Agenda item

To provide Cabinet with the outcome of the public consultation and present the Jaywick Sands Place Plan, as amended, for adoption.

RESOLVED that Cabinet -

a)     notes the contents of the Portfolio Holder’s report (A.4) and takes into account the outcomes of the 2023/24 consultation exercise, as set out in the Consultation Report (attached as an Appendix to report A.4); and

b)     approves and formally adopts Tendring District Council’s Jaywick Sands Place Plan (as attached as an Appendix to report A.4), as its overarching strategy for working with partners and the community to regenerate Jaywick Sands over a long-term period.

Cabinet considered a detailed report of the Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder (A.4), which provided it with the outcome of the public consultation and presented the Jaywick Sands Place Plan, as amended, for adoption.

Members recalled that Jaywick Sands had been designated as a Priority Area for Regeneration within the Tendring Local Plan. The Place Plan, prepared on behalf of the Council by specialists HAT Projects, had been developed to provide a comprehensive strategy for the area’s revitalisation, focusing on the following key objectives:-

•     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.

Strategic Interventions: 

To realise those objectives, the Place Plan identified several strategic interventions that, subject to funding and resources, could be delivered either by the Council in partnership with other bodies or through other organisations or parties. Those interventions included:-

·       Upgrading flood defences and enhancing the seafront’s public realm;

·       Residential area enhancements, including the provision of replacement housing;

·       Development of spaces dedicated to business, tourism, and local services;

·       Refurbishment of public open spaces;

·       Boosting accessibility and connectivity;

·       Upgrading drainage infrastructure; and

·       Continuous community engagement and stewardship.

It was reported that the collective aim of those measures was to lift Jaywick Sands from its current position at the lower end of the English Index of Multiple Deprivation and bring about a positive and sustainable long-term future for the community; with a strong emphasis on working with the community to achieve that. The full implementation of the strategic interventions, as set out in the Place Plan, was projected to span 20 years, with phased improvements being the most feasible approach.

Cabinet was informed that public consultation on the draft Place Plan had been conducted from 20 November 2023 to 6 January 2024; which followed on from previous community engagement exercises. The feedback received had been overwhelmingly positive, indicating broad support for the strategic interventions. Notably, there were no formal objections from statutory consultees. The Consultation Report attached as an Appendix to the Portfolio Holder’s report offered an in-depth analysis of the feedback received.

Members were made aware that the strategic interventions set out in the Place Plan were together costed at more than £120 million for which, at present, there was no allocated funding. However, having this Place Plan would, for the first time, enable the Council and its partners to explore different avenues for funding and delivery, and have serious discussions with the Government and other potential investors that were based on a programme of tangible, properly costed and publicly supported proposals.

In order to support the continued ambition to bring about economic regeneration, improve the quality of life and tackle deprivation in Jaywick Sands through having a specific Place Plan that progressed the objectives for regeneration identified in the Council’s Local Plan and as identified as one of Council’s Corporate Priorities:-

It was moved by Councillor Baker, seconded by Councillor Kotzand:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet -

a)     notes the contents of the Portfolio Holder’s report (A.4) and takes into account the outcomes of the 2023/24 consultation exercise, as set out in the Consultation Report (attached as an Appendix to report A.4); and

b)     approves and formally adopts Tendring District Council’s Jaywick Sands Place Plan (as attached as an Appendix to report A.4), as its overarching strategy for working with partners and the community to regenerate Jaywick Sands over a long-term period.