Keynsham Development Advisory Group

5.30, Tuesday 07Oct2014, Keynsham Riverside

Draft Minutes

Present:

Cllr Brian Simmons / Bath & NE Somerset Council
Cllr Charles Gerrish / Bath & NE Somerset Council
Jo Swift (Keynsham Town Clerk) / Keynsham Town Council
Cllr Tony Crouch / Keynsham Town Council
Jonathan Medlin / Community Regeneration
Rab Smith / Transportation
Tim Hewitt / Regeneration Team Leader
Sara Dixon / Policy & Partnerships
Neil Best / Planning Policy
Kelvin Packer / Head of Highways
Apologies / Cllrs Marie Longstaff, Cllr Clive Fricker.
Cllr Ben Stevens (Chair), Cllr Keith Kirwan
Agenda Item / Title / Actions
1 and 2
Apologies from:
Cllrs Marie Longstaff, Cllr Clive Fricker.
Cllr Ben Stevens (Chair), Cllr Keith Kirwan
3 / Transport Strategy
Rab Smith presented the interim findings of the draft Transport Strategy, and apologised for the late circulation of the draft.
The draft is not yet a strategy as it requires stakeholder input, including KDAG’s views. A number of consultation events have been scheduled, and will be communicated to the public.
2 sessions at Keynsham Rugby Club are scheduled, and presentations will be given to Keynsham Town Council and Chamber of Commerce. KDAG members requested further sessions, with longer notice period/publicity, perhaps in the One Stop Shop or Library.
Rab Smith gave the presentation. KDAG’s main comments are as follows:
-Bus use decline is partly off-set by increase in dial-a-ride door-to-door service which has increased around the town and surroundings.
-The Document needs to be more of a strategy, rather than a summary of known issues and facts.
-Cycling seems to be given undue prominence, relative to its use – most journeys are by car, and we should not forget to assist car users also.
-The Strategy needs to be holistic to help all users.
-It needs to address and identify measures to improve transport – e.g. smart ticketing.
-Cllr Gerrish asked that future surveys for the train station check origin and destination of journeys.
-Future car parking provision needs to be reviewed, generally and specifically with regard to town centre parking and the use of residential streets e.g. Dapps Hill area.
-Para 2.3.7: spaces have since been removed.
-If walking is to be a big part of the Strategy, pavements need auditing. Some are unsafe – e.g. Charlton Road (narrow and uneven/unsafe): ACTION: KELVIN PACKER to programme these footways to be looked at as a scheme request.
-Other pedestrian crossings are needed to assist walkers accessing the town centre e.g. on Charlton Road, below St Ladoc to enable pedestrians to access the safer of the two pavements down Charlton Road.
-Town Centre Improvements need to be augmented in the Strategy. It worked well enough with an enforced one-way system. People adapt and modify their travel, and the signalised junctions help traffic flow. Signalised crossings at Rock Road and Charlton Road are needed.
-A One Way High Street could also be helped if wardens were present as much of the blockages are due to unlawful parking or loading. It needs to be policed. This should be part of the Strategy. KP also to forward comments to Chris Major (Head of Parking)
-One way High Street can be trialled now. The modelling shows that it can work in the early years of the Strategy. Therefore trial it, and monitor it. It might be that people modify their travel, and it can also work in future years, or other interventions allow it to continue. Rab Smith explained that it has knock-on consequences elsewhere – e.g. Hicks Gate, Bath Hill) due to the tightness of the network, but that it is something which can be explored.
-RS explained that Halcrow are looking at modelling of Hicks Gate roundabout. KDAG felt that although this is outside the scope of the Transport Strategy, it should be cross-referred due to its significance and bearing on traffic around Keynsham.
-Further major infrastructure provision, options and feasibility should be cross referred: e.g. Broadmead Lane access road to allow the Strategy to be genuinely strategic.
-Reference is needed to outbound flow of traffic from Charlton Road to the A37.
-Rab Smith mentioned the various improvements arising from the draft Strategy. KDAG expect more in the final version, following consultation.
-Tim Hewitt suggested that what KDAG would like, following the Transport Strategy, which is high level, is a series of further Traffic Improvement studies and improvements. Soft measures (cycling, walking etc) can be enhanced e.g. through the LSTF. But harder measures (car parking analysis, one-way flows, tangible measures) appear a priority for Keynsham at present.
-KDAG suggest that part of the traffic problems are due to the town centre’s location, and historic growth of Keynsham. The town centre is not central. The town is growing to the east and west which does not help. The age profile contributes to the higher than average car use.
-In conclusion, KDAG suggest that all reasonable and sensible people want the Strategy to achieve the same thing. The Strategy needs to provide the solutions to the town’s traffic and transport problems. RS agreed that some wider-ranging options and solutions are needed. Many are outside the scope of this Strategy but can be referred to for further development. Many are sub-regional. Their inclusion in this Strategy should help make the case sub-regionally.
-KDAG Members requested greater understanding of the modelling and RS agreed to arrange a session with them, potentially at the next or a future KDAG. / RS
KP
KP
4 / Bath Hill/Temple Street Highways Scheme
Kelvin Packer updated on the scheme which is under way. He reminded KDAG that the scheme had progressed from a Poynton-esque shared space concept, to a modified scheme (“version 2”). This followed KDAG involvement, as well as other community groups, and members of the community. Suggestions have been safety-checked to look at the impact on traffic and pedestrians, and a revised scheme developed. It contains more formal crossings, as well as courtesy crossings. Rock Road will include a pelican crossing.
Cllr Gerrish queries the timescales. Work by Bristol Water seems to have impacted on the original plan, but the scheme is on target to comply with the condition to which it relates. KDAG expressed their concerns over Bristol Waters delays.
5 / Core Strategy
Core Strategy Update
Neil Best updated on the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan.
Progress is being made with the developers interested in the Core Strategy allocations to east of Keynsham and south west of Keynsham. They have agreed to enter a PPA, and to masterplan the sites. These masterplans will be agreed by the Council’s DC Committee. The Council will also play a proactive role in the east of Keynsham additional employment land.
The Placemaking Plan will undergo consultation from November. NB will present the early draft options to Keynsham Town Council, and provide a link to KDAG members for their early view/comment.
6,7 / Keynsham Town Centre, and other sites.
Funding
1)Keynsham Town Centre:The new library and OSS building has now been handed over by the contractor. B&NES are now completing the internal fit out and staff training in preparation for the public opening which will take place on the 20th October.
The first 2 retail units are now being fitted out. The Sainsbury Local store is due to open by the first week of November. The fit out to the Loungers unit is progressing. The Council's agents are continuing to market the remainder of the retail units. A number of potential tenants are in detailed discussions with DTZ.
The first staff moves into the new offices is due to take place at the end of November. The building will be fully occupied by the end of December.
Alistair Colston of Colston & Colston will provide support for tenants of Riverside, should they wish.
2)SOMERDALEJM advised that MF Freeman group have acquired part of the Somerdale site. The group has experience in employment space provision. Examples of their accommodation elsewhere show that they are willing to rent space on a smaller scale, to small companies and their business model allows space to be brought forward earlier. It also delivers care home provision through one of its divisions.
No details have emerged yet, but they are expected. Changes to the consented scheme will likely require a planning application, and new or revised s106 agreement. The Economic Development & Regeneration departments have confirmed that the job creation target (1,000) remains.
3)IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
At the previous meeting Tim Hewitt had outlined the proposed spend of £150,000 allocated to regeneration implementation for 2014/15.
The schemes identified had emerged from a range of sources: The Keynsham Town Plan, the IDP, Core Strategy, and KDAG discussions.
The expenditure is to be decided by the cabinet member in consultation with the Strategic Director. KDAG’s views had been taken on board, including allocating a greater proportion of funds to furthering the Transport Strategy, and to skills/employment measures. The revised list of projects is as follows:
Project and brief description / Allocation
Conservation Area Character Appraisal / £15000
Environmental/landscape improvements (including Keynsham in Bloom, Memorial Park enhancements, outdoor gym) / £30000
Support service for priority groups enabling access to work experience, training and employment opportunities, building on existing arrangements / £30000
Keynsham Heat Networks / £10000
Transport Strategy Related Improvements (measures to support the Keynsham Transport Strategy “Getting Around Keynsham”, including pedestrian and cycling improvements, further studies (e.g. capacity, parking) and other recommendations from the Strategy as required) / £65000
Total / £150,000
8 / AOB
Sara Dixon reiterated and re-stated KDAG’s terms of reference which had been agreed within the last year. KDAG is an important sounding board and advisory group for development opportunities, to consider issues and feed into the process at an early stage. Louise Fradd (Strategic Director, Place) had also made this clear.
Keynsham Town Council members will continue to receive updates and notes of meetings, which should be circulated as soon after the KDAG meeting as possible. An update from KDAG will be provided at KTC meetings, on the agenda.
9 / Dates for future meetings
At present, these are the first Tuesday of the month. October’s meeting was the last in the scheduled series of meetings, so views on frequency are sought. Timings could be varied, or alternate between evening/day-time.