Skip to main content

Agenda item

Developing a Carterton Area Regeneration Framework

Purpose:

The report updates the Executive on the development of a regeneration framework for the Carterton area sitting alongside and complementing the new West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2043. Specifically, it includes draft strategic priorities aligned to the new Local Plan and initial feedback on these from stakeholder engagement undertaken during the summer.

 

A new partnership governance structure is proposed in the report as a means of bringing a wide range of organisations and sectors together. This includes a new Place Board that would oversee the development and delivery of the framework.

 

The report also outlines a number of early projects that are being developed to deliver the ambitions set out in the framework.

 

Recommendations:

That the Executive resolves to:

  1. Endorse the overall content set out in the draft regeneration framework at Annex B.
  2. Agree to support the establishment of a new Place Board for the Carterton Area, to be chaired initially by the Executive Member for Planning and Infrastructure.
  3. Note the approach to developing initial projects and the early ideas for these set out in section 5.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Liz Leffman, Executive Member for Planning and Infrastructure, presented the item, the purpose of which was to update the Executive on the development of a regeneration framework for the Carterton

 

Councillor Leffman thanked the Carterton Area Strategy Working Group for their work to date and reiterated the general agreement for the need for regeneration of the area, in particular in the town centre. This was noted to be especially pertinent given that extensive development was planned in Carterton and the surrounding area in the Emerging Local Plan.

 

Councillor Leffman advised that there were two main drivers for developing a regeneration framework for the Carterton Area: The significant growth that was proposed for the Carterton area and the fact that the town didn’t currently fulfil its potential and, in particular, the need to transform the town centre offer to meet the expectations of residents, businesses and visitors.

 

Councillor Leffman explained that within this context, the report had two main purposes. Firstly, it provided the Executive with an update on the work that was underway and progress that had been made during the last six months. In doing so it provided an opportunity to consider the emerging strategic priorities. Secondly, the report had set out proposals for new partnership structures that could build the collaboration needed to realise the ambitions for the place. In particular, there were detailed proposals for a new Place Board, including draft memberships on which Councillor Leffman invited suggestions. This model drew on similar Boards that had been set up in towns and neighbourhoods. The Place Board would draw on existing networks, such as health, education and voluntary sectors, as well as new groups that had recently been put in place, including a new Local Business Network and a Developer Forum.

 

Alternative options considered in the report were that, rather than continuing to develop a framework for the Carterton area, the Council could opt to do nothing and rely on the policies in place within the new Local Plan. A do-nothing option was unlikely to result in achieving the ambition and vision the Council had for the area, since it would leave a number of the challenges and opportunities facing the area unaddressed and effectively left ‘to the market’ to deliver.

 

Other alternatives would be for the Council to either develop and deliver the framework in a more directive way itself, or to leave the programme for partners to run, with less input and investment of its own time and energy. The former approach was not preferred since it would fail to build the wider ownership and buy-in of stakeholders required for successful regeneration. Neither was taking a more hands-off approach recommended, since this failed to harness the important place-making role that the Council plays and responsibilities it had to show a leadership role in the regeneration and growth of the area. This should include paving the way for any successor unitary council to embrace the programme and its governance once it is established.

 

Councillor Leffman proposed accepting the recommendations in the report and restated her hope that all members agreed the importance of the regeneration.

 

Councillor Andy Graham seconded the proposals and suggested that the initial projects detailed in the report demonstrated the Council’s vision and gave credibility to the work. The work was long overdue for Carterton and could provide a framework for such an approach in other towns. Councillor Graham also highlighted the importance of the Area Champions who would represent the Place Board in external forums. Furthermore, Councillor Graham suggested budgetary consideration would come forward to ensure projects were carried out in the Council’s usual budgetary cycle and these would signal to investors that the Council was committed to regeneration and encourage them to come forward.

 

Councillor Andrew Prosser, Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, noted that it was important to harness the expertise of the local community on the Place Board. He also hoped to see the inclusion of sustainability and nature expertise on the Place Board.

 

Councillor Alaric Smith, Executive Member for Finance, suggested that the work would impact the local area surrounding Carterton and he therefore would like to have seen neighbouring parishes involved. This was acknowledged by Councillor Leffman who suggested that one representative from these bodies could be invited onto the Place Board.

 

Councillor Tim Sumner, Executive Member for Arts, Culture and Sport, stated he was pleased to see the importance of sport and leisure acknowledged in the report.

 

A non-Executive Member who was present concurred with Councillor Smith on the importance of local parish involvement in the work.

 

The proposal was put to the vote and agreed unanimously.

 

That the Executive resolved to:

1.    Endorse the overall content set out in the draft regeneration framework at Annex B.

2.    Agree to support the establishment of a new Place Board for the Carterton Area, to be chaired initially by the Executive Member for Planning and Infrastructure.

3.    Note the approach to developing initial projects and the early ideas for these set out in section 5.

Supporting documents:

 

Related Pages