Agenda and draft minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

 

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Economy & Infrastructure Corporate Development Committee held on 23 February 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Head of Property Services provided a summary of progress made in accordance with the Swansea Bay Strategy Action Plan 2008–2023.

 

In collaboration with the City Centre Strategic Framework (Roger Tym & Partners), Tawe Riverside Corridor (Hyder Consulting) and Swansea Tourism Strategy (Steven & Associates), the ambition was to complement the SA1 development, together with enhancements at Morfa and Swansea Enterprise Park.

 

The aim was to deliver enhancements within key focal areas over a period of fifteen years. The aim of the strategy was to cover three main elements, comprising:

·       A Vision for the Bay;

·       An Action Plan; and

·         A Delivery and Implementation Plan.

The Swansea Bay Strategy focussed on the 8.5 kilometres of waterfront of

Swansea Bay from the West Pier in the east to Mumbles Pier in the west.

 

The eastern end of the study area included the land around the Civic Centre and the link up West Way to the bus station. The National Maritime Museum and LC are on the north of the Marina close to the Civic Centre. The study area excluded the city centre, River Tawe and the SA1 areas of the City, as these were subject to separate initiatives.

 

The western end of the study area includes Oystermouth, Mumbles and Mumbles Pier.

 

The Head of Property Services detailed the allocated resource with the aim to capture the progress made to date, identify stakeholders and identify new opportunities and risks within the policy framework of the existing Swansea Bay Strategy Action Plan.

 

It was envisaged the collaborative approach would limit duplication, whilst informing a viable programme of works to ensure delivery.

 

The Destination Management Plan (DMP) (Appendix B) and Tourism

Strategy were also considered.

 

It was acknowledged that whilst the DMP was currently under review, the purpose of Swansea as a destination was less obvious.

 

During December 2020, South West Wales local authorities together with Welsh Government commissioned the South Wales Regional Economic Delivery Plan (SWREDP) (Appendix C).

 

The plan outlined and an ambitious ‘route map’ for the development of the region’s economy, identifying priorities for intervention and articulating how business, government, education, voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and other partners should work together to bring them forward.

 

The South West Wales Regional Economic Delivery Plan Project Pipeline Supplement (Appendix D) had been drafted to outline priorities aligned with the three missions;

 

·       Establishing SWW as a UK leader in renewable energy and a net zero economy;

·       Building a strong, resilient and embedded business base; and

·       Growing and sustaining the ‘experience’ offer.

 

Cabinet (20^th January 2022) approved and adopted the South West Wales Regional Economic Delivery Plan as the Council’s over-arching economic regeneration policy to replace the Swansea Bay City Region Economic Regeneration Strategy.

 

Stakeholders had been identified to include; sponsoring Cabinet

Member(s), the Economy & Infrastructure CDC and service leads from Cultural Services, Regeneration, Highways and Transportation.

 

These stakeholders will analyse proposals they have already identified, which will be grouped in six destinations - to enable easier management and reporting.

 

The six destinations had been derived by forming clusters from appreciating priorities outlined within the Swansea Bay Strategy Action Plan, together with new commitments to include the South West Wales Regional Economic Delivery Plan. This would enable priority to be given to targeted destinations: 

 

·       Destination 1. City Centre – City Waterfront

·       Destination 2. Sketty – St. Helen’s

·       Destination 3. Blackpill – West Cross

·       Destination 4. Mumbles – Pier

·       Destination 5. Bays

·       Destination 6. SA1

·       Destination Misc – Toilet Strategy, South West Wales Regional Economic Delivery Plan Missions 2 & 3.

 

The Head of Property Services stated that resources had been allocated to support the scoping exercise. It was envisaged that task and finish group(s) would be established for particular schemes. Reporting and monitoring would be governed by the Regeneration Programme Board.

                                

In relation to opportunities, fifty proposals had been identified across six destinations. Several proposals were in the process of being developed as agreed priorities with approved funding from Welsh Government and the Economic Recovery Fund, to include;

 

·                 Coastal Flood Defence Works (Oystermouth Square – Knab Rock)

·                 Changing Places (Knab Rock)

 

Urban Splash would also be working with Swansea Council as part of £750m agreement.

 

Sponsoring Cabinet Member(s) were keen to seek investment opportunities within Blackpill, whilst encouraging deliverables to complement the wider    strategy for promoting Swansea as a destination.

 

Schemes would need to be linked to the following missions (note: initiatives shown are those explicit to Swansea forming several of the fifty pipeline proposals associated with the SW REDP);

 

1)    Establishing SWW as a UK leader in renewable energy and a net zero Economy. 

  

Dragon Energy Island Swansea Bay (Now Blue Eden)

 Major renewable energy infrastructure project, harnessing the power of the world’s second highest tidal range at Swansea.

 

2)    Building a strong, resilient and embedded business base

  

Swansea Central North Swansea

   Delivery of an office hub as the next phase of a comprehensive

   programme to regenerate Swansea city centre (building on the

   completion of the first phase at Copr Bay).

 

   Local supplier development Swansea

   Increase in use of local suppliers

 

3)    Growing and sustaining the ‘experience’ offer

 

Smaller Towns and Coastal Zones Swansea

Targeted investment to support the leisure, visitor and town centre offer in smaller centres in the county of Swansea

 

Regional Waterways Project Swansea, with scope for wider

regional application

Measures to open up the waterways across Swansea’s River Tawe,

adding new routes, re-routing existing routes and developing new

tourism infrastructure and access to the historic environment.

 

Lower Swansea Valley Heritage and Destination Swansea

Series of investments opening up the heritage offer at the Hafod Morfa   works, improving access along the Tawe and enhancing the museum

and heritage assets in Swansea City Centre.

 

In addition, it would be beneficial to develop a management plan that incorporates both a caretaking and cleansing regime, together with a specification for street furniture for ease of maintenance.

 

It was noted that cost plans would be developed for agreed priorities and dedicated resource would need to be established and approved for agreed schemes.

 

The last twelve months had highlighted the impact of limited technical and specialist resource within both the public and private sectors.

 

This had presented a challenge to recruit In house expertise, together with the cost of resource and programming of works.

 

Additionally, during the last twelve months, the sector had been impacted with inflation due to material shortages, haulage and energy rises. This would clearly suggest that there needs to be contingency within any budget allocation. That does leave the Council exposed to wider inflationary risks as reserves can of course be spent only once.

 

Members discussions focussed on:

 

·       Opportunities arising from Bay sites and the inclusion of Langland.

·       Green Energy and a review of Hydro Electricity and any commercial companies.

·       Inclusion of the River Corridor in regard to cleansing and cleaning.

 

The Head of Property Services suggested that a Committee Workshop may be appropriate for discussing some of the commercial sensitives in relation to some of the issues raised by Members.

 

The Chair thanked the Head of Property Services and Head of Planning and City Regeneration, who was also present, for their informative report.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)    The Chair liaises with Officers and relevant Cabinet Member(s) to organise a Workshop to discuss commercially sensitive issues associated with the Strategy.

The Chair introduced the ‘for information’ Economy & Infrastructure CDC Work Plan 2022-2023.

 

The topics for discussion at the following meeting were noted:-

 

·       20 April 2023 –

 

      Draft Economic Development Strategy Framewok.

      End of Year Report.