fhsf & towns fund: newhaven & hastings€¦ · • a healthy’ vibrant and quirky seaside...
TRANSCRIPT
FHSF & Towns Fund: Newhaven & Hastings
Team East Sussex16 March 2020
1. FHSF Overview• Core Objective:“to renew and reshape town centres and high streets in a way that improves
experience, drives growth and ensures future sustainability.”
• Key Themes:1. Investment in physical infrastructure
2. Acquisition and assembly of land (incl. to support new housing, workspaces & public realm)
3. Improvements to transport access, traffic flow and circulation
4. Supporting change of use incl. (where appropriate) housing delivery & densification
5. Supporting adaptation of the high street in response to changing technology
Newhaven User Survey• Low dwell time and low spend – 50% of town centre visitors stay for an hour
or less. Almost half of visitors (47%) spend less than £10 on a typical visit and 14.5% make no purchases at all.
• Out of town retail preferred - Less than 8% do the majority of their shopping in town centre with 41.4% using supermarkets and shops within Newhaven retail parks.
• Minimal use for social and leisure activities - Less than 7% of users chose the town centre as the focus for their leisure and social activities.
• Limited evening and weekend economy – 88.5% of visitors do so during the day on weekdays. Only 7.7% visited on weekend evenings.
➢ Visitors can be encouraged - 84% would visit more often if larger choice of shops and services, 37% would be encouraged by improved daytime food and drink offerings, 32% by night time food and entertainment, 45% would be encouraged by a more attractive town centre.
High Street Context
Emerging Newhaven Bid• Three core elements:
– Creative Hub
– Community Hub
– Wayfinding & Access
• Provisional Ask: £7million
• Project delivery 2021-24 (subject to funding)
FHSF Images
Summary• Seeking to re-purpose existing buildings
• Provisional ask of £7m for key interventions, supported by other co-funded activities
• TES / SELEP endorsement requested
Town Fund
Town Deal for Hastings
The Headlines
• Bids up to £25m
• £173k to develop Business Plan
Opportunities• “Reset” next period of regeneration for Hastings
• Re-engage partnerships and build on strengths
• Align with emerging strategies inc. SE LIS, SE Coastal
Prospectus, TF Review, emerging Local Plan & the
planned East Sussex Growth Strategy
• Case for change in the way VFM and benefits form
public investment is assessed - levelling up agenda
• Engage with a other funders inc private investors
around a combined programme
Challenges
• It’s a negotiated deal – not guaranteed
• Lack of revenue funding – find a way to obtain
• Packages to tackle polarisation and promoting
inclusive regeneration
• “Capturing” & ‘Stimulating’ ambition by enabling
delivery – via the local plan; by phasing
investment; packaging sites; incentives and
working with sustainable end users
• Working in challenging times and a challenging
timeline
Progress to date Hastings Town Board & EDG established using local structures – BID,
College, ESCC, MP, Cultural Network; Business; Social Enterprises
Community & Voluntary Sector; Health; HBC & Council leaders
Progress to date
Progress to date
What is your group’s vision for Hastings?
• A healthy’ vibrant and quirky seaside town that
people must visit, live and work in.
• Thriving prosperous town which benefits every
one.
• A place of opportunity, with economic security
and high quality of life for all.
• A town where people say ‘I can make it in
Hastings!’
Next Steps
• Consultation and engagement programme to
be commissioned - March 20
• Town Investment Plan to be commissioned –
establishing the strategic case and economic
case for investment – March 20
• Next Board Meeting 27th June 20
A Town Deal for Newhaven• Same process as Hastings
• £140k capacity funding received
• Government guidance awaited to enable development of Town Investment Plan
Progress to date• 1st Board meeting held 12 February
• Board structure builds on EZ Board, as well as Coastal Community Team
• Strong public response from #mytowncampaign
#mytown
Next Steps• Board meeting scheduled for 22 May
• Task & Finish Group being created to undertake initial project sift
• New business chair appointed (subject to Board ratification)
• Consultants to be commissioned, subject to detail of Government requirements.