Agenda item

This report sets out proposals for a new landscaping and interpretation project focussing on the themes of wildlife, nature and climate change that will form a second phase to Seaton Jurassic. 

The Project Manager Place, Assets & Commercialisation presented the report which set out proposals for a new landscaping and interpretation project focussing on the themes of wildlife, nature and climate change that will form a second phase to Seaton Jurassic.  The project was one of the project interventions identified in the Seaton Wetlands Link Project that was reported to Cabinet in January this year. The project was being led by Devon Wildlife Trust, tenant and operator of Seaton Jurassic.

The report also provided an update on the other intervention projects for the Seaton Wetlands Link Project and sought authority to enter into negotiations to acquire 2 small parcels of land to facilitate the circular walk that would lead up to the Wetlands from Seaton Jurassic and the Underfleet car park. 

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves;

1.               Delegated authority be given to the Service Lead for Place Assets & Commercialisation in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Assets and the Strategic Lead for Finance to:

a)     enter into Heads of Terms in substantially the same, or a similar form of those shown at appendix 6, with Devon Wildlife Trust for the lease of Area A on the plan attached at appendix 1,

b)     enter into a Management Agreement with DWT for the shared management and maintenance of Area B on the plan attached at appendix 1,

c)     enter into an Agreement for Lease (and associated Lease) with DWT for Area A on the attached plan,

d)     enter into any other relevant documentation that arises as a consequence of varying the existing legal documentation with DWT for Seaton Jurassic.  

2.               To remove that part of the council’s existing car park shown cross hatched red on the plan attached at appendix 1, from its Parking Places Order, in order to facilitate the grant of the agreement referred to in 1c above. 

3.               Delegated authority be given to the Service Lead for Place, Assets & Commercialisation to enter into negotiations and to acquire land to provide access into and out of the Sheep’s Marsh site in Seaton, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Assets and the Strategic Lead for Finance. 

4.               The council provides a letter of support to accompany DWT’s funding application to the RDPE for this project.

5.               The overflow carpark in the Underfleet to be open all year round on the same opening and closing times as the main Underfleet carpark.  The income for both carparks to be monitored over the period post loss of the 18 carpark spaces and to report back on the actual income received, to evaluate whether additional carpark spaces need to be provided to replace the lost spaces.

REASON:

To facilitate the delivery of one of the Seaton Wetlands Link projects/interventions that was identified within an earlier Cabinet report in January 2020 and enable DWT to apply for external funding to support delivery of this project. To facilitate delivery of a second of the project interventions that would enable access in and out of Sheep’s Marsh.