Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report which briefed Members on the proposed Townscape Heritage Initiative Bid for Gainsborough Town Centre.

It was noted that the Town Heritage Initiative Fund was a grant programme administered by the Heritage Lottery Fund which supported schemes that aimed to regenerate the historic environment in towns and cities across the United Kingdom. It was one of Heritage Lottery’s ways of achieving their strategic priority to promote conservation as an essential part of urban regeneration.

The Heritage Lottery Fund offered support to around twenty THI schemes per year, previously one had been undertaken in Caistor in West Lindsey. Gainsborough had been identified due to fact that the Conservation Areas that cover the town centre (Britannia Works and Town Centre) were on the Historic England “Heritage at Risk” register, this coupled with the underlying need for regeneration of the town centre meant that the THI bid would be a significant part of the heritage led regeneration of the town centre.

In presenting the report Officers provided Members with background information which supported the need for a bid.  The bid would seek to address a number of areas that had been identified in recent studies including: -

·              Under occupied and under utilised town centre

·              Poor state of repair of the urban environment

·              Predominance of derelict brownfield land (legacy of de-industrialisation)

·              Lack of connection to the riverfront

·              Lack of strong identity

·              Overt pockets of social deprivation

·              Market stigma.

A long list of projects with indicative costings had been drawn up and included:-

·              Frontage Enhancements and Fabric Repairs (including Shop Front Replacement) on Silver Street, Lord Street, Market Place, Church Street (north), Parnell Street, Bridge Street, Cobden Street, Morley Street, Gladstone Street;

·              Living Above the Shop on Silver Street, Lord Street, Market Place and Church Street (north);

·              Boundary Improvements to All Saints Church, Gainsborough Old Hall, residential streets surrounding the Old Hall, Gladstone Street (south) and the United Reformed Church;

·              Public Realm Improvements of varying quality, to be agreed under a Streetscape Guide for Church Street (south), Church Street (north), Gladstone Street, Parnell Street, Bright Street, Gooden Street, Morley Street and Caskgate Street

·              Interpretive Signage - on Parish Church (All Saints) - Pilgrim Fathers, Old Hall - Richard III, Market Place, Waterfront - Canute and Elswitha Hall;

·              Sculpture (by subscription) - low priority but in the long term, produce a sculpture of King Canute.

Debate ensued and the proposals were whole-heartedly and enthusiastically supported by Members.  Confirmation was sought and received that any works undertaken (in the event of a successful bid) would not affect, but further enhance the previous public realm work undertaken.

Several Members were very supportive of the “Living above the Shops” project and considered this would help re-vitalise the town centre by supporting local businesses.  People tended to shop where they lived so making the market place both a business and residential space again was considered a very positive step.

In response to Members’ questions, Officers confirmed that public displays and consultations regarding the proposals would be undertaken if the Authority was successful in reaching Stage 2 of the process.

RESOLVED that:

(a)       the submission of a Stage 1 THI Bid proceed; and

(b)       it be RECOMMENDED to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee that the release of the capital programme and revenue funding allocated to deliver this initiative be approved.

Note:       Councillor Young did not take part in the debate or vote on the above                             decision