Planning and Environment 2011 Capital Programme Bid

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A decision made (13.03.06) to endorse a bid for capital funding in 2011 from the Capital Programme in support of the St. Helier Development and Regeneration Strategy.

Subject:	2011 Capital Programme Bid
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2006-0017	Exempt clause(s):
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written	Person Giving Report (if oral):
Telephone or e-mail meeting	n/a	Report File ref:		3/03/01
Written Report Title:	2011 Capital Programme Bid	Written report – Author:		Kevin Pilley Assistant Director Planning and Building Services
Decision(s): The Minister for Planning and Environment endorses a bid for capital funding in 2011 from the Capital Programme in support of the St Helier Development and Regeneration Strategy and specifically the delivery of the Town Park to the value of £500,000.
Reason(s) for decision: Complementary funding is likely to be required to enable the remediation of the contamination of the Town Park site and to deliver the public open space element of the Town Park. It may also be required to facilitate other public sector intervention in the regeneration of the town.
Action required: Notify the Treasurer of the States of the Minister for Planning and Environment’s endorsement of the bid to the Capital Programme for 2011.
Signature: (Minister)			Date of Decision:

Planning and Environment 2011 Capital Programme Bid

		Item No:
		Date:

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

2011 Capital Programme Bid

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is for the Minister for Planning and Environment to consider the submission of a bid for capital funding in 2011 in support of the remediation of contamination at the Town park site; the delivery of public open space at the Town Park and the potential requirement for funding in support of additional public sector intervention to be identified by the St Helier Development and Regeneration Strategy.

The emergent States Strategic Plan seeks to ensure a vital and vibrant town and specifically seeks to develop a mechanism to deliver the Town Park in 2006.

Background

The States Business Plan, to be lodged for debate in July 2006, will maintain the five-year funding horizon for capital works. The Treasurer of the States has requested initial assessments for new capital projects, with an anticipated outturn cost in excess of £250,000, to be met from General Revenues that would commence in 2011.

It is envisaged that all capital bids will be reviewed by the end of March 2006 in order that the necessary information can be assembled for consideration by the Chief Officer Capital Project Review Panel, and subsequently the Council of Ministers, for proposed inclusion in the States Business Plan.

Discussion

A new Development and Regeneration Strategy for St Helier, including the development of a viable delivery mechanism for the Town Park, has been afforded high political priority by the new Urban Task Group and has been identified as a key task in the draft Strategic Plan that is presently being developed by the Council of Ministers.

Resources have already been allocated to the development and implementation of the strategy from the Millennium Fund, administered by the Chief Minister’s Department, and the Jersey Car Parks operating account, administered by Transport and Technical Services, amounting, in total to £1.3M. Some of this available fund will be expended upon the development of the strategy, which is likely to cost in the region of £250,000.

The remaining funds, of just over £1M, will be required to deal with the remediation of the contamination of the Town Park site and to facilitate the development of the new Town Park itself, in terms of providing a public open space. On the basis of the information available at this time, it is not envisaged that there are sufficient funds available to achieve this. In such circumstances, it is considered appropriate to identify the requirement for additional resource to facilitate this important project.

Associated with the development of the public open space requirement at the Town Park site, is the provision of public car parking. The potential funding of this aspect of the current proposal remains a requirement to be addressed as an integral part of the St Helier Development and Regeneration Strategy.

Whilst the development of the strategy is in its infancy, it is envisaged that there may also be a requirement for other specific public sector intervention to support or facilitate regeneration in the town. Public funds may be required to support this work and it is considered appropriate to identify this potential requirement at this time, given the five-year horizon for the allocation of capital funding.

Conclusion

On the basis of the requirement to secure additional resource to enable the remediation of contamination at the Town Park site and to facilitate the development of a public open space at this site, additional resource is likely to be required.

To enable this requirement for funding to be considered within the context of the five-year funding horizon for capital funding, it is concluded that a bid for capital funding should be made at this time for 2011. An initial bid, to the value of £500,000, has been prepared and is attached at appendix 1.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Minister for Planning and Environment endorse a bid for capital funding from the Capital Programme in support of the St Helier Development and Regeneration Strategy and specifically the delivery of the Town Park to the value of £500,000 for 2011.

Reason(s) for Decision

Complementary funding is likely to be required to enable the remediation of the contamination of the Town Park site and to deliver the public open space element of the Town Park. It may also be required to facilitate other public sector intervention in the regeneration of the town.

Action Required

Notify the Treasurer of the States of the Minister for Planning and Environment’s endorsement of the bid to the Capital Programme for 2011.

Written by:

Kevin Pilley

Assistant Director Planning and Building Services

Approved by:

Peter Thorne

Director of Planning and Building Services

Endorsed by:

Ellen Littlechild

Director of Finance: Planning and Environment

Attachments:

Initial Project Assessment and Feasibility Funding Application

3/03/01

07 March 2006