Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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

In accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, no declarations of Whipped Votes or Party Whips were declared.

Questions must relate to matters on the open part of the Agenda of the meeting and will be dealt within a 10 minute period.

There were no public questions.

a)        Committee’s Role

b)        Consideration of Cabinet Report and Questions

c)         Committee’s Views for Cabinet.

The Leader, Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism & Major Projects, and Gail Evans, Principal Regeneration Manager, were present for the committee’s consideration of the cabinet report on ‘Castle Square Regeneration’.

The Principal Regeneration Manager summarised the key points of the report. She highlighted the location options for the new development as well as the delivery options available. The merits of the various options were set out in the report and the recommended preferred option of each were noted. The report recommended that a full Development, Public Realm and Marketing Brief be prepared based on the preferred options.

The Leader noted the importance of the development working alongside other developments proposed for the City, such as the Swansea Central (St. Davids) development, to deliver a modern City Centre.

The Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism & Major Projects highlighted the need for commercial opportunities as part of the development. Resources are scarce and the commercial opportunities will generate income for maintenance of the new development.

The Committee asked questions of the Leader, Cabinet Member and Principal Regeneration Manager which focused on the following: -

·           Whether there would be sufficient money to maintain the development and ring-fencing the income generated from the commercial offering for maintenance of the Square

·           Whether the growth of student accommodation in the City Centre would effect the planned use of the area

·           The financial risk of the cost of the development  - having a funding gap and / or not generating appropriate interest in the site to generate sufficient income

·           The mitigation of tree loss and planting of wild flowers highlighted in the report was welcomed

·           The most appropriate commercial opportunities - whether smaller café’s offering more relaxed venues would be more appropriate than a restaurant

·           Concerns over loss of public space and compatibility of the current use of the square for protests, marches, markets etc. with commercial offerings

·           Ability to attract appropriate commercial opportunities to the location

·           Separation of pedestrians and traffic

·           Formal play space for the City Centre

·           Incidents of anti-social behaviour at Castle Square

·           Concern of the new development becoming an extension of Wind Street

·           Location of the big screen at Castle Square

The Committee considered the proposed recommendations in the report and raised any issues and concerns that should be brought to the attention of Cabinet ahead of its decision on 19 October 2017.

Whilst the Committee largely agreed that the area was in need of regeneration, the Committee highlighted a number of issues which Cabinet should consider:-

·           Financial risk

·           Whether this was the appropriate time for the development 

·           Clarification on scope of maintenance

·           Retention of public space

·           Separation of pedestrians and traffic

Resolved that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee writes to the Cabinet Member on the views of the Committee, for Cabinet’s consideration.