On 6 October 2023 Cabinet considered a report titled ‘Levelling Up Fund and Capital Regeneration Projects - Progressing the Projects to Planning Permission’. As part of that report, Cabinet delegated authority to the Corporate Director Place and Economy in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Tourism to procure appropriate resources and commission a project team to carry out the associated work including for the design briefs.
On 24 May 2024, Cabinet considered a report titled ‘Update on Levelling Up Fund and Capital Regeneration Projects’. As part of that report, Cabinet agreed to request that officers investigate the opportunity to bring forward the Milton Road element of the Dovercourt scheme from the Capital Regeneration Project funding and report the outcome back to Cabinet in the context of the wider scheme.
Operational issues to support progress of the schemes to planning including site clearance for Milton Road and Victoria Street will be addressed, to include:
•Site clearance of rubbish and overgrowth
•Sites made safe for access
•Initial surveys (topographic and utilities surveys of the Victoria Street sites)
•Progression of party wall matters
Decisions relating to spend or any award of contracts will be published separately.

To address operational issues relating to clearance of the sites at Milton Road and Victoria Street, to include:
1.Site clearance of rubbish and overgrowth
2.Sites made safe for access
3.Initial surveys (topographic and utilities surveys of the Victoria Street sites)
4.Progression of party wall matters

Initiating the demolition of the existing car park on the Milton Road site, as well as site clearance, surveys and demolition as needed for the two Victoria Street sites, will ensure the sites are ready for development in time for commencement of the main works, whilst ensuring the sites are made safe for the public and neighbours.
The alternative option is not to investigate bringing forward the Milton Road demolition. The decision on the Milton Road carpark would be taken alongside the wider construction programme in the knowledge of actual
rather than projected construction costs. This could present a delay to the realisation of benefits associated with the scheme.