Agenda item

To invite the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee’s comments on the Draft Jaywick Sands Place Plan and to seek its recommendation to Cabinet, that the document be published for consultation with the public and other interested parties.

The Committee considered a detailed report of the Director (Planning) (A.1) which invited its comments on the Draft Jaywick Sands Place Plan and sought its recommendation to Cabinet, that the document be published for consultation with the public and other interested parties.

Members were aware that Jaywick Sands had been identified as a Priority Area for Regeneration in the Tendring Local Plan. The purpose of the Place Plan was to provide a long-term strategy for the regeneration of Jaywick Sands with the main objectives being 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 & wellbeing.

In order to achieve this, the Place Plan proposed a number interventions including:-

•    Flood defence and seafront public realm improvements;

•    Improvements to residential areas (including replacement dwellings);

•    Creating space for business, tourism and local services;

•    Improvements to public open space;

•    Increased accessibility and connectivity;

•    Drainage infrastructure; and

•    Ongoing community engagement and stewardship.

It was reported that those interventions were, in combination, intended to elevate Jaywick Sands from the bottom of the English Index of Multiple Deprivation.

The Committee was informed that realising that vision would necessitate significant funding in excess of £120million for which there was no available budget at present. It did, however provide, for the first time, a costed plan containing tangible proposals that could form the basis for discussions with the Government; the Council’s partners and other potential funders; and to support future bids for external funding. The full implementation of the strategy detailed in the Place Plan was expected to span a period of 20 years and any improvements were most likely to be achieved in manageable phases.

Members were reminded that the proposals in the Draft Place Plan formed part of an overarching strategy, which had been informed by previous public consultation and community engagement – including that undertaken in Autumn 2022. It represented an approach that that had, to date, been developed with the community with a view to delivery with strong community stewardship; whereas previous unsuccessful ideas for the regeneration of Jaywick Sands had met with local objection as they had been seen as being imposed upon the community against their wishes. Officers were hopeful therefore that this Place Plan (which ruled out extreme, unpopular and undeliverable options) would meet with constructive feedback and local support.

Hana Loftus, HAT Projects gave a comprehensive presentation to the Committee regarding the Jaywick Sands Place Plan, which covered the following matters:-

(a)    Regeneration Objectives for Jaywick Sands;

(b)    Why develop a Place Plan;

(c)    Work done to date;

(d)    What is the Place Plan;

(e)    Place Plan Vision;

(f)     How the Draft Place Plan is meeting Tendring District Council’s objectives;

(g)    Spatial Framework;

(h)    Flood Defences & Seafront Public Realm;

(1)    ‘Nationally Preferred Option’ (Flood Defences);

(2)    Place Plan Preferred Design Framework (Brooklands);

(3)    Place Plan Preferred Design Framework (The Village); and

(4)    Delivery and Costs.

(i)      Improving Residential Areas;

(j)      Preferred Strategy

(1)    Vacant & Derelict Plots; and

(2)    Improving quality of existing homes.

(k)    Creating space for business, tourism and local services;

(l)      Improving Public Open Spaces;

(m)   Accessibility & Connectivity;

(n)    Drainage Infrastructure;

(o)    Community Engagement & Stewardship; and

(p)    Consultation Process.

Members asked the following questions of Hana Loftus:-

·      What was the feedback from residents on the design aspects of the Place Plan?; and

·      Flood Grant funding of the various options put forward in the Place Plan?

Hana Loftus replied along the following lines:-

·      It was clear that the residents preferred to keep the unique diversity of the appearance of properties. They did not want mini-estates of one design only. They did not want to see the current street pattern of Jaywick Sands broken up;

·      The Flood Grant aid could not be called upon prior to 2033 and would only be available if the properties in Jaywick Sands still remained at risk.

It was unanimously RESOLVED that the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee -

a)  notes the contents of the Draft Jaywick Sands Place Plan: August 2023; and

b)  recommends to Cabinet that the above document (forming Appendix 1 to item A.1 of the Report of the Director (Planning)) be approved for consultation with the public and other interested parties.