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Subject: |
Greater Brighton Investment Programme – Progress Update |
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Date of Meeting: |
20 July 2021 |
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Report of: |
Chair, Greater Brighton Officer Programme Board |
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Contact Officer: |
Name: |
Nick Hibberd |
Tel: |
01273 293756 |
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Email: |
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LA(s) affected: |
All |
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FOR GENERAL RELEASE
1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT
1.1 The purpose of the Investment Plan Update is to provide the Greater Brighton Economic Board (“the Board”) with an update on progress on the Greater Brighton Investment Programme (“the Investment Programme”) since the Board’s last meeting on 27 April 2021.
1.2 Updates are included on the Local Growth Fund (LGF) allocations made as part of the Growth Deal Rounds 1, 2 and 3. The period covered by this report is 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021.
1.3 This cover report provides some context on the LGF Funding Rounds and narrative updates on the Investment Programme projects. Further details on the individual projects can be found in the Investment Programme Update report at Appendix 1.
2. RECOMMENDATIONS:
2.1 That the Board note the report and the Investment Programme Update at Appendix 1.
3. CONTEXT/BACKGROUND INFORMATION
LGF Growth Deal Rounds 1 & 2
3.1 A total of approximately £90m was allocated to projects across the City Region from LGF Growth Deal rounds 1 & 2. These projects will deliver a total investment of approximately £376m into the City Region, unlocking an estimated 14,000 jobs, 8,200 homes and 450,000m2 of employment floor-space. Current active projects are listed below with a summary of progress since the last update.
3.1.1 Flood Alleviation Scheme (Newhaven) £7.5m
Works are now complete. A final rail possession took place on 20 June 2021, with works including installation and testing of new power cables and signalling tests to ensure the rail flood barrier is fully functional. A trial barrier deployment is scheduled for November to ensure no outstanding issues.
Minor snagging work is now being planned.
3.1.2 Port Access Road (Newhaven) £10.0m
3.1.3 New England House Growth Centre (Brighton) - £4.9m
Design work continues to be on hold to allow for completion of all necessary survey work. Design work should recommence in September 2021 when this work has been completed.
A report has been received concerning the advised specification for the replacement façade. This will form the basis for façade designs.
3.1.4 Digital Catapult & 5G Testbed (Brighton) - £1.8m
The primary focus of activity for the last period and will be for the rest of 2021 is the 5G Festival - the DCMS-supported, Digital Catapult-led programme with the music industry, whose regional partners are Brighton Dome & Festival and Wired Sussex.
The world’s first 5G-powered music festival is due to take place in March 2022. It will bring together virtually music venues in different cities including Brighton. Work is underway on the technical development of various aspects of the project including distributed live and as-live music concerts, virtual versions of music venues, and enhanced fan experiences. A series of workshops for the regional music industry will run alongside these technology programmes.
Aligned with that project is the Research and Innovation Fibre Ring (RIFR), which enables us to integrate Brighton Digital Exchange into the 5G Festival activity, and potentially connect up performance venues in the city.
3.1.5 Circus Street Innovation Centre & Regeneration (Brighton) - £2.7m
There has been no further update since last meeting and the last position is as follows:
Substantial progress has been made on both the office block and The Dance Space (the final 2 buildings to be completed) as well as offsite and onsite public realm works.
3.1.6 Plus X (Brighton) - £7.7m
3.1.7 Valley Gardens – Phase 3 (Brighton) - £8.0m
There has been no further update since last meeting and the last position is as follows:
The third public consultation exercise for Valley Gardens Phase 3 has completed in late 2020, which will inform the detailed design stage.
Following a tendering process that completed in late 2020 through the council’s new Transport Professional Services Framework the next stage of the scheme design commenced in January 2021.
It is now planned for the detailed design of the scheme and the construction contract procurement will be completed by end of this calendar year.
3.1.8 Adur Tidal Walls & Western Harbour Arm Flood Defences (Shoreham-By-Sea) – £10.5m
There has been no further update since last meeting and the last position is as follows:
· New Sussex Yacht Club building completed
· SYC served notice to vacate redundant Yacht Club in April
· Demolition contract being procured
3.1.9 A2300 Corridor Improvements (Burgess Hill) - £17.0m
See 4.13 below
LGF Growth Deal Round 3
3.2 In February 2017 Coast to Capital announced that it has secured £66m through Round 3 of the Growth Deal. All six projects put forward by the Board were allocated funding - totalling £48.77m. The project updates are as follows:
Worthing Central Phase 1 (Worthing) - £5.6m
3.2.1 Teville Gate:
There has been no further update since last meeting and the last position is as follows:
· Construction commenced on new office building for Teville Gate House and topping-out took place on 01/04/2020.
· Mosaic Capital’s planning application was considered by planning committee on 04/03/2020 and resolution to grant permission subject to S106
· Homes England provided a letter committing to support the project with funding of £6m for affordable homes.
3.2.2 Union Place:
There has been no further update since the last meeting and the last position is as follows:
S106 agreement drafted,
Appointment of Agent to market and dispose of site
Disposal strategy reaffirmed
3.2.3 Decoy Farm (Worthing) - £4.8m
Remediation of the landfill completed to programme and to budget.
Remediation works certified as complete as at 26 March 2021.
Remediation contractor demobilisation and handover of Decoy Farm back to Worthing Borough Council completed.
The Phase 1 output to remediate Decoy Farm and bring 7 hectares of land back into use has been achieved. Full use of Local Growth Funding has enabled the site to be unlocked, ready for commercial development.
3.2.4 New Monks Farm & Airport (Shoreham-By-Sea) - £5.7m
There has been no further update since the last meeting and the last position is as follows:
Works continue on site on flood drainage, remediation, and ground preparation works for the development.
3.2.5 Growth Location (Burgess Hill) - £14.9m
Town Centre Regeneration: Completion of the S106 agreement is imminent which will allow the issuing of planning permission for the redevelopment of the Martlets Shopping Centre.
Northern Arc: Work is continuing on site with housebuilder Countryside Properties. Work on both the Eastern Bridge and Link Road and the Western Link Road is set to continue, with the whole on these links scheduled for completion by the end of 2021. Homes England progressing the feasibility for the first primary school on the site. Planning application has now been received for the pedestrian and cycle bridge that will link Freeks Farm with the eastern neighbourhood centre
Place and Connectivity: Work continues delivery of the first of the phase 1 schemes including public art and other public realm improvements to the underpass at Wivelsfield Railway station. Detailed design work continues for highway improvements at Burgess Hill and Wivelsfield Stations, public realm improvements for Church Walk / Church Road, and access & connectivity improvements for Victoria Business Park. Delivery continues all Green Link (66% complete, 2.9km/4.35km) and Green Circle routes (50% complete, 3.4km/7km).
A2300 corridor improvements: Construction began in spring 2020 and is progressing to programme (Northern carriageway completion date anticipated for Summer 2021; both carriageways anticipated to be completed by Winter 2021).
Employment space, The Hub: The second phase of development (a 5,000m2 warehouse for Roche Diagnostics) was completed in early February. Outline planning permission for the remaining 40,000m2 has been approved, and issued.
Digital Infrastructure: Works to implement the Digital Infrastructure across and around Burgess Hill, including a southern link to Brighton and a northern link via Horsham to Crawley, are well progressed. The Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) project has now been delivered totalling 15km of dark fibre and the Burgess Hill Fibre Exchange, with work on the Converged Fibre Connectivity Project continuing for completion in July 2021.
One public estate (OPE) 7: The Brow - redevelopment of an extended Brow site in Burgess Hill will provide enhanced accommodation for the emergency and primary care services and to create space for 440 new homes (led by WSCC). Consultants Faithful and Gould have completed a draft viability study which is currently being reviewed alongside engagement and discussion with other stakeholders.
Land adjacent to Burgess Hill station - Officers are progressing to agree an engagement strategy with the other key stakeholders, Network Rail and The Arch Company (the principal landowner at the site). Provisional approval of an initial OPE Phase 8 funding top up award of £50k has been given, split 50/50 between grant and loan funding. Network Rail have also committed an initial £25k funding to the next stage of the work programme.
Goddards Green Waste-Water Treatment Works: Phase 1 of the project has been completed delivering most of the odour reduction benefits. All the £4m LGF-funding has
been spent, and the project is now continuing at pace funded through the £6.54m HIF grant.
3.2.6 Black Rock /Waterfront (Brighton) - £12.1m
Engagement with stakeholders continues and direct communications via Blackrockcommunity.com website is ongoing.
The local wildlife site has now been relocated for the first phase of the new vegetated shingle programme. 2nd and 3rd phases in the Autumn will use seed plugs from Millenium Seed Bank and original sea kale growth from LWS.
A short film to describe this has been launched on the website.
A future support and maintenance plan has also been put in place to support growth of green wall adjacent to the main road to prevent growth into the carriageway. Revised S278 Drawings have been issued to Highways for a formal Approval and these have been approved. The amended location of the Classroom has also been approved via Non-material amendment, to avoid unresolvable issues with Southern Water’s Easement. The tender for the link road (Package 3) is due back in mid-July. There have been some issued with regard to programme in relation to availability of materials (composite decking) and longer lead in times for steel and concrete. A final programme for all phases will be confirmed once final package is awarded in August 21. Current programme is working well with no major issues reported.
LGF Growth Deal Unallocated Funds Rounds 1 & 2 – December 2016 Call
3.3 In December 2016 Coast to Capital announced that it had approximately £46.65m of unallocated funds available to support capital growth projects. The Greater Brighton Economic Board put forward eight bids, five of which received funding totalling approximately £9.9m. The project updates are as follows:
3.3.1 Adur Civic Centre (Shoreham-By-Sea) - £1.8m
There has been no further update since the last meeting and the last position is as follows:
Phase 2: Public consultation on proposed development by Hyde Housing took place on 20/02/2020 and detailed design work is underway with a view to the planning application being submitted in Summer 2020.
Issues have arisen from Hyde Housing due to Covid19 and will delay exchange and submission of the planning application.
3.3.2 Springman House (Lewes) – £2.0m
Following the purchase of the site by Lewes District Council, plans were drawn up with the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Sussex Police and the South East Coast Ambulance Service.
NSQL, the majority landowner at the NSQ site, has now sold its land to the developer – Human Nature. In December 2020, the Council’s Cabinet agreed heads of terms for the sale of its own land to this same developer in order that it can comprehensively redevelop the site. Human Nature has confirmed that it will submit a new planning application for the NSQ and the Council is now liaising with the developer to understand its plans and timescales for the site, including the fire station.
3.3.3 Railway Quay (Newhaven) - £1.5m
Flood defence works on site now completed and
negotiations underway with existing tenant re: relocation. Initial
masterplan has been prepared and discussions undertaken with
potential tenants. LDC has secured £1.3m from the Getting
Building Fund to convert the former UTC building into a maritime
and sustainable technology hub, offering education / training space
and commercial facilities for SME’s. Discussions with DfE are
ongoing around lease arrangements. This has been augmented by a
commitment of £500k from LDC towards the estimated
£1.8m project costs.
Railway Quay is progressing, with £500k secured from Towns
Fund Accelerated Project Funding to deliver The Sidings - offering
new visitor, community and sustainability facilities, including a
café and active travel hub. Planning consent has been
granted and work commenced in early March 2021. First phase of
development opened in early June 2021 and has been well
received.
3.3.4 Heritage Centre Stage – Corn Exchange & Studio Theatre (Brighton) - £3.0m
The Council’s appointed Management Contractor, Westridge Construction Limited, has completed remedial works to achieve weatherproof buildings. All structural remedial works to the 200-year old Corn Exchange timber frame and roofing works have been completed to secure the building envelope. Finishing and completion works are progressing with the installation of the Corn Exchange oak wall boarding substantially completed. Covid-19 and possibly Brexit appear to be impacting availability of materials with longer delivery times and further delays remain a risk. On site measures including physical distancing, track and trace venue check-in, increased cleaning regime and visitors asked to wear facemasks are in place. Practical Completion is now anticipated in April 2022.
4. ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
4.1 None required.
5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION
5.1 None required.
6. CONCLUSION
6.1 The Board is asked to note the contents of this report.
7. FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:
Financial Implications:
7.1 There are no direct financial implications associated with this report regarding the progress made in the fourth quarter of this financial year on approved schemes within the Greater Brighton Investment Programme. Schemes already included within the Greater Brighton Investment Programme have approved business cases in place with funding options identified and these have been reported to their respective bodies. The progress of each scheme is detailed within the Investment plan Update Report in appendix 1. Unallocated LGF Growth Deal Funds of £9.1m were available from June 2019 with 6 bids (totalling £6.248m) being awarded to schemes within the Greater Brighton region, these are shown at paragraph 3.6 above. Future or revised business plans will be reported accordingly within the timescales of the project timetables.
Finance Officer Consulted: Rob Allen, Principal Accountant
Date: 07/07/2021
Legal Implications:
None.
Lawyer Consulted: Joanne Dunyaglo, Senior Property Lawyer
Date: 07/07/2021
Equalities Implications:
7.2 None arising from this report. Equalities issues will be addressed on a project-by-project basis.
Sustainability Implications:
7.3 None arising from this report. Sustainability issues will be addressed on a project-by-project basis.
Any Other Significant Implications:
7.4 None.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Appendices:
Greater Brighton Investment Update Report July 2021
Background Documents:
None