Minutes:
Members considered the report of the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities which sought approval for spend and delivery of the Levelling Up Fund, in respect of Whitton’s Gardens, Baltic Mill and Phase 1 Market Place public realm interventions.
As part of the almost £17.5 million LUF programme, the delivery of improved public realm across the town centre was a key priority, with a focus on improving access to and creating more green space, together with improving the town centre public realm.
The three interventions that would be delivered to achieve such outcomes where, Whitton’s Gardens, Baltic Mill and the Market Place.
Members were reminded that the Council were contracted to a number of outputs across these interventions which included the planting of trees, creating new green space, improving green space, the redevelopment of Whitton’s Gardens toilets and improved public realm.
As a result of the Committee, earlier in the month, approving the revised funding profile for the Cinema and Leisure scheme the revised funding for each of the three remaining intervention sites were outlined to the Committee and detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report.
Appendix 1 of the report included proposed designs for the revamped Whitton’s Gardens including proposals for redeveloping the toilet block, as well as Plans for the Baltic Mill, which would provide a new pocket park, with green and open space.
Members also noted that community consultation on the schemes had highlighted the delivery of a pedestrian crossing at the foot of Silver Street as an emerging priority. Whilst this was not within the scope of the LUF monies, work continued with the Local Highways Authority in respect of this.
In respect of the Market Place, section 7.5 of the report indicated how it was proposed the remaining funds would be used. Further work would then be developed as a phase two, to consider future designs for a more transformative design, and would be the subject of future reports to the Committee.
Finally, the monitoring regime that the Council were contracted to with the Department for Levelling Up Homes and Communities was outlined to Members, with the next return due by 27 October.
Debate ensued and Members considered there had been ample engagement and delivery was now imperative to maintain public confidence. Members were also assured the desire for a crossing was being looked at positively.
In responding to comments regarding the need for investment and funding for the wider District, the Chairman whilst acknowledging the comments, reminded the Committee of the prescriptive nature of this specific Levelling Up Funding. He also outlined recent meetings with a number of parishes where he had been pleased to learn of the work being undertaken in the wider district.
It was also acknowledged that a thriving Gainsborough would in turn generate benefits realised wider than just the town.
Having been proposed and seconded it was unanimously
RESOLVED that: -
(a) the revised budget, detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report, for the delivery of the Whitton’s Gardens public realm scheme as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report be approved for expenditure;
(b) the revised budget, detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report, for the delivery of the Baltic Mill public realm scheme as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report be approved for expenditure;
(c) the budget detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the report for the delivery of the Market Place Phase 1 Scheme, as set out at paragraph 7.5 of the report; be approved for expenditure; and
(d) a further report be submitted to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee to agree options and a budget for the Market Place Phase 2 Scheme.