Wednesday, 31 January 2018

Plans for Port Royal: District Council to 'announce the opportunity for a community bid' for the Drill Hall

The District Council intends to market the Drill Hall:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: 'the redundant Drill Hall site remains a more straightforward and viable opportunity for redevelopment and reuse'

There are several well-researched campaigns to protect the building:
Sidmouth Drill Hall Research Site
Rescue Sidmouth Drill Hall

The 3Rs (Retain, Refurbish, Reuse) campaign has welcomed recent developments:
Revive Port Royal for all | a community initiative
Latest news | Revive Port Royal for all

The Sea Fest is very interested:
Sidmouth Sea Fest

And the Sidmouth Drill Hall CC Hub has just put together a new piece on its website:

Drill Hall at 31st January 2018

A quick update.

In 2011, EDDC announced that they were going to demolish the Drill Hall at Port Royal at the far eastern end of Sidmouth Esplanade and leave the space open to be used primarily as a boat park. There was no other proposal in place, and had their application for demolition been granted then the BagwelIs would have lost their fish shop, Sidmouth Trawlers, to the sea and storms over the winters that followed. It is and always has been protected by the Drill Hall. I staretd a campaign towards the end of 2011 and in April 2012 the Localism Act was passed that gave communities the right to create a bid over 3 years to purchase an asset of community value. It also provided the right for a community to bid to have an asset, or building, transferred free of charge to the community. In 2012 I started a campaign to save the Drill Hall and stop demolition and soon after due to a combination of the Localism Act, massive popular reaction against the demolition plans, and objections from the Conservation Officer and Hugo Swire MP the building was saved.

We are now in a position where, as you will no doubt now know

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/news/2018/01/new-future-for-drill-hall-site-proposed-following-sidmouth-port-royal-scoping-study-report/

where both Sidmouth Town Council and East Devon Council have withdrawn their initial proposal for a large residential development of 30 apartments at Port Royal, as is in the Local Plan, and announced that they will be putting the Drill Hall on the market to be, as we have always said it should be, a cafe, bar and/or restaurant. They will also announce the opportunity for a community bid. We are unsure exactly what they intend but that should mean that the community has a period of time to compile a community group or trust that supports a board that works, with the trust and a range of funding sources including private and public, to raise the required funds to initially restore then open and make use of the building for everyone in the community.

There will be a Town Council meeting on Monday 5th February at Sidmouth Methodist Church Hall

http://www.sidmouth.gov.uk/

And an EDDC Cabinet meeting in the main Council Chamber at Knowle on Wednesday 7th February.

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/committees-and-meetings/cabinet/cabinet-agendas/

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/2363163/070218combinedcabagendapublicvers.pdf

The Drill Hall situation will be discussed.

We strongly advise you, and ask you, to attend both of these meetings.

Drill Hall History

In the meantime, please have a look at Mary Walden-Till’s excellent website that shows the history and heritage of the Drill Hall, Port Royal and around Eastern Town.

http://drillhall.historic-sidmouth.uk/

Thank you

Matt Booth

All drawings (c) Alex Vick 2018

Sidmouth Drill Hall Hub CIC | Promoting positive regeneration

See also:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: spending £10k on a report with 'a level of detail and analysis of the area which had been previously available' - simply to prove that redevelopment is not viable
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: 'not seeking a mixed development for the overall site and ... marketing of the Drill Hall only'
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: 'Council proposes to drop regeneration plans and sell the Drill Hall'
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Building houses on the greenbelt @ BBC Two's 'The New Builds are coming: Battle in the Countryside'

There's a huge amount of pressure to build housing - as vividly shown tonight on BBC Two:

New Homes on the Green Belt - The New Builds Are Coming: Battle in the Countryside | BBC Two - YouTube

Here's the programme info:

The New Builds Are Coming: Battle in the Countryside

Episode 1
The New Builds Are Coming: Battle in the Countryside
Series 1 Episode 1 of 2

How do you mend the broken housing market? The country needs to build 300,000 homes a year just to keep up with demand. In this series, film-maker Richard Macer heads to one of our most expensive counties,Oxfordshire, where vast areas of once-protected countryside are being turned into housing. With remarkable access to councillors, developers, architects and campaigners, and filmed over nine months, Richard asks if building these vast estates is a solution to the crisis.

In episode one, Macer explores the controversial decision by the government to free up the green belt to developers. In the tiny charming village of Culham, he finds residents furious at plans to supersize their village to three and a half thousand new homes. But just a few weeks after the announcement of the new estate, sinister developments start to grip the small community. Has little Culham become the centre of a gold rush?

In the second film, Macer is on the other side of the fence, with the architects and the developers who are changing the face of rural Britain, with the people trying to create a sense of community from scratch, and the pioneers making these new mini-Utopias their homes. As one architect of a new development next to the village of Long Hanborough puts it: 'No one has a right to a view -unfortunately. Things change, and we have to get used to that in Britain.'.

BBC Two - The New Builds Are Coming: Battle in the Countryside, Series 1, Episode 1

With a couple of clips:

Building houses on the greenbelt
With soaring house prices, the government has freed up the greenbelt to new housing development. In this series we explore the impact on communities old and new.

BBC Two - The New Builds Are Coming: Battle in the Countryside, Building houses on the greenbelt

Culham's rude awakening
The tiny village of Culham could soon be super-sized with a proposed new town comprising 3,500 additional homes.

BBC Two - The New Builds Are Coming: Battle in the Countryside, Series 1, Episode 1, Culham's rude awakening
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Plastic action in Lyme Regis

Sidmouth hopes to do better with its plastic waste:
Futures Forum: Make Sidmouth plastic free > campaigns, actions and petition launched

With further initiatives happening in Devon:
Refill Devon - Refill • Water refill points on every street.
Welcome to Refill Devon | Don't let Devon go to waste

Meanwhile down the coast just over the border into Dorset, Lyme Regis is doing very well:

Dear Turn Lyme Green Supporters

As February is about to start, another welcomed beach clean is being held right on our own beachfront. And don’t forget the Great Nurdle Hunt in Charmouth on the 17^th. Also in February are our annual fruit tree pruning workshops – see below – and TLG’s monthly meeting on the 13^th.

Lyme Regis Beach Clean – Monmouth Beach This Sunday, 4^th February

1.45 for 2pm – 3pm.

Report to the RNLI office at the harbour at 1.45 for a briefing before setting out across Monmouth Beach. Everything you need is provided. Gloves a good idea and sturdy footwear.
All are welcome, but please remember that children under 18 must be accompanied.

The Great Nurdle Hunt – Charmouth beach, meet at the Heritage Coast Centre. Saturday 17^th February

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm. Meet at the Heritage Coast Centre.

Organised by the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, meet at the bottom of the Centre’s steps. Stay for as much or as little as you like. All equipment is provided. You could stop in and see Attenborough’s Sea Dragon now on display.

Nurdles are tiny plastic pellets used to make most of our plastic products. Unfortunately, spillages and mishandling by industry mean that nurdles escape and get washed into the sea. It is estimated that 53 billion nurdles escape into the UK environment each year! Due to their tiny size, nurdles are mistaken as prey and eaten by marine wildlife and they move up the food chain. Unfortunately nurdles also act as sponges in the sea, attracting pollutants. Nurdles are regularly seen on beaches, including Lyme’s own, especially on Church Beach.

What can you do to help? Pick up nurdles! The more we collect, the fewer end up in the sea. Always make sure you wear gloves when handling nurdles as they contain toxins. Nurdles have been spotted on Lyme’s Church Beach. Head that way and take a bag and some gloves to help get rid of them.

We will publicise the date of the Great Dorset Beach Clean here in Lyme Regis in April.

RE-FILL SCHEME update

More Lyme Regis businesses are joining the Re-Fill scheme which has received so much national publicity recently. “Refill is a free tap water initiative designed to reduce plastic pollution and promote healthy hydration by making refilling a water bottle easy, social and rewarding! Hats off to the 12 businesses taking part in Lyme Regis .. as others join we will let you know. If anyone wishes to join, just contact Litter Free Coast and Sea who co-ordinate locations in Dorset. There is also an app which can show ReFill locations near where you are.

Penny Black Café Cornish Bakery

Aroma Coffee House Galley Café

The Good Food Store Roly’s Fudge Pantry

Mulberry Manor Bell Cliff Restaurant

Frank & Beans Gelateria Tierra Kitchen

Alexandra Hotel Red Panda

https://turnlymegreen.co.uk

Ten years ago, Turn Lyme Green was launched:

Help Turn Lyme Green - YouTube
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Refill your water bottle for free at these points

There's a great scheme that's really taking off to encourage people to 'refill' their water bottles:

I can quite understand why people feel awkward asking for tap water without making a purchase (British embarrassment over asking for tap water in bars fuels plastic bottle waste – survey, 11 May). Fortunately, the Refill app from refill.org.uk will help direct people to all sorts of lovely businesses who have made clear their commitment to plastic waste reduction. They will refill with no obligation to buy anything. If there are any businesses who would like to join, they can do so within the app, and together we can provide a robust alternative to plastic drinking bottles.

Free water from the bar tap? Get the app | Letters | Environment | The Guardian

It's happening everywhere now:
New campaign against plastic waste | News | The Cornish Times

And here's the place to go to find out:

REFILL IS A NATIONAL, PRACTICAL TAP WATER CAMPAIGN THAT AIMS TO MAKE REFILLING YOUR BOTTLE AS EASY, CONVENIENT AND CHEAP AS POSSIBLE BY INTRODUCING REFILL POINTS ON EVERY STREET.

We know water fountains can be expensive to install and maintain, so now friendly cafes, shops, hotels and businesses are welcoming you in to refill your water bottle – for free! Refill is currently happening around the UK – have a look here to see a list of current Refill schemes!

How does it work?

Participating cafes, bars, restaurants, banks, galleries, museums and other businesses simply put a sticker in their window – alerting passers-by to the fact they’re welcome to come on in and fill up their bottle – for free! Download the free Refill rewards app to see where you can Refill on the go, or add new places to Refill yourself!

No Refill stations where you live? Start adding them to the map!

Our free Refill rewards app allows you to add Refill stations to the map. Just press and hold the point on the map you want to add a Refill point and follow the instructions! It’s super simple to populate your local village, town or city with Refill stations so you need never buy a plastic bottle again!

Why carry a bottle with you?

Single-use plastic bottles are expensive to produce, use up valuable natural resources to make and transport and create mountains and mountains of waste once we’ve gulped down the contents. And recycling’s not the answer either, here in the UK an estimated 800 plastic bottles a MINUTE are either ending up in landfill or as litter, which will too often make its way into our waterways and out to sea. Read more about marine plastic pollution here.

By buying a reusable water bottle you will also save yourself a small fortune and they often pay for themselves within a week going on to save you money with every free Refill from then on!

Who’s behind the campaign?

City to Sea launched Refill Bristol in September 2015 and there are now over 1,600 Refill points around the UK. Our free app shows you where you can refill for free, allows you add Refill stations and even rewards you for your Refills! City to Sea also licence other Refill schemes – find out how you can launch one in your area here!

When City to Sea‘s founder, Natalie Fee, was inspired to do something about the increasing volume of plastic bottles washing up along the banks of the river Avon in Bristol, she turned to her local community to ask their opinion on what should happen. Over a series of public events, it was agreed that the city needed more water fountains and an easily accessible, free network of shops, cafes and restaurants providing free water refills.

It was suggested we look at the community scheme, ReFILL Bude, launched in 2015 by local volunteer Deb Rosser with support from BeachCare / Keep Britain Tidy. They’d developed a successful model which involved selling reusable water bottles to raise funds for the local sea pool. BeachCare generously offered us use of their posters for us to pilot Refill Bristol in 2015.

Remember to wash your bottle

Recent studies have found that many people aren’t washing their reusable bottles as often as they should. You don’t have to get carried away – just remember to wash them now and again.

About Refill - Refill • Water refill points on every street.
Home - Refill • Water refill points on every street.
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Tuesday, 30 January 2018

Plans for Port Royal: 'the redundant Drill Hall site remains a more straightforward and viable opportunity for redevelopment and reuse'

It's now all about the Drill Hall:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: 'not seeking a mixed development for the overall site and ... marketing of the Drill Hall only'
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: 'Council proposes to drop regeneration plans and sell the Drill Hall'
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultants' "final report" published

The Herald gives a handy overview:

Port Royal regeneration: Sidmouth’s Drill Hall to be marketed

PUBLISHED: 09:29 30 January 2018 | UPDATED: 15:04 30 January 2018

Stephen Sumner

The Sidmouth Lifeboat station, sailing club and Drill Hall at Port Royal

The ‘unused and unattractive’ Drill Hall could be sold off as part of the redevelopment of Sidmouth’s Port Royal if recommendations are backed

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.

The report adds: “What came through very clearly from the consultation activities of both the scoping exercise and the Neighbourhood Plan was that the community would like to see some development in the area that provides a food and drink offer such as a restaurant/café or bar.

“What was also clear from consultation responses was the importance that people attached to the continuation of the lifeboat station, sailing club and its associated clubs and community uses/activities.

“This also reflects respondents’ views that water activities and maritime heritage should be respected.”

The report says a five-storey building was the only way to deliver a mixed-use redevelopment including the 30 homes allocated in the Local Plan – but there was ‘clearly a lack of support’ from the public for such a structure.

The report also says: “It is still important to find ways to make progress in improving what is still recognised to be an area of Sidmouth that detracts from the town’s otherwise attractive seafront.

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

“To take this approach reflects the community’s views through consultation that we look after the existing and important active and community uses and find a new future for the vacant Drill Hall site that could create the sort of restaurant, bar or similar offer that people clearly wish to see in this spectacular location.”

Marketing a site such as the Drill Hall to the commercial sector would normally be a three-month process. However, the cabinet report recognises the community-based interest in the scoping study, and in this site in particular. So to encourage funding bids from commercial and non-commercial sources alike, the marketing period proposed will be doubled to six months.

The active uses at Port Royal, in particular the lifeboat and sailing clubs, will be unaffected by this proposed way forward and their premises will remain and not be part of a wider development plan.

The scoping exercise was a joint project between EDDC and Sidmouth Town Council, the major landowners.

They formed a project reference group with members of both councils with key stakeholders in the community such as Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce, Sid Vale Association and the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan steering group.

The scoping exercise considered a broad area but was only intended to identify which parts of it might be suitable for redevelopment, which for landscaping or reconfiguring and which might remain as they are.

The report says there is a flood risk especially related to land outside of the area allocated within the East Devon Local Plan.

In a press release, EDDC leader Councillor Paul Diviani said: “Sidmouth has waited long enough to see something happen on this site and both councils want to see improvement and new attractions for Sidmothians and visitors alike. Both councils have worked exceptionally well together on this project.”

Cllr Jeff Turner of Sidmouth Town Council said: “I believe the Sidmouth public will welcome the approach being recommended. It will provide opportunities for renewal of the Drill Hall site and, in particular, the possibility of our seafront benefitting from the new restaurant and bar attractions that emerged as popular choices in responses to the scoping study and the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan surveys. At the same time, both the lifeboat station and the sailing club and boat park will remain unaffected.”

In response, district councillor Cathy Gardner said: “The news that EDDC is proposing to drop development plans for Port Royal is very welcome.

“This decision will need to be confirmed by cabinet on February 7 and at full council on February 28.

“It remains to be seen whether residents in Sidmouth will want to put together a bid for the Drill Hall because at the moment we don’t know whether it is the freehold or the leasehold that will be sold or the price being sought.

“I hope people will take the chance to attend both the Sidmouth Town Council meeting on Monday February 5, and EDDC’s cabinet on February 7 to ask questions and hear the discussion.”

Port Royal regeneration: Sidmouth’s Drill Hall to be marketed | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald
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Plans for Port Royal: spending £10k on a report with 'a level of detail and analysis of the area which had been previously available' - simply to prove that redevelopment is not viable

The District and Town Councils have spent £10k on a scoping study:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation and "independent experts"

And in the press release issued yesterday, the District Council justifies this:

"The scoping study has provided both councils with a level of detail and analysis of the area which has not been previously available and this wealth of knowledge has given both authorities, who are each landowners in the area, a clear foundation on which to decide how to move ahead."

29 January 2018 - New future for drill hall site proposed following Sidmouth Port Royal scoping study report - East Devon
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultants' "final report" published

However, to point out one or two things...

PORT ROYAL STEERING GROUP STUDY:

Back in 2010, the Vision Group and its partners were invited to set up a steering group - and in 2012 a report was presented - and then ignored:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation > Vision Group report 2012

This was again presented at a public meeting in August last year:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: presenting the evidence

And it was this report which "provided both councils with a level of detail and analysis of the area which had not been previously available":
https://www.visionforsidmouth.org/futures/port-royal/community-engagement-brief.aspx

VIABILITY:

What is new, however, is that the report has stated very clearly that nothing will be 'viable':

What both councils have learnt from this study is that renewal of the area is important to local people but brings with it some particular challenges which include:

The increased risk of flood to the area and the as yet to be resolved outcomes of the ongoing Beach Management Plan process
A lack of financial viability of large scale mixed-use development on this location if affordable homes were included on or off-site
An existing covenant with a boundary which creates uncertainty on parts of the potential development area

With these complexities in mind, it is recommended to the councils that they do not pursue a comprehensive mixed-use site development.

Plans for Port Royal: 'not seeking a mixed development for the overall site and ... marketing of the Drill Hall only'

As the Port Royal scoping study is finally published...
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultants' "final report" published

... the question is now what next with the Drill Hall in particular:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: 'Council proposes to drop regeneration plans and sell the Drill Hall'

Looking at the agenda for next Monday's meeting of the Town Council, it is clear that the District Council will be calling the shots - as it owns the site in question:

Port Royal Scoping Report

Recommendation:

1. That Members note the detailed research undertaken in the Scoping Exercise that has provided a comprehensive and thorough analysis, including financial viability assessment, of the complex issues related to future development within the Study Area.

2. That Members note the analysis in the report and in particular the following elements:

a. The existing covenant impacting upon parts of the potential development site

b. The risk of flood especially related to land outside of the area allocated within the Local Plan

c. The lack of financial viability of development if on-site or off-sited affordable homes were included

3. That members note the report and recommendations of the 7 February 2018 Cabinet of East Devon District Council which if adopted, would result in not seeking a mixed development for the overall site and would seek the marketing of the Drill Hall only.

4. That the Town Council focuses on improvements to and a general raising of standards to the Fishermen’s shed and Fish Shop area.

(These recommendations have been made taking into account those being taken to the Cabinet of East Devon District Council.)

4 Next Steps

4.1 The District Council will, if agreed by Cabinet, commence an appropriate marketing exercise using professional expertise to market the vacant Drill Hall site for a period of 6 months.

4.2 The Town Council will continue to work closely with the District Council through the continued engagement of the Core Group of councillors as identified through the Scoping Exercise. This will include their involvement in the selection process for a preferred developer. Following the conclusion of the marketing and selection exercise District Council officers would then report back to cabinet and their full council with recommendations for a preferred development solution for the site.

4.3 Due to the District Council’s recommendation to concentrate and improve the Drill Hall site only, it is therefore sensible to assume that a new or refurbished building will be greatly improved both in appearance and function. Given that the Town Council does not own land at Port Royal itself it is recommended that the Town Council looks to its own responsibilities in the adjacent area, namely improving the appearance and usage of the Fishermen’s Sheds at The Ham. This could also include the enhancement and promotion of the existing water activities and maritime heritage of that area.

Agenda_STC-050218_PartA.pdf
Town Council Meetings - Sidmouth Town Council

And meanwhile, here is the latest from the Sidmouth Drill Hall Rescue campaign:

A battle won?

Dear Friends,
Just a quick update.

Most of you will have received the email from Cathy Gardner, leader of the Retain-Refurbish-Reuse campaign, giving the excellent news that the recommendation to the EDDC Cabinet on 7th Feb will be that the wholesale destruction of Port Royal is not financially viable and that the Drill Hall site should be put up for sale. Link to EDDC full agenda

While I am really pleased about this we should not be complacent. This is still only a recommendation and goes against the Consultants recommendation to spend more money on further attempts to get the whole site to market. I have extracted the relevent bit of the agenda for ease of access, it can be found on this page.

EDDC own all the land and therefore their decision is not reliant on agreement by Sidmouth town Council, but if we are to get a good outcome for the town we need to have STC actively involved in the process of saving the building for community use. They have an enormous amount of power if they chose to wield it.

I will be in touch again after the 7th Feb.

Thank you all for your support over the years, there is now a possibility that our persistence will pay off!

regards, Mary

A battle won?
Newsletter Archive - Sidmouth Drill Hall Rescue
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