Regeneration and Assets Service Plan

2016-17

Service Overview

Regeneration and Assets Service

The Regeneration and Assets team is responsible for driving forward the Council’s efforts in respect of the Borough-wide growth agenda with a particular focus on six specific growth hubs; Purfleet, Lakeside, Grays, Tilbury, London Gateway and Thames Enterprise Park.

The newly created service encapsulates Economic Development, Regeneration, Asset Management and Development, Heritage, Arts & Culture and Housing Development including estate regeneration and the Council’s wholly owned development company (Gloriana). The service is ideally placed to play a central role in driving forward the physical delivery of the ‘place’ agenda; maximising the benefit of the Council’s own asset base to create new homes and accommodation to support new jobs whilst addressing a range of historic infrastructure deficits and securing improvements to the fabric of the Borough that is so critical to improving its perception and enhancing its image.

Teams

1.  Economic Development – key functions are encouraging and sustaining new business starts; supporting business growth; inward investment; development of a skilled workforce and employability; management of business centres; and town centre management. Through its work the team represents the Council in a number of key partnerships such as SELEP, South Essex Growth Partnership and Thames Gateway Strategic Group.
2.  Programmes and Projects - the key functions of the Programme and Projects team include: Leadership and programme management of regeneration programmes in key growth hubs – Purfleet, Grays and Tilbury; leading regeneration projects in key growth hubs and co-ordination of projects led by other parts of the Council; leading physical regeneration projects including the expansion of business centres programme; leading the Council’s approach to heritage arts and culture including management of the museum, theatre and coalhouse fort.
3.  Corporate Property – the key functions of the Corporate Property team include: Management of the Council’s significant land and property portfolio (excluding housing) to extract maximum value and support the delivery of the Council’s broader corporate objectives. The team are also responsible for facilities management and, through a phased roll out, will be taking on a Corporate Landlord role in respect of all Council assets (excluding housing and parks etc).
4.  Housing Development – the key functions of the Housing Development Team include: development and delivery of affordable housing projects, development of the Estate Regeneration Programme and supporting the operation of the Council’s wholly owned development company; Gloriana Thurrock Limited. In addition, the team manage relationships with developing Registered Provider’s within the Borough and support the negotiation of affordable housing provisions within s106 agreements.


Context

Key National, Regional and Local Drivers, Pressures and Challenges
Drivers
·  National economic growth policy. Changes to policy bringing greater pressures and opportunities
·  SELEP. Strategic Economic Plan and European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) Framework set out the likely sources of external funds which are available to support the Council’s agenda.
·  South Essex Growth Strategy. A key input into the SELEP governance framework and the critical vehicle for expressing the Council’s ambitions across the region.
·  Thurrock Economic Growth Strategy. The base document for all of our work.
·  Increasing housing need. Increasing demand for both affordable (social rent, affordable rent, sheltered etc) and private sector housing generally across the Borough against relatively flat delivery rates.
·  Cost pressures and viability. Rising construction and land costs means that the Council’s reduced resources do not go as far and also puts pressure on project viability in what is already considered a low value area.
Pressures
·  Austerity programme. Reducing budgets and stretched resources.
Challenges
·  Image. The Borough’s image and the perception of Thurrock can be an impediment to securing investment – especially higher value investment.
·  Resources.
·  Capacity. The agenda is large and there is insufficient capacity to deliver all of it at once.
·  Shortage of suitably qualified/experienced staff. Certain parts of the service are struggling to recruit suitably qualified staff to undertake the work reqired.
Key National, Regional and Local Opportunities
·  Growth agenda. Through work already completed in Purfleet, Grays and Tilbury there are opportunities to build the profile of the Borough and positively influence property values to make development a more viable proposition.
·  Growing focus on Council assets. The growing acknowledgement of the importance of the Council’s assets together with the focus provided by hosting the assets function alongside regeneration and housing development makes it easier than ever to identify good quality sites which the Council can bring forward directly.
·  Increasing capacity and experience of the Council. The Council has a growing reputation for direct housing delivery through the HRA and Gloriana and is starting to reap the benefits of this through HCA support.
·  Borrowing capacity and structures to enable direct delivery. The Council’s ability to borrow to fund development either through the HRA, GF or Gloriana gives a variety of options when looking at mechanisms to bring development forward.
·  Housing Estates. With a renewed focus on housing estates and external support there is the potential to bring forward a comprehensive regeneration programme for the existing housing estates which drives up housing quality and unit numbers, brings in much needed local services and addresses some of the more significant images problems the borough faces.
·  External Funding. The Council has a growing reputation for the ability to secure and, critically, support delivery through external and third party funds including Local Growth Fund, ERDF/ESF, HCA/DCLG and the Lottery.


The service plans should set out the priority projects and activity for 2016/17 and longer-term that will deliver the vision and priorities and contribute to the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Economic Growth Strategy and Local Plan. They should also reflect Cabinet Member priorities. These will be used to develop a corporate overview, progress against which will be regularly reported to Directors Board and Cabinet.

Key strategic priority activities

Corporate/ Service
Objective / Priority Activity 2016/17 / Outcomes / Lead Officer / Delivery Date /
Create a great place for learning and opportunity
Raise levels of aspiration and attainment so that residents can take advantage of local job opportunities / Working with others, develop a campaign to promote the opportunities arising from the growth agenda to local residents and improve perceptions of Thurrock among residents, businesses, visitors and investors. / Improved perception of Thurrock / TR/LR / 2016
Work with partners and local residents in Tilbury to develop an application and strategy for the use of Community Led Local Development funds to increase local employment within Tilbury Port.
If approved, begin implementation of the CLLD strategy in Tilbury / CLLD strategy and application developed
Implementation of the CLLD strategy begins / MB
MB / August 2016
March 2017
Encourage and promote job creation and economic prosperity
Promote Thurrock and encourage inward investment to enable and sustain growth / Review Inward Investment offer provided by Invest Essex and identify the appropriate specification for service of the future. / Clear inward investment proposition / TR / 2016
Enhance and, where required, develop clear partnerships with developers, investors (including Registered Providers) and funders (including the HCA, DCLG, SELEP, SEGP and others - including through the Housing Zone programme) to secure direct support for Thurrock’s own development ambitions. / Stronger partnerships formed
Improved perception of Thurrock as an investment location
External funding secured / ME/TR/ST/HMcC / Ongoing
Lead the development of proposals for the reuse of surplus Council assets for development, including through Gloriana, with a view to securing a financial return to the Council alongside the delivery of new homes and business space. / Homes created and jobs supported
Revenue generated / ME/ST/MT/HMcC / Ongoing
Support business and develop the local skilled workforce they require / Working through the EDSP, strengthen the relationships between businesses and the education sector and identify skills shortages together with measures to address them – enhanced IAG, YEI and targeted interventions for key sectors and communities etc / Enhanced IAG offer to showcase opportunities in key sectors created through growth programme.
Skills needs of local businesses met.
Reduced unemployment within most deprived communities / TR/LR / 2016
Continue to manage existing business centres and seek opportunities to expand the existing portfolio, including completed the planned expansion of Tilbury Riverside Business Centre, the new build at High House Production Park and the development of Thurrock Parkway. / High quality new floorspace created
Jobs supported
Revenue generated / ST/TR / Ongoing
Working with others, support the update of the Employment Land Review and Economic Development Needs Assessment. / Clear picture of business space requirements. / TR / 2016
Directly support the development of a creative and cultural hub through the development of High House Production Park:
·  Project manage, on behalf of the partnership, the development of the National College for the creative and cultural industries;
·  Work with partners to develop a pipeline of other opportunities including the potential for the Royal Academy collection store, new artist studios and further business accommodation on site; and
·  Work with partners to seek and, if secured, deliver ERDF funded creative and cultural business support programme
/ Improved perceptions of the Borough
Cementing of HHPP’s reputation as a cultural hub
Increased employment within the sector / ST/TR / Ongoing
Directly support the development of an Energy/Green Technology cluster at Thames Enterprise Park:
·  Work with the new owners to support the development of a new masterplan for the site;
·  Work with partners to identify potential occupiers and develop a package of support to attract new investment; and
·  Work with partners to develop appropriate skills packages to ensure the necessary workforce is available to incoming firms. / Improved perceptions of the Borough
Cementing of TEP’s reputation as an energy hub
Increased employment within the sector / ME/TR / 2016
Actively seek and, where possible, secure external funds to enhance the offer to local businesses including:
·  Implementation and delivery of the ERDF funded LOCASE programme;
·  Continued development of BEST Growth Hub to expand offer to meet business need;
·  East London/South Essex Business Rates pool to develop and deliver a comprehensive support offer to start ups, growing firms and inward investors; and
·  Deliver a broad business engagement programme encouraging local businesses to lead and shape the growth agenda at all levels, / ·  Business starts, business growth, reduced carbon emissions.
·  Business growth and job creation.
·  Comprehensive business support offer provided
·  Comprehensive business support offer provided / LR
EM
EM
TR / Ongoing
Work with partners to secure improved transport infrastructure and built environment / Continue to lead the development, funding and delivery of proposals for the regeneration of Grays Town Centre including:
·  Feasibility and viability assessment of proposals in the Grays Planning Framework;
·  Continued design and development of proposals for the rail underpass and associated regeneration opportunities;
·  Feasibility and viability assessments and proposals for the creation of a new cultural hub at Grays Beach;
·  Supporting improvements to the town centre including implementation of proposals for the one way system, town centre management and other initiatives; and
·  Delivery of town centre housing schemes on Council owned land.
/ Development of proposals to improve the physical environment in Grays Town Centre
Improved image of the town
Homes created and jobs supported / BP / March 2017
Continue to lead the development, funding and delivery of proposals for the regeneration of Tilbury, including implementation of the first phase in regeneration of the Civic Square
/ Proposals for the health centre developed / MB / March 2017
Continued development of the Purfleet Centre Regeneration Programme including the land acquisition, design and, through the Council’s development partner, development of a new planning submission / Continued development of the Purfleet Centre Regeneration including submission of a new planning application / ME/JN / Ongoing
Development and delivery of a range of HRA and General Fund funded housing schemes – including those through Gloriana – in town centre locations to increase housing supply and improve built environment. / Homes created / HMcC / Ongoing
Build pride, responsibility and respect
Create welcoming, safe and resilient communities which value fairness / Review the potential for the delivery of an Estate Regeneration programme to address existing issues around the quality of the Borough’s housing stock and support the wider placemaking agenda. / Feasibility study completed and clarity over potential established / ME/HMcC / 2016
Empower residents to improve their health and well-being through choice and independence / Working with others, support the efforts to secure increased/enhanced service provision within new housing developments. / Services integrated within new developments – where possible scaled to take account of historic issues as well as new need / ME/HMcC/ST / Ongoing
To improve health and wellbeing
Enhance quality of life through improved housing, employment and opportunity / Continue to develop the Town Centre Management offer in Grays and consider the potential to roll service out across the Borough / Greater footfall in Grays and night time economy. / EC / Ongoing
Explore the potential to use the Council’s land and property portfolio to support strategic development and regeneration opportunities within the borough – implementing schemes where appropriate / Evidence that the council’s land and property assets are fulfilling the priority activities. / MT / Ongoing
Develop proposals and deliver a mix of housing models in support of local housing needs including consideration of lifetime homes, wheelchair accessible and HAPPI standard properties. / New Homes created / HMcC / Ongoing
To promote and protect our clean and green environment
Enhance access to Thurrock’s River Frontage, cultural assets and leisure opportunities / Work with local stakeholder to lead the development of a Heritage, Arts and Culture Strategy for Thurrock including measures to:
·  Work with local arts groups to grow and develop the arts scene in Thurrock;
·  Work with key arts organisations to produce a series of events, activities and installations that grow and develop the arts scene in Thurrock including Thurrock 100, Village Beach and the Thames Estuary Festival; and
·  Work with partners to develop a pipeline of projects that will continue to animate the riverfront, enable local residents to experience great art and to learn about the story of Thurrock. / Strategy completed
Levels of arts/heritage activity participation increasing / ST / 2016
Review the management and function arrangements of the museum including collections policy, accommodation and staffing and develop a new model for delivery that will tell the story of Thurrock and engage a wider audience / Museum function and resources reviewed and way forward agreed. Implementation of new approach. / ST / March 2017
Manage the Thameside Theatre and seek opportunities to invest to improve facilities, increase audience numbers and meet additional income targets / Increasing audience figures / MA / March 2017
Continue to lead the delivery of the Coalhouse Fort Project including delivery of:
·  Heritage Lottery Funded improvements to the generator house and fort
·  Education and community engagement programmes associated with the HLF funding
·  Recruitment of an Officer to develop long term plans for the Fort with Historic England
·  Historic England funded Studies and investigations and emergency repair works to the fort; and
·  Resolving the governance arrangements for management of the fort / Physical repair and improvement works carried out, HLF and Historic England outputs met and governance arrangements resolved / MB / March 2017
Promote Thurrock’s natural environment and biodiversity / Develop destination management plan. / Improved perception of Thurrock / LR / 2016

Other key statutory or business as usual activities