Agenda item - Madeira Terrace Restoration - Petition response and next steps

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)            That the Committee delegates authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture to procure and award a contract for early design stage work (RIBA 0-1) and engineering of 30 out of a total of 151 Madeira Terrace arches and instructs officers to include a requirement in the contract that the use of innovative renewable technology such as solar panels and rainwater harvesting should be made a priority to  reduce costs in the long-term and help the city to meet its commitment to achieving a carbon neutral status by 2030.

2)            That the Committee instructs the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture to bring a report to the November committee outlining proposals to use the crowdfunded funds (alongside the allocated council funding if required) to progress plans for the development of an initial three arches

-       to showcase what is possible and;

-       to gain a deeper understanding of the technical challenges that may present themselves during the development of subsequent arches;

-       with the intention that plans are progressed to develop the initial three arches, to similar sustainability standards, without waiting for funds to be available to develop the 30 arches as described in 2.1.

This report should contain options for which three arches should be progressed and developed, including an option of the three arches directly outside Concorde 2 and an assessment of the business case for leasing these to Concorde 2 as they have suggested. 

8.1         The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that outlined the proposed next steps to restore Madeira Terrace and in doing so, responded to the petition for debate considered by Full Council in March 2019 and referred to the committee.

8.2         On behalf of the Green Group, Councillor Rainey moved to amend recommendation 2.1, and insert recommendation 2.2 as shown below in bold italics;

2.1   That the Committee delegates authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture to procure and award a contract for early design stage work (RIBA 0-1) and engineering of 30 out of a total of 151 Madeira Terrace arches and instructs officers to include a requirement in the contract that  the use of innovative renewable technology such as solar panels and rainwater harvesting should be made a priority to  reduce costs in the long-term and help the city to meet its commitment to achieving a carbon neutral status by 2030.

2.2   That the Committee instructs the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture to bring a report to the November committee outlining proposals to use the crowdfunded funds (alongside the allocated council funding if required) to progress plans for the development of an initial three arches

-       to showcase what is possible and;

-       to gain a deeper understanding of the technical challenges that may present themselves during the development of subsequent arches;

-       with the intention that plans are progressed to develop the initial three arches, to similar sustainability standards, without waiting for funds to be available to develop the 30 arches as described in 2.1.

This report should contain options for which three arches should be progressed and developed, including an option of the three arches directly outside Concorde 2 and an assessment of the business case for leasing these to Concorde 2 as they have suggested.

8.3         Introducing the motion, Councillor Rainey stated that the motion expressly set out the use of sustainable technology in order to reduce the long-term costs and contribute toward the target of becoming carbon neutral. Councillor Rainey stated that residents in that area of the city felt neglected and therefore the request for a report to the November committee meeting would provide reassurance to those residents that action was being taken.

8.4         Councillor Druitt formally seconded the motion.

8.5         Councillor Nemeth asked if there was a particular design for the Arches and what the specification to the designers would be.

8.6         The Assistant Director, City Development & Regeneration explained that the design work would be commissioned as the unique design of the Arches would require expertise. The brief set to the designers would be a design with the potential for small scale retail in order to create sufficient funding to reinvest in the Arches and maintain them in the long-term.

8.7         Councillor Mac Cafferty questioned why it had taken so long to reach approval stage as the work had been agreed in principal in November 2017 and the risk to the entire entity increased the longer restoration was delayed. Councillor Mac Cafferty requested assurance that there would now be proper oversight of the restoration and enquired as to whether the cost should be reviewed by the Audit & Standards Committee.

8.8         The Chair stated that he agreed with the observation made on oversight that he believed was mainly due to no committee owning the issue. That had now moved on and there would be a report back to this committee in November 2019.

8.9         The Assistant Director, City Development & Regeneration stated that there had perhaps been too much focus on maximising economies of scale and applications for funding had likewise taken up a significant amount of officer time. The Assistant Director, City Development & Regeneration explained that as a Council, there had been a funding issue however, that was now in place together with increased staff resource.

8.10      Councillor Mears stated that the Council had received a letter from the Secretary of State detailing that it had failed in its funding application from the Coastal Revival Fund and it was extremely concerning that no progress had been made two years on from that. Councillor Mears stated that such a regeneration project required vision and there was no detail of that in the report. Councillor Mears stated that the committee had to take ownership of the issue and action was required sooner rather than later.

8.11      The Estate Regeneration Project Manager agreed that a vision was required with the first stage in that process establishing exactly what the future functions of the Terraces would be. That would be something addressed in the design process.

8.12      Councillor Nemeth stated that he was pleased that the issue of Madeira Terraces was receiving much greater attention and asked when the issue of which of the thirty Arches to be renovated would be known.

8.13      The Assistant Director, City Development & Regeneration clarified that issue would be part of the design work and noted that the proposed amendment requested earlier clarity on the matter.

8.14      Councillor Nemeth requested that discussions with the campaigners should continue on the thirty Arches to be renovated.

8.15      Councillor Druitt stated that the Arches were a much-loved part of the seafront and many residents were upset to see them in such a state of disrepair. Councillor Druitt stated that it was important that the council did all it could to showcase the potential of the Arches to attract further investment.

8.16      The Chair then put the motion to the vote that passed.

8.17      The Chair put the recommendations, as amended to the vote that passed.

8.18      RESOLVED-

1)            That the Committee delegates authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture to procure and award a contract for early design stage work (RIBA 0-1) and engineering of 30 out of a total of 151 Madeira Terrace arches and instructs officers to include a requirement in the contract that the use of innovative renewable technology such as solar panels and rainwater harvesting should be made a priority to  reduce costs in the long-term and help the city to meet its commitment to achieving a carbon neutral status by 2030.

2)            That the Committee instructs the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture to bring a report to the November committee outlining proposals to use the crowdfunded funds (alongside the allocated council funding if required) to progress plans for the development of an initial three arches

-       to showcase what is possible and;

-       to gain a deeper understanding of the technical challenges that may present themselves during the development of subsequent arches;

-       with the intention that plans are progressed to develop the initial three arches, to similar sustainability standards, without waiting for funds to be available to develop the 30 arches as described in 2.1.

This report should contain options for which three arches should be progressed and developed, including an option of the three arches directly outside Concorde 2 and an assessment of the business case for leasing these to Concorde 2 as they have suggested.