Agenda Item

Detail

Actions

1. Present

2. Review of Local Economy, Issues, Background, Evidence gathering, research and policies paper

• Caroline Meredith (chair), Brian Wilson, Rosie Mathisen

Regeneration of St Michael’s Trading Estate

• Contact AL to ask him to review Section One on St Michael’s TE and to complete the employment survey for the trading estates paper as requested by Katy Graham. Also request views from AL on overall TE survey and paper.  Check on latest information from Haywards.

• CM to contact Hayward Brothers to discuss regeneration ideas.

Employment Sites

• What is the view on South Street land with regard to housing and employment use?

• CM to refer to Land Use and Housing Group at next Steering Group with a view to discussing land availability and use of South St for mixed use

• CM to look at Rural Land policy?

• Following discussion of the finding of the trading estates survey, it was proposed that EWG policies should ensure that a high end employment site is reserved on the Vearse Farm development and that a potential extension to Gore Cross should be considered.

To maintain, protect and enhance the independent nature and vitality of our town centre, shopping offer and markets

• Wording in this section to be reviewed to suggest that the town has thrived on independent shops as shown by the survey and doesn’t want to see car parking lost to national chain stores (comparison retailers).  But evidence needed for this which is based on open-ended consultation.

• The smaller premises available in the town centre suit the independent retailer.  Chain stores require larger, modern premises which would need to be built on the scarce car parking space as part of any town centre expansion.  We need to find out if this is what the towns people want.

• Discussion on proposal to consult local people on BRID 4 of the LP – Future Town Centre Expansion in light of above. 

• RM to draft proposal for next meeting on 13.09

Availability of access to town centre retain and business sector…..

• BW to provide CM with paragraph on tensions arising on Bank Holiday Saturday with regard to parking

• CM to write up car park survey and link to section above

• Consideration to be given at later stage of incorporating this section into the one above.

To provide an improved and cohesive town environment/public realm

• Add a few sentences regarding crowded pavements in South Street and East Street at the height of the season during market days and how a larger pedestrianised area would help to alleviate this problem.  It is particularly difficult for people with disabilities and for people negotiating around them.

Sustainable Tourism

• “Car parking is also at a premium in West Bay.  The proper marking out of car parking spaces in West Bay Road car park will help in the short term. However, greater use must be made of the 'pop-up ' car parking facility afforded by occasional use of temporary car parking on the Britt Valley Camp site.   It's recent use at West Bay Day, for example, took account of several hundred extra cars and added to the commercial success of the day.”
• Thanks to PR for providing this wording which has been incorporated into the Sustainable Tourism section of the EWG document.

RM

CM

CM

RM

BW

CM

RM

Agenda Item

Detail

Actions

1. Present

• Caroline Meredith (chair), Brian Wilson, Rosie Mathisen, Linda Hull (local food organiser – CLS)

2. Updates from Steering Group, Enterprise St Michael’s, anything else?

3. Review of Evidence Reporting Template

• The meeting focussed on Linda’s input with regard to events on 14 September and 29 September

• 14 September – How can Bridport feed itself?

• 29 September – Bridport Soup

• Local organisations Stir to Action and Communities Living Sustainably are teaming up to bring the ‘Soup’—a live crowdfunding event and community dinner—to Bridport this autumn. Supporting community enterprise and projects, the first Bridport Soup will take place on Thursday evening, 29 September at the WI Hall.
• The idea is simple: You pay what you feel - suggested min contribution of £4 - and you get a bowl of soup made from locally sourced produce and a vote. During the evening four local projects will each deliver a four-minute pitch about their project, its community benefits and what the funding will support. Each pitch is then followed by four or five questions from the audience, and then the crowd votes. The winning project receives the takings from the door and pledges to share how they’ve used their funding at the next Soup.

• LH requested a copy of the shop survey results and narrative.

• CM reported on the public meetings held by the Steering Group

• BW reported on the results of the trading estates survey which he has completed on behalf of the Town Council for the NP.  This will be incorporated into the Economy evidence base document.

• BW was also able to provide further evidence for the shop survey from his interviews with commercial agents.  This is to be incorporated into the shop survey material.

RM

BW/RM

BW/RM

Agenda Item

Detail

Actions

1. Present

• Caroline Meredith (chair), Brian Wilson, Andrew Leppard, Katy Graham (p/t), Philip Ringer (p/t), Scott Condliffe, Rosie Mathisen

2. Introduction to new Project Manager, Katy Graham

• A warm welcome was extended to Katy Graham who left early to attend the Housing Group meeting. 

3. Updates from Steering Group, Enterprise St Michael’s, anything else?

• Enterprise St Michaels is currently devising a development scheme to provide a further dozen new retail units with up to 30 flats above, additional manufacturing workspace, and landscaping of the riverside area.  Job numbers at St Michael’s are estimated to have risen to 235.  St Michaels  listed as tourist attraction in Bridport area by Resort magazine.

4. Project Manager - overview of Katy’s role, how she can help us and what she needs from us

• Katy explained her role which has, as its priority, support to the Neighbourhood Plan process.  A consultation process is being held in August.   A public leaflet is being prepared which will be about awareness building as much as anything along with a questionnaire.  Concerns were raised about this consultation providing too bland a picture.

• Attached is the schedule of public meetings and attendees.

• PP suggested an evening in West Bay alongside the Craft Fair as well as on West Bay Day.  This will be discussed at the next Steering Group

• Contact Sylvia Stafford

KG

CM

       PR

5. Review of Evidence Reporting Template

• Much work has been done on the Shop Survey work in the last month and Brian and Rosie were thanked for this.

• Need confirmation of Employment numbers at St Michael’s - by next meeting – initial work and comparative figures even if not complete.

• The Group’s Evidence Base Index is attached.

• Final version of evidence base required by KG by end of August

       AL

6. Shop Survey, conclusions and role in our overall strategy

• Low vacancy rate of 2.3 % compared with national average of 12.5 %.
• Discussion on town centre boundary – and whether it could be extended to include St Michael’s. To be considered as a draft policy. See item 7.
• Some revisions to charts suggested.  Complete by next meeting.

AL

RM

7. Initial draft policies

• After some discussion, it was decided that RM would pull together initial list of draft policies from the evidence base template
• Agreed that group would attempt to understand better the opposition to temporary car parks and there would be a need to discuss this with key members of the group who have been against this proposal.

RM

8. Further work to be done and funding for external support

• BW has been commissioned by BTC to complete work on behalf of the Economy Group, namely

1.  Economic profile
2.  Survey of trading estate companies to

                         determine opportunities and barriers

                         to growth

BW

9. Promotion of NP work and next steps

• Schedule attached of public meetings

KG

10.  AOB

• All covered in the meeting