MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE REPORT

Report Title :Linthorpe Road Improvements

Executive Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, Charles Rooney; and,

Executive Member for Streetscene Services and Transport, Paul Thompson

Director of Regeneration, Kevin Parkes
Director of Adult Social Care and Environment, Mike Robinson

Date 14th March 2011

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

  1. The purpose of this report is to seek approval to:

i)a number of public realm improvements in Linthorpe Road between Grange Road southwards to Devonshire Road; and,

ii)a package of business support measures.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
  1. It is recommended that:

i)the programme of projects totalling £1,100,000 of capital works is approved together with the broad budgets for each category; and,

ii)implementation of individual projects proceed as soon as design work is completed.

IF THIS IS A KEY DECISION WHICH KEY DECISION TEST APPLIES?

It is over the financial threshold (£75,000) / X
It has a significant impact on 2 or more wards / X
Non Key

DECISION IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE

  1. For the purposes of the scrutiny call in procedure this report is

Non-urgent / X
Urgent report

If urgent please give full reasons

BACKGROUND AND EXTERNAL CONSULTATION

  1. Historically Linthorpe Road has linked the town centre to its southern suburbs including Linthorpe Village, one and a half miles away. It is also a vital artery supporting the adjacent communities of Gresham and the University, both of which are undergoing significant change and for which Linthorpe Road provides a range of services and opportunities to both communities.
  1. Parts of the area have been a focus for investment in the past with many properties benefiting from grant support under previous funding regimes. However, recent survey work has revealed a fragility in the area with numbers of void property rising and many displaying a lack of investment. This no doubt reflects the difficult trading conditions in the last few years as a consequence of the national economic downturn. Meetings with local business representatives have highlighted commonly perceived failings of the area are its dislocation from the busy town centre, the shortage of car parking and a general lack of investment in the public realm.
  1. In 2009 a strategy was prepared to look at how Linthorpe Road could be improved. A sum of £700,000 was reserved from the Council’s capital fund to support a bid to One North East for significant Single Programme resources to implement a range of complementary measures. Unfortunately cessation of the Single Programme has removed this opportunity.
  1. However, given the concerns about the current economic environment both in the town overall and in particular within Linthorpe Road, it is important to support the business community. A package of resources has therefore been drawn together from the capital fund, the Healthy Towns Programme and the Local Transport Plan (LTP), to fund a range of improvements to tackle the highest priority issues affecting an area stretching from Grange Road in the north to Devonshire Road, south of the Village (see Plan1). This will have a beneficial effect on local businesses throughout Linthorpe Road by improving links northwards towards the town centre, and eastwards with the University. It will also support key local independent traders by investing in both the fabric of their businesses and encouraging greater footfall past their premises leading to increased patronage.
  1. The improvements are split into four main elements:

i)grants to businesses;

ii)major link improvements;

iii)review of parking provision, signage and de-cluttering; and,

iv)public realm and pedestrian safety schemes.

Grants

  1. The grant scheme will pick up from previous schemes and be offered in phases starting with those businesses that have not previously had the opportunity. A Business Improvement Scheme (BIS) will offer a 60% grant towards external property improvement up to a maximum total grant of £7,500 for a £12,500 project, whilst a Business Advice Package (BAP) of £2,000 maximum will support business development. Guidelines applying to existing schemes will be used as the basis for the new scheme with the additional exclusion of hot food takeaway outlets. The programme will run throughout 2011/12 or until funding runs out. Plan 1 shows the prioritisation proposals.

Major Links

  1. The priority will be to improve the pedestrian experience at the busy Borough Road/Linthorpe Road junction by a number of interventions including re-surfacing and upgrading traffic signals to improve pedestrian priority without reducing the capacity of the junction. In addition a joint project with Teesside University will significantly improve access to the new walk-in health facility, Centuria South, by upgrading Waterloo Road where it links with Linthorpe Road.

Review of parking provision, signage and de-cluttering

  1. A wide-ranging review of existing traffic management arrangements, signing and street furniture will be carried out, with a view to simplifying the current waiting and loading restrictions and improving the existing car parking offer whilst ensuring that bus journey times are not compromised. Additional customer parking will be a priority and a proposed rationalisation should result in at least a further 25 spaces close to Linthorpe Road.

Public realm and pedestrian safety

  1. Work to implement a comprehensive scheme designed to address pedestrian safety issues and improve the public realm within the Linthorpe Village area is already underway. This scheme, which covers the length of Linthorpe Road between Devonshire Road and Benson Street will be extended to St. Barnabas’ Road, will during 2011/12. In addition, minor public ream improvements have recently been completed in the vicinity of the Cenotaph, whilst footpath upgrade works at the Linthorpe Road/Grange Road corner are due for completion by the end of March 2011.

Consultation

  1. Consultation on various elements has already taken place with local residents and businesses and further business consultation is proposed throughout the implementation phase.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

  1. An EIA demonstrates that the proposed project elements will be equally beneficial across all members of the community.

OPTION APPRAISAL/RISK ASSESSMENT

  1. There are potentially a number of ways in which the capital fund set aside for Linthorpe Road could be spent. The consultant studies clearly outlined the range of projects that would have the most beneficial effect on the economic prosperity of the area and the projects proposed in this report follow that advice. The reduction in total funding will have a detrimental effect on the impact of the projects but to delay expenditure will be more damaging and create a greater risk to the area.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND WARD IMPLICATIONS

  1. Financial –

The project proposes the expenditure of an additional £700,000 of Council resources in addition to £400,000 from the Healthy Towns and LTP budgets and also has the capacity to release match funding from other providers in the private sector. The table below shows the breakdown between the various elements. Once detailed design work is completed there is potential to switch a proportion of funding between projects to maximise the benefits of each category without compromising the overall objective.

Project / Main funding / Private leverage / Total
1. / Grants to businesses
Private sector contribution / £165,000 / £100,000 / £265,000
2. / Borough Road Crossing / £355,000 / £355,000
Waterloo Road Link
University contribution / £60,000 / £50,000 / £110,000
3. / De-cluttering etc / £120,000 / £120,000
4. / Public realm village (HTP and LTP)
Phase 1
Phase 2 / £250,000
£150,000 / £250,000
£150,000
Total / £1,100,000 / £150,000 / £1,250,000
  1. Ward Implications – These projects will have an impact on the following wards:

i)Middlehaven

ii)Gresham

iii)University

iv)Park

Member consultation is ongoing.

  1. Legal Implications – there are no direct legal implications to these proposals.
RECOMMENDATIONS
  1. It is recommended that:

i)the programme of projects totalling £1,100,000 of capital works is approved together with the broad budgets for each category; and

ii)implementation of individual projects proceed as soon as design work is completed.

REASONS
  1. To ensure that local businesses are given the best possible chance of continued prosperity.
BACKGROUND PAPERS

The following background papers were used in the preparation of this report:

Genecon: Linthorpe Road Central Investment Framework – Final Report April 2009

AUTHOR: Jan Lewis

TEL NO: 729445

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Address:

Website: