proposals going forward should have a free or affordable element within it.

·         Importance of provision of indoor facilities to make Exmouth an all year round destination. Some of which could be provided in the Ocean Building.

Tim Child, Service Lead – Place, Assets & Commercialisation in response to questions raised above reported that the decision to include a hotel in the design brief had not been pre-determined. The 2012 permissions had we understand been implemented. The road and car park had cost £1.6M and the total cost of the development so far had been circa £3M. Full details would be provided at the next meeting, including income and rent lost on existing leases. Coast Watch did not pay any rent based on a historical arrangement. A new tower for them had already been agreed in the Phase 3 development. Extending the play park was a possibility and was ultimately a Members’ decision.