Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were reported from Councillors Backhouse, Elliott and Neve.

To receive any declarations of interest by members in items on the agenda. For any advice on declarations of interest, please contact the Monitoring Officer.

There were no declarations of interest made, within the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Members.

Members of the Council should indicate which item(s) they wish to speak on and the nature of their concern/question/request for clarification (in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 18).

The Democratic Services Officer advised that Councillor Moore had registered to speak on item PT33/17 below, in accordance with Council Meetings Procedure Rule 18.

The Chairman will move that the minutes of the previous meeting, dated 21 August 2017, be signed as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.

In accordance with Council Meetings Procedure Rule 16.1, the Chairman will sign the minutes of today’s proceedings at the next scheduled meeting.

The minutes of the meeting dated 21 August 2017 were submitted.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Board meeting dated 21 August 2017 be agreed.

The Board received its work programme for the period up to 28 February 2018, which was based on the issues set out in the Council’s Forward Plan.

RESOLVED – That the work programme be noted.

Please note that this report – and its appendices – is being published as a separate pack.

David Candlin, the Head of Economic Development and Property, introduced Mark Anderson and Rebecca Doull, both part of the GVA consultant team. He  summarised the key elements of a comprehensive report on the extensive work that the authority had undertaken up to and during RIBA Stage 3 (Developed Design), towards the provision of a new theatre and offices and an associated underground car park.

Mr Candlin provided some context for the proposed scheme. He advised that the provision of a modern theatre was a key component of the Borough Council’s agreed Five Year Plan, as was the delivery of new office space on Mount Pleasant Avenue car park. This was a commitment, he advised, to deliver the Council’s place-shaping and civic leadership responsibilities for enhancing the attractiveness and cultural vitality of the Borough. He added that the theatre would also help the authority meet one of its key targets set out in its Cultural Strategy for the Borough to become nationally recognised for its vibrant cultural provision by 2024.

Mr Candlin said that, from the outset, the work had been carried out in stages. He added that this provided a decision point for the project, a commitment of additional resources and an acknowledgment that the work and the expenditure would be abortive should the development not proceed.

Against that background, Mr Candlin said that the report explained the detailed design work that had been undertaken as part of the Stage 3 process as well as what site assembly processes had been carried out. He added that an outline was set out of the options and preferred approach to the next stages of procurement to enable the construction to proceed. In addition to that, attention was drawn to the existing civic complex site and the recommended proposed strategy and mechanism for managing its disposal.

Before the Advisory Board considered the financial elements of the scheme, the Chairman invited the following four registered members of the public to speak:

Kim Freeman spoke in support of the proposals, making particular reference to the benefits that the new theatre would bring – to residents, to visitors, to future generations and to the economy of the Borough.

Tom Poynter also spoke in support of the scheme, adding that he felt a new theatre would lead to a significant boost to creative industries in the Borough.

Adrian Berendt spoke in his capacity as Chairman of the Town Forum. He said that, while the Town Forum had been generally supportive of the scheme, this had been conditional upon assurances on specific details, which he summarised as follows: what would happen to the existing Town Hall and Assembly Hall Theatre; what criteria was to be used in judging the proposed project; what was the strength of the financial case; and what would the scheme achieve for the town.

David Wakefield spoke in his capacity as a member of the Town Forum’s Management Group. He suggested that there was a case for omitting the car park element of  ...  view the full minutes text for item PT33/17

David Scully, the Landscape and Biodiversity Officer, reported on the outcome of the formal public consultation stage of the draft Borough Landscape Character Assessment.

Mr Scully drew attention to the significance of having an adopted document in place. He advised that a revised Landscape Character Assessment would be a key piece of evidence which would assist in the preparation of the authority’s updated Local Plan, adding that other key pieces of evidence would also need to draw on the most up-to-date assessment.

Attention was drawn to the detailed comments made during the consultation stage and the Borough Council’s response and consequent recommendation. Mr Scully also reported on the support for the document provided by Natural England, a statutory consultee.

Mr Scully reported that, subsequent to the publication of the agenda, he had received some late comments from Councillor March, in which she had sought clarification and some minor modification. Mr Scully said that, with the Advisory Board’s approval, he would append the points discussed and the suggested changes, as part of the Cabinet agenda for 7 December. Members of the Advisory Board agreed to this suggestion.

Councillor Hannam welcomed the proposal that the Landscape Character Assessment should go forward for adoption as a supplementary planning document and thanked Mr Scully and the external consultants for the hard work which had gone into its production.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations set out in the report be supported.

The Democratic Services Officer will advise if there have been any urgent items of business which have arisen for the Board’s consideration since publication of the agenda.

The Democratic Services Officer advised that there were no additional items for the Board’s consideration which had arisen since publication of the agenda.

The date of the next meeting is Monday 8 January 2018, at 6.30pm in Committee Room A, at the Town Hall, Tunbridge Wells.

The following items are scheduled on the Forward Plan (which is subject to change) to be discussed:

·       Linden Park Road car park redevelopment

·       Civic Complex Planning Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document**

·       Ashdown Forest Mitigation Policy**

(** = The final decision on these items will be taken by the Full Council on 21 February 2018, after the Cabinet have considered the reports and recommendations on 1 February 2018.)

It was noted that the next meeting of the Board was scheduled to take place on Monday 8 January 2018, when the following items would be discussed, based on the current Forward Plan:

·       Linden Road car park redevelopment

·       Civic Complex Planning Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document

·       Ashdown Forest Mitigation Policy