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Monday, 5 March 2018

Plans for Port Royal: and viability

What exactly is 'viable' for the Port Royal and larger Eastern Town sites?

Clearly affordable housing was deemed as totally 'unviable':
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> the 'viability' of affordable housing obligations

Which is why the consultants' bigger picture was abandoned - and just selling off the only sellable bit was decided on: 

A report to East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) cabinet says a scoping exercise for the possible regeneration of the area revealed a flood risk and a covenant ‘impacting on parts of the potential development site’.

It says providing ‘affordable’ housing would make it unviable – and recommends against pursuing a mixed-use development of the site.


"To this end, the redundant Drill Hall site remains a more straightforward and viable opportunity for redevelopment and reuse."

Port Royal regeneration: Sidmouth’s Drill Hall to be marketed | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: selling the Drill Hall, rather than producing a masterplan

Although there might be other options which are 'viable': 

There is a viable alternative that would involve retaining, refurbishing and reusing the buildings. Cllr Booth said: “We believe that there is a viable alternative approach and are calling for residents and visitors to support our proposal."

Devon Live - Latest local news, sport & business from Devon
Futures Forum: "Retain-refurbish-reuse" >>>>> "Revive Port Royal for all | a community initiative >>> information sheets

But the District Council has been looking at 'viability' for years now - having rejected ideas before: 

Sidmouth Port Royal development hope

15 December 2010

MEMBERS of the group tasked with a crucial project, key to the redevelopment of Sidmouth’s Port Royal, have revealed details of their work for the first time. 
The news comes as the authority that handed ‘power to the people’ – because it couldn’t produce a long-awaited development brief for the site – said it has yet to receive “a commercially viable plan”.

The Herald reported in October 2009 how East Devon District Council (EDDC) gave the go-ahead for a steering group made up of representatives from Sidmouth’s town council, Vision Group, Chamber of Commerce and Hospitality Association, to produce the document.

The Herald understands the brief was initially intended to go before the council’s executive committee in September and was told by an EDDC spokesperson: “The work of the steering group has not, to date, provided a commercially viable plan. We await developments in this respect.”


Sidmouth Port Royal development hope | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: VGS and PRSG
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