Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to present members with the proposed brief for the design feasibility work that will explore options for the redevelopment of the entire  Regis Centre Car Park.

The Regeneration Lead introduced his report where he explained that the proposed brief for the design feasibility work that would explore options for the redevelopment of the entire Regis Centre Car Park into a focal point on the esplanade and frontage. The esplanade is almost entirely flats and desperately needs a leisure focal point for people to use combined with a series of interesting things to do and potentially inclusive or meeting space. The report detailed a number of options for consideration which were detailed in paragraph 3.6 of the report and the plan would be to present designs back to members for all the options detailed for members to then make a decision on which option they would like to pursue.

          The Chair thanked the Regeneration Lead for his introduction and then announced that there was an amendment to the recommendations to be presented to the committee. After a short discussion it was agreed that the amendment would be presented after members had had the opportunity to discuss the content of the report first. The Chair then invited members to make their comments on the report, where the following points were raised, it was stated that the detail presented from Coast to Capital were exciting and having leisure facilities and places for people to spend money when the sun wasn’t shining would be great for the area. Concern was raised by numerous members that there should not be any limit placed on the options to be considered as it was felt that this would mean that some options would not be considered fully which could lead to regret later on. The need for each option to be fully costed and the earning potential for each option was felt to be of significant importance. Clarity was sought regarding the option for the car park and was the plan for an ‘under croft’ or an underground car park to be built. It was confirmed that it was planned for an under croft with decking on the top. Further clarity was sought with reference to the ‘Brewers Fayre’ building and the former ‘Royal Hall’ and were these the same building, the Chair confirmed it was the same building being referenced.

          After advice from the Monitoring Officer the recommendation in the report were proposed by Councillor Walsh and seconded by Councillor Needs, the amendment that was referred to earlier in the meeting was then proposed by Councillor Nash and seconded by Councillor Needs, the changes can bee seen highlighted in bold.

a.    The Economy Committee agrees to the production of a design feasibility of the Regis Car Park subject to the following:

1.    There should be no residential development on this site

2.    Instead, there should be exploration of cross subsidy for the car park area by using other sites in Bognor Regis owned by Arun to build residential units

3.    The option of `decking` the Regis Car Park to be explored given increased usage in the next few years from the refurbished theatre and proposed new hotel

4.    The former Brewers Fayre building be preserved with a view to reviving a multi-purpose entertainment / leisure space (the old Royal Hall) in the near future.

b.    The Economy Committee approves the project brief, subject to the changes outlined above.

 Members then continued their debate on the amendment presented where comments received were mixed, members of the opposition felt strongly that the amendment was too restrictive, clarity was sought for the proposed amended recommendation 2 what the cross subsidy for the ‘other sites’ in Bognor Regis was for and what other sites were being considered and what was the financial proposal for them and would we no require a feasibility for each of these sites. The Regeneration Lead, then read out a statement on behalf of the Interim Chief Executive and Director of Growth for members to consider. Where it was advised that members of the committee consider very carefully any amendment to exclude any residential uses at this stage. The work that was being proposed would look at both options, with and without residential on site. When members have the final report then they would be best placed to decide at that point what they want to do. At this stage members would be limiting their options. Members would also be aware that officers had previously advised the council against limiting the options available to you. Officers were fully aware that there were members who would wish there to be no residential on site, however, as yet the council does not know the costs of the things members would like to see incorporated, nor does this work look at any alternative sites for residential (which form part of the amendment). It was also asked that members consider very carefully whether they believed at this early stage there would be support for the scale of residential development on these alternative sites (when identified) that would be necessary to provide the necessary cross subsidy and also off set the loss of existing uses on those sites. It would create financial challenges, of which members were aware of the council’s financial position, but also would create delay because realistically the former can not be done until we have identified and agreed the latter. The officer then clarified with the Chair that for recommendation 3, was the intention for just the decking to be completed and nothing else and recommendation 4, the Brewers Fayer does this not now prejudge the feasibility study that had been agreed to be undertaken at the last item on the agenda. The Chair confirmed that the officers understanding of recommendation 3 was correct and that the feasibility study for the Brewers Fayre would take priority over this recommendation.

              The Vice-Chair was then invited to make his comments where he ran through each of the options detailed in the amendment. He confirmed that there should be no residential development on the Regis Centre car park site, instead there should be exploration for this development on other sites such as London Road Car Park and Gloucester Road, Hothampton site. The option to explore the decking of the Regis Centre car park given the expected increase in use from the new Hotel along with the other expected regeneration. And that the feasibility study had now been agreed to be completed. In response to this it was stated that the limits these amendments apply to council should it be approved was not easy to understand, limiting the options available to be considered when agreeing a feasibility study. The chair confirmed that there were a number of residents that did not want any residential development included on this site. There had been a number of grand schemes considered over the years, all of which failed. He stated that he felt that with the refurbishment of the Theatre the amendments would be complimentary to this. A question was raised regarding what conversations had taken place with Butlins in reference to the comments made by the Vice-Chair regarding considering Gloucester Road, given that this site was not one that the council owned. The Vice-Chair stated that he did not say residential development would be built on this site and to his knowledge no conversations had taken place with Butlins.

Further comments made by other members of the committee were also not in support for any residential development to be considered on the site. A suggestion was made to preserve the function of the former Royal Hall but not necessarily the building. As it was the space that members wanted to protect to ensure that a multipurpose entertainment/ leisure space. The Chair as proposer of the amendment and the seconder Councillor Needs agreed to have this wording added to recommendation 4.

     The Regeneration Lead was then reinvited to re-read the statement provided by the interim Chief Executive and Director of Growth to the committee. 

The Chair then moved to the vote on the amendment as amended (below), where it was declared as CARRIED.

a.    The Economy Committee agrees to the production of a design feasibility of the Regis Car Park subject to the following:

1.    There should be no residential development on this site

2.    Instead, there should be exploration of cross subsidy for the car park area by using other sites in Bognor Regis owned by Arun to build residential units

3.    The option of `decking` the Regis Car Park to be explored given increased usage in the next few years from the refurbished theatre and proposed new hotel

4.    The former Brewers Fayre space be preserved with a view to reviving a multi-purpose entertainment / leisure space (the old Royal Hall) in the near future.

b.    The Economy Committee approves the project brief, subject to the changes outlined above.

Having undertaken the vote members of the opposition continued to express their feelings on the amendment having been agreed. The Leader of the Opposition expressed that he believed this was a mistake and would now limit the council to its detriment. This feeling was support by other members of the opposition and it was requested that the Section 151 Officer provide his comments on the amendment that had been agreed at a future meeting of the committee. 

The Chair then undertook the vote for the substantive recommendations that had previously been proposed and seconded.

            The Committee

                        RESOLVED

a.    The Economy Committee agrees to the production of a design feasibility of the Regis Car Park subject to the following:

1.    There should be no residential development on this site

2.    Instead, there should be exploration of cross subsidy for the car park area by using other sites in Bognor Regis owned by Arun to build residential units

3.    The option of `decking` the Regis Car Park to be explored given increased usage in the next few years from the refurbished theatre and proposed new hotel

4.    The former Brewers Fayre space be preserved with a view to reviving a multi-purpose entertainment / leisure space (the old Royal Hall) in the near future.

b.    The Economy Committee approves the project brief, subject to the changes outlined above.