Agenda item

To seek the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee’s support for an initial consultation in relation to the Jaywick Sands Place Plan Supplementary Planning Document and for Members to note the information contained in the Jaywick Sands Interim Report April 2022.

Councillor Nash, had earlier in the meeting, declared for the public record that, an interest in relation to Agenda Items 6 and 7 (reports A.1 and A.2) due to being a Ward Member.

 

Hana Loftus, HAT Projects gave a presentation to the Committee regarding the regeneration objectives for Jaywick Sands.

 

The Committee gave consideration to a comprehensive report of the Acting Director (Planning) (A.1) which sought its support for an initial consultation in relation to the Jaywick Sands Place Plan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and also submitted for Members’ information the Jaywick Sands Interim Report April 2022.

 

It was reported that the Jaywick Sands Place Plan comprised one of the two key work streams in relation to the regeneration of Jaywick Sands. The aim of the Place Plan, as stated in the Tendring Local Plan, was to: "provide a development framework for the physical regeneration of Jaywick Sands facilitating the provision of new flood resilient homes built to modern building standards which will provide a high standard of accommodation for existing residents as well as providing land for employment opportunities and recreation and amenity areas.”

 

In line with the Tendring Local Plan, the Place Plan objectives were to:-

 

•    Transform housing quality and the built environment;

•    Ensure long-term flood resilience;

•    Create greater connectivity to neighbouring areas;

•    Attract commerce & new economic opportunities; and

•    Improve people's life chances, access to public services & health & well-being.

 

The Place Plan would also allow the Council to present a co-ordinated regeneration strategy, which had been costed and which would form the basis to bid for Government monies and grants.

 

The Committee was informed that, in the absence of a Place Plan, the present situation of residents living in inadequate private and rented accommodation would continue. The problems were likely to escalate over time, and, given the historical rate of development on Jaywick Sands, the probability was only that a small number of new or replacement dwellings would be constructed. In the scenario of a flood event, the current properties would provide only minimal protection. The level of accommodation was a very significant contributor to Jaywick Sands being listed as the most deprived area in the country and this would likely continue. Overall, the absence of a Place Plan would mean that development and regeneration in Jaywick Sands would occur on a piecemeal basis or not happen at all, with the Council only having a limited ability to seek funding for regeneration projects. 

 

Members were reminded that HAT Projects (with Igloo Regeneration) had been commissioned to undertake this work.

 

Consultation

 

Members were advised that the initial consultation stage would inform the production of the draft Place Plan which would contain a proposed regeneration strategy for Jaywick Sands. The purpose of the consultation was to inform this process and the aims of the consultation were to achieve the following:-

 

·      centering the community in the process – ensuring that the commitment to developing the regeneration strategy through genuine community collaboration is carried through;

·      better informed local community about key issues, with a realistic understanding of the options, scenarios and risks;

·      insight into local community priorities– building and updating the evidence base for developing the Place Plan, understanding what incentives, risks and mitigation might be successful from a community perspective (user research); and

·      building trust with the community and celebrating successes already achieved.”

 

Officers felt that the key messages of the consultation would include that:-

 

·      real progress was already being made on the ground with projects that had already been implemented or were currently in delivery, led both by TDC and others – celebrating success.

·      this was the next step in developing broader plans for improving Jaywick Sands for the benefit of the whole community. There would be many more steps in the process.

·      the Flood risk was real and increasing all the time and that this would affect the most vulnerable residents the most. The risk to the community was increased by the poor quality of many of the homes in Jaywick Sands, so improving both the housing and flood safety needed to go hand in hand.

·      relocation of the community and Compulsory Purchase Order/comprehensive redevelopment were not being considered at the present, as this Council believed that this was not what the community wanted to see.

·      doing nothing was not an option – whilst change would take a long time and had many challenges, the issues that Jaywick Sands faced were serious and must be tackled.

 

The Committee was informed that the consultation channels would include:-

 

In person engagement:

 

·      attendance at meetings of the Jaywick Community Forum, the Jaywick Sands Coastal Community Forum and the Jaywick Sands Revival CIC.

·      attendance at the Jaywick Networking Group meeting (to be held at the Community Resource Centre) – this brought together groups and service providers.

·      drop-in morning/day at Inclusion Ventures.

·      drop-in morning/day at Martello Tower.

·      an event with Frobisher Academy Primary School – for children, parents and teachers (e.g. special assembly or an after school drop-in).

·      offers to attend other events organised by local groups.

 

Digital engagement

 

·      online presentation and survey with short explainer videos.

·      Webinar(s).

 

Publicity

 

The consultation would be publicised in the following ways:-

 

·      printed flyer distributed to all addresses in Jaywick Sands.

·      digital and social media communications and advertising.

·      posters distributed to local shops and venues.

·      advertisements at Green Elms Surgery (rolling digital display screens).

·      a briefing of Essex Police.

·      a briefing of TDC Ambassadors.

·      dissemination of information through the Jaywick Networking Group (Teresa Enys).

·      engagement with faith groups.

 

Members were advised that those consultation events were timetabled for September 2022. The indicative detailed questionnaire was shown in Appendix 1 to the Officer’s report.

 

Supporting Report – Jaywick Sands Place Plan: Interim Report

 

It was reported that the interim report supported the first phase of public consultation on the Place Plan, as commissioned by Tendring District Council. The report outlined the strategic, physical and social context for the Place Plan and the work to date to develop potential strategies for Jaywick's renewal. It did not yet present a final proposition as this had to be guided by the feedback obtained through the consultation with the local community and stakeholders. The final framework was also dependent on the Environment Agency's ongoing work to review flood defences along the Jaywick and West Clacton coastline. The report had been produced by HAT Projects with input from Igloo Regeneration.

 

The sections of that interim report that were the most relevant for the Committee’s consideration had been highlighted within the Acting Director’s report.

 

Having considered all of the information and advice contained in the Officer report and its appendices:-

 

It was moved by Councillor Chapman, seconded by Councillor Nash and unanimously:-

 

RESOLVED that the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee:

 

1.      notes and welcomes the Consultation Strategy (Appendix 1) and Jaywick Sands Place Plan Interim Report April 2022 (Appendix 2); and

 

2.      recommends to Cabinet that an initial consultation be undertaken to inform the production of the Jaywick Sands Place Plan in line with the Consultation Strategy (Appendix 1).