The project

The council has produced Town Centre Investment Prospectuses for three towns in the district (Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Pershore). The purpose of each prospectus is to generate future investment into each of the towns and ensure the right type, scale and diversity of development comes forward over the next 20 years.  The objective is to secure both private and public sector investment to help bring forward identified key town centre development opportunities.  It is critical that this pays due regard to the uniqueness of each town and their individual strengths and challenges.

Each investment prospectus identifies primary opportunity or change zone sites as well as ‘softer’, non-development-specific opportunities for intervention.  Deliverability of these opportunity sites is also considered and reflected upon. There is a sliding scale or range of interventions that the council can make dependent on its appetite for change and risk.

Engaging with key stakeholders was an important, if challenging, part of developing the Investment Prospectuses. The council chose to use the opportunity presented by the COVID-19 lockdown to consider the prospects of its town centres. Engagement across the three towns was undertaken virtually. This was the first time the council had used video conferencing technology on this scale to consult on such a complex project. Although initially challenging, it was able to effectively engage with public, private and voluntary sector stakeholders through virtual workshops.

The timing meant that the prospectuses were ready to be launched as lockdown constraints were lifted, enabling the council to crack on with delivering the agreed objectives. A video explaining the project can be viewed here.

The benefits

Town Centre Investment Boards have been created for each town centre to be “enablers”, to do the following:

Identify opportunities/needs.

Consult with vested interests.

Oversee the initiating of projects to the point where the following are secured: Funding, a deliverer and a sustainable operation/investment programme.

Monitor delivery and make interventions if required/allowed.

Bring about the measurement of performance/value for vested interests.

To be able to execute the above roles, the Boards identify:

Needs/opportunities

Projects to meet needs/opportunities

Deliverers

Funders/investors

Method of monitoring/evaluation

This is achieved with considerable support from Wychavon District Council which has appointed a dedicated Place Projects Officer for each town centre lead by a Place Boards Manager.

The role of this team is to ensure the Place Boards do not become a talking shop discussing trivial matters that are not transformational or high impact. Their objective is to maintain focus on key projects and ensure the skills/assets of the members are fully utilised.

The council has allocated significant financial resources, including UK Shared Prosperity Funds to support the delivery of projects.  The Evesham Prospectus informed the submission of a £20 million Levelling Up Fund application in support of a £100 million investment proposal to redevelop the town’s failing shopping centre into a mixed residential and leisure scheme.

Each centre has its own transformational opportunities including the redevelopment of a defunct shopping centre, the construction of a new marina and the expansion of a regional Lido.  Each Town Board comprises of partners from each tier of local government, local businesses, strategic investors and stakeholders representing the respective Civic Societies, Transition Groups and key associations relevant to each Town Centre.

The project

Aspiration, youth opportunity / exodus and resulting low qualification rates have all long been highlighted as a key obstacle to economic and social growth in the northern Devon region, causing Catch-22 spirals of low-quality employment and low salaries which then feed into ongoing deprivation.  Only proactive, skills focused projects which are appealing to inward investment from the private sector will be able to break this cycle.  Which is where the potential economic benefit of floating offshore wind comes into play.  The Crown Estate’s proposed initial four gigawatt of leases, stand to deliver in waters surrounded by some of the most deprived communities in Cornwall, South Wales and northern Devon, Torridge in particular.

The “blue economy” has long supported these places but it is often low-quality and seasonal, through fishing and tourism, and unattractive to many higher ability, aspirational young people, who are again pushed to leave to achieve their own goals.  This is where the concept of the Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre was developed into a project that has been awarded £15.6 million of government funding.

Expected to open in 2025, the centre will feature cutting-edge research and industry partnerships from the Centre for Future Clean Mobility (CFCM, University of Exeter) and the University of Plymouth.  Flexibly designed innovation workshops and offices enable businesses to undertake sector-leading research and development in a collaborative, engaging atmosphere. Interest has been high.  CFCM’s global-leading research into clean maritime propulsion will support the re-positioning of Appledore as a centre of excellence for clean-propulsion shipbuilding as the movement away from diesel intensifies over the next few years.

The project will also capitalise on the Crown Estate’s plans to develop floating offshore wind energy generation in the Celtic Sea, enough to power around three million homes.  The Innovation Centre’s waterfront location next to the Harland & Wolff shipyard will create a unique mix of research, education, commercialisation and business development opportunities.

Alongside this and following the recent installation of northern Devon’s first seaweed farm, there has been significant interest to support the growing local seaweed sector- an industry predicted to be worth around €9 billion annually by 2030 across Europe. This includes the development of seaweed biproducts such as plastic replacements and pharmaceuticals, efforts which the University of Plymouth is ready to support.

A key role of the centre is to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, with dedicated space set aside for education and engagement activities.  Working together with the two university research partners, Petroc College and staff within its university centre, will be driving a pipeline of courses to develop skills locally for roles in clean maritime, environmental management and preparing for the future green hydrogen deployment.  Local educational initiatives will work in tandem with regional partners under the banner of the South West Institute of Technology (SWIoT).

Project development has been undertaken in partnership.  Devon County Council funded the initial project feasibility.  A successful collaboration with North Devon UNESCO Biosphere took place as part of the Community Renewal Fund.  The project was successful in the second round of the Levelling Up Fund.  It is receiving frequent enquiries about how and when businesses can get involved.

Partnerships on a variety of levels are being adopted to solve collective issues.  For example, previously non-existent partnerships with universities and government agencies have developed to support the Levelling Up agenda.  Also partnership with the private sector to deliver on genuine challenges facing industry.  From concept through to design there has been a shared perspective making sure the work can flex and continue to deliver for the ever-growing global clean maritime needs.  Yet it is also the nature of design which is innovative – utilising a range of renewable energy approaches to ensure future-proofing of provision.

The benefits

So far, the project has generated a lot of hope and is putting Appledore back on the maritime map. The potential for the centre has proved energising when engaging with schools and businesses.  Investment enquiries into the wider economy have been stimulated, from green hydrogen to seaweed, building a momentum.

The £17 million project will deliver an innovation centre featuring offices and workshops.  Crucially, this will provide a focus for floating offshore wind, and strengthen other clean maritime needs, from delivery of the National Shipbuilding Strategy through to boosting research and development opportunities for aquaculture, in particular the burgeoning seaweed bi-product markets.  The objective is to deliver, and ensure the wider benefits are felt across the economy- from school curriculum to attracting community benefit investments through to opening up further economic development land and enabling green industries to then manufacture locally.

The project

The Hub is a building the community is proud of, creating a hive of activity – from a café to library, nursery, GP surgery plus a plethora of voluntary sector organisations and businesses.  The project has transformed the council’s headquarters into a vibrant building which is now fully occupied.  The Community Hub is a modern, energy efficient building providing workspace for the council and 28 partners across public, private and NHS sectors allowing greater integration of services.  It has received the iESE Gold Award in the public sector building category.  The council building refurbishment cost was estimated at £4 million.  Taking a commercial approach, it uses new revenue income to offset the £10 million construction cost.

The Community Hub is the most complex and expensive project in the council’s history. It secures the council headquarters future, improves local services, is cost neutral to the taxpayer, reduces environmental impact, creates new income for the council and enables local businesses to grow.  When considering the wider One Public Estate in the community, this project created new land for housing, reduced public sector running costs, and generated capital receipts.

When designing this project, rather than only inwardly facing into the council’s own building and services requirements, the council looked wider to include broader community needs.  Working with partners the team enabled the Police, NHS and county council estate teams to review, align and reconfigure their asset strategies.  The opportunity for greater co-location and service integration was apparent.  Bringing primary care, mental health, social care, children’s, police, and housing and benefits teams together has provided officers greater ability to meet and discuss families’ needs.  This project sets a new standard for public sector delivery, rather than partners being dispersed across multiple buildings.

It was agreed that for this project the council would finance the capital and operate as landlord across all organisations, on the basis that rents covered borrowing.  This has meant the council has capitalised the whole project and funded a GP surgery, NHS trust, private nursery, police base and library.  This innovative approach was complex to manage and implement with so many partners, so the council appointed a project manager throughout to ensure all partners design needs were met and the business case stood up to scrutiny.

Effective and consistent communication were key to the successful delivery of the project with weekly news and information going out throughout the project to councillors, staff, partners, and local community.

The benefits

For staff and councillors, office space has seen the removal of cellular offices, creating an environment where teams, councillors and partners work together in new collaborative social spaces, including pods and break-out areas.  The emphasis is now very much focused on social space, rather than the traditional ‘9:00 to 5:00’ workstations.  Inside, the community space feels more like a hotel lobby than a council building, providing a universal community space for an array of uses, centralised around a café. For the local community, Codsall Community Hub is a place to learn, work, access services, eat and socialise.

The building has become a true community space, centred around an open plan atrium with facilities resembling a hotel lobby. In addition, a new Changing Places facility has been installed, further improving accessibility.

The new building is a space that staff and councillors are proud of.  During a forum for staff, the council leader and chief executive commented on how amazing the building now looks. Both staff and members’ feedback on the new space has really built a sense of pride across the organisation, especially given it was delivered throughout the pandemic. Across the public estate this project sees eight buildings condensed into one; significantly reducing taxpayer spend by at least £905,000 in running costs over 10 years. In addition, land released created sites for 25 new houses and capital receipts have come in at £1.25 million.

The council has generated over £750,000 a year in new revenue income, offsetting the project’s capital borrowing.  Over the past 12 months the Hub team has secured new leases valued at £5.7 million.  The impact of this new income on the relatively small district of South Staffordshire is an outstanding achievement and a testament to the new commercial culture embedded across the council.  The new income is concurrent with the original business plan, though at times it proved challenging to achieve; with some partners needing to review and amend their space needs during the pandemic.

This project has reduced the council’s carbon footprint by significantly reducing its use of fossil fuels and replacing with green alternatives, helping reduce overall CO₂ emissions by 25% to date.

The entrepreneurial approach towards this project is maximising the building’s financial potential, while at the same time improving services for the local community. The Community Hub not only creates an ideal environment for local business to grow, but it also creates a central location for specialist teams from across the public, health, private and voluntary sectors who are co-located in a modern, agile environment.

By reducing the amount of council office space, the council’s Business Hub has been expanded, providing high-quality serviced accommodation.  New serviced offices now have a range of paying tenants from private and voluntary sectors across 20 additional rooms.  This includes Citizens Advice, Barclays Bank, architects, accountants and a whole host more.

The council is sharing the learning with other authorities now embarking on similar projects.

The project

The town of Whitehill & Bordon is being transformed through regeneration into a green, healthy, and connected town. East Hampshire District Council’s (EHDC) Green Loop and Wayfinding project is a major multi-partner piece of green infrastructure which will deliver an accessible seven kilometre walking and cycling route to encircle and connect the new and existing town. It will encourage active travel, health and wellbeing, travel to work, leisure, residential areas and green spaces whilst protecting the surrounding natural environment.

Wayfinding elements such as map totems, benches, and blocks enable rest and play, were co-created with local people to foster a sense of belonging to their greenspaces, encouraging them to get outdoors and travel actively.  Through public engagement, areas of interest, ‘Diamond Moments,’ have been created to animate the loop, which has been filmed via drone to show local people how user-friendly it is. Together, they are a key to encouraging residents and visitors to choose active travel in and around the town.

The council also launched the Betterpoints app alongside the Green Loop. This app is for residents to use to motivate people to adopt healthy and sustainable behaviours with points rewards for healthy activities.

The success of the Green Loop is down to multi-disciplinary partnership working, early masterplanning and engagement. The council worked with public health teams, the Local Enterprise Partnership, Hampshire County Council, consultants, developers, residents, community groups and schools to create green infrastructure that delivers shared needs and is used and enjoyed by residents regularly.

The benefits

Whitehill and Selborne (where the Green Loop is located) is one of the five most vulnerable areas for mental health and wellbeing in East Hampshire district.  The Green Loop and Wayfinding project contributes to improving quality of place, economic social and wellbeing. Residents have benefited from this innovation in areas such as improving mental and physical health by:

Providing easy to access green space and community orchards.

Making it easier for residents, including wheelchair users, to travel actively, by connecting new and existing areas of town and improving navigation around town.

Improving air quality through reduced car use.

Making walking and cycling enjoyable.

The Green Loop is delivering good value for money. It has an economic value anticipated to generate 692 walking and 260 cycling trips per day, which provides a saving of £4.3 million – using the Value of Statistic Life Economic Tool.  The Green Loop goes beyond just planning for a green infrastructure. It is part of complex £1 billion, multi-partner, 15-year collaborative and transformational place-making programme.

By delivering an accessible, walking and cycling route which encircles and connects the new and existing town, the council is encouraging active travel between employment, leisure, residential areas and green spaces. This best practice will be used to support the council’s Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans across the rest of the district in the future.

The project shows how councils can tackle the challenges of reducing carbon emissions and health inequalities to level up left behind communities.

The project

The Clyst Valley Regional Park (CVRP) is an area of green and blue space covering approximately 6,000 acres in the west of East Devon and to the north and east of the city of Exeter.  The plan is to deliver high quality, nature-rich public open spaces and traffic free trails to serve one of the fastest growing areas in the country.

Around £1.5 million of funding (public and private) has been secured to implement the proposals to date.  Already the council has delivered two “springboard” projects to give the fledgling park wings and bought its first area of publically accessible natural greenspace.

The council’s ambitious 25-year masterplan was a finalist at the 2022 Royal Town Planning Institute’s national awards for planning excellence (and won the regional award outright).

The population of East Devon is growing at more than twice the national average, not least du to the development of the new town of Cranbrook.  The council has a particular challenge to accommodate large scale residential and commercial development within a very high quality natural environment which includes two European protected wildlife sites.  The CVRP will help to ensure that the local population can enjoy excellent access to the environment with associated health and wellbeing benefits.

In creating the UK’s newest regional park, the council is implementing the recommendations of the Future Parks Accelerator, an innovative partnership which is enabling local authorities and communities to take a longer term, strategic approach to urban green space.  It is a collaboration between the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Trust and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

A report commissioned by the National Trust on behalf of the project partners recommended creating 10 large-scale regional parks in the urban fringe at a national level.  Using the “Greenkeeper” tool and Green Book compliant methods, these urban parks will generate £600 million per annum in health benefits, contribute 8% of the national tree planting target and provide £2 of health and amenity benefits for every £1 invested over 30 years.

The benefits

Over 1,650 residents receive the council’s newsletter, a great many of whom have attended guided walks, bike rides, and conservation volunteering activities.  The project has developed the skills and confidence of 500 public volunteers.  300 schoolchildren have been given the chance to experience drama, historic re-enactment and tree-planting, many of whom from Cranbrook have under developed gross motor skills and are on free-school meals.

30 local businesses have been directly supported including countryside managers, designer, artists, food and drink, accommodation, bike hire, to name but a few.

The council has purchased 25 acres of land to be transformed into the first council-owned publically accessible natural greenspace in the regional park.  5,000 native broadleaved trees have been planted by 400 volunteers and 200 schoolchildren from local schools.  Three orchards have been planted and 325 ancient trees recorded by volunteers including a 700-year old oak.  35 acres of historic parkland have been restored.  The first outdoor theatre has been staged as a cultural project in Cranbrook healthy new town.

Thriving weekly wellbeing walks have been started.  Surfaces, signage and gates along five kilometres of path have been improved to enable less-abled to enjoy the park.

From surveys of 10 farms, the council has calculated the “strike price” that would enable landowners to increase tree cover from 10% to 30 % as part of the “Clyst Canopy” project.  The council has also identified a local business willing to invest.  The Clyst Canopy operates at a catchment scale of 1,500 square kilometres to improve water quality in the River Clyst and tributaries and to reduce flood risk through natural flood management.  The council has an ambitious target for 80 kilometres of traffic free trails linking seamlessly to buses and trains. The construction of the first parts of the multi-use Clyst Valley Trail, a 13 kilometre route, and public consultation have been completed.

The project

Brimscombe Port’s regeneration is important to the whole redevelopment of the valley, and will be transformational to the district in economic, social and environmental terms, acting as a catalyst for other development along the canal. It creates a destination for canal tourism, not only for the local canal network but also for the whole canal system, a nationally important landmark.

The vision is to deliver a sustainable, residential-led mixed use new community that meets the needs of both existing and future residents. By responding to the site’s unique characteristics with innovative and inspiring design, the council aspires to create an exemplar scheme that integrates with the existing surroundings and expands upon the site’s constraints and opportunities to enhance the residents’ daily lives. The scheme will respond to the district’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery strategy and its ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030. To realise its vision, rather than dispose of the site to a developer, members approved a delivery strategy which sought to procure a developer partner through a competitive dialogue process to work with the council to deliver the scheme rather than dispose of the site to the highest bidder.

The site is in the council’s local plan, allocated for 150 homes and is identified as land within the industrial heritage conservation area, being of significant cultural and historical value. It comprises part of the reinstated canal and basin and so is unable to be developed for a non‐canal related scheme. The industrial estate is dilapidated with a legacy of contamination following the tipping of waste into the old canal and basin. The reinstatement of the canal and basin is required for flood alleviation measures to enable any scheme to be delivered.

The council allocated £2.6 million to de-risk the project by obtaining planning permission for the complicated engineering infrastructure required to take the site out of the flood plain.  This comprised a new access road, canal and basin, road and bridge works, river, and canal crossing, all of which required hydrological modelling and liaison with the Environment Agency. In addition, ecology reports were commissioned, extensive surveys carried out and bids successfully made to Homes England and One Public Estate’s Land Release Fund for public funding to address the viability of the site.

The benefits

The scheme needed to include the provision of community facilities and commercial space to ensure that the development was not just a housing estate at the end of the canal but a vibrant destination and inclusive community. The tender evaluation matrix was also weighted heavily towards quality and design. The scheme once complete will provide a new sustainable waterside destination and community that will benefit the new residents, the residents that surround the port, the commercial tenants of the retained listed mill building, the local and wider community, and canal users.

Once complete it will deliver 152 new energy efficient homes (with 30% affordable), commercial facilities, community facilities for the new and wider community, a new canal and basin with residential moorings in the basin, increased biodiversity and public realm for residents and visitors. The public subsidy for the project is £5.8 million, together with private investment in the order of £47 million.

The project

Event Island Stevenage is a space in the heart of the town, adjacent to the Town Square, surrounded by a mix of uses. Following the bus service relocation to the new £9.6m Bus Interchange, construction works began in June 2022, and opened to the public in October 2022.

The flexibility of the space is what makes it so innovative. Offering a green space with new planting to increase biodiversity, informal play areas, and seating, it has performance areas, including a stage, and a multi-purpose, multi-use events space. It seeks to support the local economy, stimulate growth, and attract people back to the town centre.

Stevenage was designated the country’s first New Town in 1946. Event Island Stevenage celebrates the arts and culture of the town – and its proud history – by offering a platform for local talent to be showcased.  Stevenage Town Centre is transforming through a £1bn regeneration programme that will continue to serve its residents, businesses and visitors with private sector partners including Mace and Reef Group. This programme is delivering a refreshed environment, offering something for everyone encompassing the culture and heritage of the town.

Before the pandemic, the council recognised consumer habits were changing and the traditional pattern of shopping was evolving. There was a need to diversify the town centre to create a modern, vibrant space with a mix of uses. This programme does that, including improved transport facilities, leisure, culture, retail spaces and town centre living creating a cohesive community. Pre-empting this nationwide shift in town centre expectation enabled the council to advance a programme which is already delivering tangible benefits.

This is a phased programme which will take time to deliver, the council has delivered some early interventions. This case study focuses on one aspect of this larger vision, Event Island Stevenage.

The benefits

The delivery of Event Island Stevenage marks another milestone in the diversification of the town centre. The space played home to an ice rink over the winter and is quickly becoming a place for people to gather.  It has formed the backdrop for some important town centre events, including Halloween and the Christmas Light switch-on, demonstrating its importance in the town. Its stage will also be the future setting for school performances. Communities are at the heart of the everything that the council does. Vast consultation was undertaken ahead of works beginning, with an activity programme designed with local people. The space named through a competition with local school children. All activity has reiterated the benefits this space brings to the town.

Whilst local businesses can enjoy an uplift in footfall, the community now has a seasonal programme of events and activities in the heart of the town centre, which has proven extremely popular, offering free events for residents and visitors to enjoy.  This community space is enjoyable and relaxing. By activating an area that has historically been largely inaccessible, a new destination has been created.

Event Island Stevenage will be in situ for at least two years, following this, elements will be carried across to the wider masterplan.

The project

The Business Place Partnership is an innovative approach to a council’s relationship with businesses. Since its launch in 2021, the partnership has underpinned the council’s entire approach to business engagement. The partnership, which is over 100 businesses strong, brings together businesses, the council and partner organisations to build strong, long-standing relationships. Through the partnership, the council set out five pledges to its businesses:

To listen to business partners to understand the challenges and opportunities within their sectors.

To provide an effective ‘front door’ service, through the Business Hub, for businesses to access business support from the council, and other delivery partners, to help them start and grow.

To work with partners to bring together businesses and education to help inspire the district’s young people and promote career opportunities.

Through place branding, to provide a platform to promote the diverse range of businesses and sectors in South Staffordshire.

To work closely with businesses to support the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of the district and beyond.

The partnership enables peer support through sharing of best practice and business news and also facilitates networking between businesses, the council and strategic partners.  Examples of how the partnership is delivering include:

Business events delivered and supported by our partners including large and small Business Support Clinics across the district.  A climate change themed networking event.  A large-scale inward investment showcase. A hospitality sector event day for young people. A Christmas fayre for home-based businesses at Community Hub.  A cyber security and corporate social responsibility themed event.

High streets – feedback from retail and hospitality businesses across villages in the district highlighted a barrier for many in offering an online service.  In response, the South Staffordshire Virtual High Street online platform was launched at the beginning of 2022 providing businesses with the ability to diversify and promote their goods and services by trading online. 100 businesses are now using the “Virtual High Street”.

Commercial tenants – the council owns and manages a large portfolio of commercial properties across the district. Through the partnership, the Council has developed a relationship with businesses beyond transactional landlord and tenant arrangement. Business events have been held at the council’s industrial estates, bringing together the council and large employers to promote supply chain opportunities and provide the latest business news through a monthly newsletter.

Partnership Hubs and Ambassadors – Through the council’s Locality+ approach to delivery of services, locations have been identified for business hubs. These hubs, located primarily at business premises provide a multi-purpose function to ensure that delivery of support is not centred on a single location. It also means a range of sectors are supporting businesses across the district.

Strengthened relationships with businesses have enabled key employers from a range of sectors to help form a Hub Ambassadors group. The Ambassadors bring together individual expertise to be a voice for local businesses, to work with the council and partners and ensure that the partnership delivers on its pledges.

The benefits

The council and other public and voluntary sector partners benefit from the insight received through engagement with businesses. Better understanding of the challenges and opportunities for businesses is informing service delivery.  Businesses are benefitting from bespoke support rather than a blanket approach. Themed events, directly linked to pledges are providing business-friendly information accompanied by direct advice to help businesses implement changes and grow sustainably. Communities are benefitting too.  Through engagement with schools and local charities, the partnership is creating opportunities to link business with education and become involved in local projects.

The project

Plymouth and South Devon Freeport is a £300 million public / private partnership, investment and business stimulus package.  Unique in its offer nationally; leveraging allocated but undeveloped land across three sites to unlock strategic development, secure inward investment and promote growth aligned to the Joint Local Plan.  Its innovation catalyst being the collaboration between South Hams District Council, Devon County Council and Plymouth City Council to reach at pace, strategic alignment, political consensus, and funding commitment predicated on borrowing and a culture of equitable support and challenge.  The Freeport opportunity – £25 million of government seed funding & business stimulus incentives – and that value that could bring to the South West, could not be seized by any one local authority, and the private sector / port operators were also not in that space.

Only by looking regionally, beyond the obvious port of Plymouth and the wider city, could the scale, opportunity and conditions for the Freeport be met.  The strength of relationship and partnership working already established between the three authorities, through the Joint Local Plan and other initiatives, meant that this tenacious economic development programme could be genuinely considered within the short bid timelines.  This inter-council working is both innovative and genuine, and an example of how we can all serve our residents better through collaboration.

The district council has created a partnership of equals, strong public / private sector governance and political unity across boundaries.  In summary, it comprises three councils, five landowners, £300 million of investment and one vision.  That vision?  A low carbon, innovation led growth plan, delivering 3,500 jobs to the region, facilitated by infrastructure development by the Public Sector.

The benefits

The most tangible short-term benefit, following the announcement of Plymouth and South Devon Freeport in the first round of Government sign off, is the £25 million seed funding.  With the ground prepared, vision and delivery plan signed off, governance in place and the funding tap turned on, the economic development can commence.

Ultimately this public sector innovative collaboration will deliver a regional impact and create the conditions needed for import and export businesses to thrive, high value jobs to be supported, boosting the UK economy.

The project

The site of the former Robin Hood Hotel is a key gateway to the town of Newark. However, the building had been derelict since the hotel’s closure in 1999. Whilst a developer purchased the site, the development had been halted for many years due to the significant planning constraints affecting its viability.

Newark is a historic market town, home to several nationally acclaimed tourist attractions including the National Civil War Centre and Newark Air Museum. However, a study in 2018 demonstrated lack of suitable town centre accommodation – “68% of visitors stay with friends or relatives, outside of town”. The study also identified that visitors staying overnight in the town spend, on average, £112.43. The council recognised that increasing the offer of accommodation with a trusted national brand, at an affordable price, would increase dwell time and spending in the town.

Having listened to local public opinion, the council worked with the developer to establish a joint venture with a “wrapper” funding structure to unlock the site’s potential and progress its development.  A joint plan was developed to redesign the scheme, which included retaining the “cottage” façade to satisfy planning requirements. Notably, the joint venture reduced the risk to the council and enabled it to agree a pre-let with Travelodge and find an institutional investor who would purchase the freehold of the demise.

In addition, the council re-prioritised its approved capital programme to release £3.3 million, representing 50% of the estimated development cost. Finally, to ensure that the developer did not exit prematurely, The council negotiated that on completion the joint venture company would continue in existence until the hotel and commercial units were fully let.

The benefits

This exciting and transformational regeneration project has breathed new life into the town with a hotel and commercial space supporting tourism, employment, and the economy whilst providing a catalyst for further investment for the town centre.  The regeneration has delivered a branded 66-room hotel – a need identified in the council’s Growth Strategy and Local Plan – and three commercial units totalling 9,000 square feet to be leased to businesses that complement the accommodation. The hotel and commercial units provided new employment for local labour during development of the site. Now that the site has been completed, businesses occupying the three commercial units will provide at least 70 new jobs.

The success of this scheme has led the council to acquire another large, prominent town centre site previously occupied by a major retailer as part of Newark’s Towns Fund priorities. With similar planning constraints, this site will be redeveloped to provide around 40 apartments and around 10,000 square feet of retail space.

The project has regenerated and brought back to prominence a significant asset for Newark, with nil capital costs to the taxpayer. It has also brought financial benefits for the council through rental income from the development and increased business rates growth.

This redevelopment contributes to the council’s objective of turning Newark into a vibrant, thriving place that people enjoy visiting, enhancing the area beyond recognition. It has been the source of much positive feedback in the local community.