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A decision made 16 August 2010 regarding: Cheapside, St. Helier - £90,000 funding for urban renewal scheme.

Decision Ref:	MD–PE–2010-0086
Subject:	Enriching Cheapside: pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvement scheme and funding
Decision Summary Title:	DS - Enriching Cheapside: pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvement scheme and funding
DS Author:	Assistant Director
DS Date:	10 August 2010	DS Status:	Public
Written Report Title:	WR - Enriching Cheapside: pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvement scheme and funding
WR Author:	Assistant Director
WR Date	10 August 2010	WR Status:	Public
Oral Rapporteur:	Assistant Director
Decision(s):	The Minister for Planning and Environment authorised the release of funds, up to the value of £90,000 of Urban Renewal funds to enable this scheme to proceed to implementation, subject to the availability of resources and subject to the endorsement and approval of the amendment scheme by the relevant highway authorities.
Reason(s) for Decision:	1. The proposed pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvements to Cheapside are consistent with the objective of enhancing the public realm of the town and supporting safer and more efficient and effective travel, for all road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists; 2. There are sufficient funds available in the Urban Renewal budget to support these works, which are consistent with the objectives of urban renewal.
Legal and Resource Implications:	1. The legal responsibility for the carrying out of these works to the highway is exercised by the Minister for Transport and Technical Services and the Connétable of St Helier. 2. There are sufficient resources within the Urban Renewal budget to contribute toward these works.
Action required:	Notify T&TS and PoSH of the release of funds, to the value of up to £90,000, from the Urban Renewal budget
Signature:
Position:	Senator FE Cohen, Minister for Planning and Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different to Date Signed):

Cheapside, St. Helier - £90,000 funding for urban renewal scheme

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

St Helier Street Life Programme

Enriching Cheapside

pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvement scheme and funding

Purpose of the Report

This purpose of this report is to enable the Minister to consider the release of funds, from the Urban Renewal capital budget, to undertake works to implement a pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvement scheme in Cheapside this year.

Project Overview

This project provides pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvements to the public realm of Cheapside to support and enhance it’s identify and function as a local precinct of St. Helier, together with a pedestrian improvement scheme for New St John’s Road.

The scheme is being sponsored by the Parish of St Helier and the Minister for transport of Technical Services, working in partnership with the Planning and Environment and Economic Development Departments.

It involves;

· the reclamation of road space in Cheapside to provide wider pavements and to enable the provision of new lighting, tree planting, bins, seating and al fresco activity;

· the introduction of improved traffic management, including enhancements to junction arrangements, new pedestrian crossing facilities and new and safer road surfacing in Cheapside;

· the introduction of a mini-gyratory system (@ New St John’s Rd / Parade Rd and West Park Ave) to enable the provision of wider pavements on New St. John’s Road.

Cheapside serves as a local retail precinct as well as a strategic entrance to the town of St Helier, providing the main vehicular access to the Ring Road from the west. It, together with New St John’s Road is also an important route for pedestrians gaining access to the town. As a consequence, there are competing interests for the use of space here, with conflicts arising from;

· the need to maintain capacity through Cheapside for the safe and efficient flow of vehicular traffic;

· the need for safe and convenient pedestrian access along New St John’s Road, which is presently restricted in width and which does not permit two opposing vehicles to pass safely without prejudicing the safety of pedestrians on narrow footpaths;

· the need for safer and more convenient pedestrian crossing facilities in Cheapside;

· the demand for local customer parking and service access for local business, which is presently unauthorised, causing obstruction to traffic and undermining highway safety.

Despite serving as a local retail centre, the environmental quality of Cheapside is poor, dominated by the carriageway, unauthorised parking, poor lighting and limited facilities for pedestrians and customers of local business.

The objectives of the project are to;

· help create a sense of place and identity for Cheapside;

· improve the physical environment of Cheapside of benefit to local business, business customers, residents, pedestrians and motorists;

· enhance road safety and traffic management with direct economic benefit to the public and business;

· provide improved facilities and conditions which enable and encourage walking and cycling

States Strategic Plan Linkage

1. Supporting the Island community through the economic downturn: through new programmes of maintenance/ infrastructure spending

2. Maintain a strong, environmentally sustainable and diverse economy: support for local retail business and support for the efficient and effective movement of goods and people;

10. Maintain and develop the Island’s infrastructure: investment in maintenance and enhancement of roads and streets

11. Promote a healthy lifestyle: improving conditions for vulnerable road users and to improving road safety thereby encouraging more sustainable and active forms of travel

13. Protect and enhance the built environment: persuade people out of cars by improving facilities for pedestrians; making better use of urban areas and increasing the quality of design

Departmental Business Plan Linkage

T&TS 2009

· Objective 3: Roads network maintained to maximise the lifespan of highways and associated infrastructure

· Objective 4: An integrated travel and transport system

· Objective 6: Well maintained public places and amenities

· Objective 7: Road users are safe and comply with legislation

P&E 2009

· Objective 4: Support the delivery of a high quality, viable and vibrant urban environment;

P&E 2010

· Objective 2: make innovative use of urban areas;

· Objective 3: ensuring access for people with disabilities;

· Objective 3: ensuring the design of the built environment facilitates healthy lifestyles;

· Objective 3: supporting ‘designing out crime’.

Costs and funding

The scheme has been developed on the basis of the core pedestrian and environmental improvements to Cheapside (described as Option 2); with the provision of the gyratory system for New St John’s Road, Parade Road and West Park Avenue identified as an additional cost (described as Option 3). The costs are summarised below, and identified in more detail at appendix 1 and 2.

Potential funding sources for this scheme include Fiscal Stimulus Funds; Urban Renewal funds; a contribution to traffic and pedestrian improvements in relation to the development of Westmount Quarry through a planning obligation agreement; together with contributions from the Transport and Technical Services Dept (through no charge for labour) and the Parish of St Helier.

Cost estimates and potential funding sources are identified below.

Scheme costs (£000s)	Cheapside	Cheapside and mini-gyratory
Works	429	604
Contingency	43	61
Design	47	66
Total	519	731
Available funding
Fiscal stimulus	400
Urban Renewal	*90
Potential funding
POA	50-100
T&TS	100
PoSH	50-100
Total	690-790

* extent of Urban Renewal funding dependent on out-turn costs.

The current status of the Urban Renewal budget is set out below

Current balance (July 2010)	£ (000s)
IBP040: La Motte Street	7.62
IBP042: Cheapside	0.15
CO971: Urban Renewal	74.62
Balance sheet: WEB contribution	50.00
	132.39
Potential commitments
St Paul’s Arch relocation (held pending site selection)	(3.50)
La Motte Street resurfacing (subject to out-turn costs)	(27.00)
Conway Street lighting (subject to out-turn costs)	(5.00)
	(35.5)

Potentially available funds	96.89

Consultation and scheme amendments

The scheme has been the subject of public consultation, undertaken by the Parish of St Helier. The results of the consultation are set out at appendix 3.

In essence, there is general support for the provision of a scheme to enhance the public realm of Cheapside. There is, however, concern that has been expressed over the introduction of a mini-gyratory scheme in New St John’s Road, Parade Road and West Park Avenue and in relation to the proposed change to the duration of parking (from long-stay to short stay) at Elizabeth Lane car park..

As a result of the outcome of consultation, the following changes are to be proposed to the scheme:

· The mini-gyratory scheme in New St John’s Road, Parade Road and West Park Avenue to be postponed from this phase of works pending further analysis of the concern of residents and funding sources;

· 6 spaces only to be allocated for short-stay parking in Elizabeth Lane car park;

· PoSH to review potential for provision of further short-stay parking at People’s Park;

· Details of lighting column design and finish to be confirmed;

· On street ‘poseur’ tables to be excluded from scheme

The detail of the scheme remains to be subject to the consideration and approval of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services and the Parish of St Helier’s Roads Committee, as the respective highway authorities.

It is envisaged that the scheme will be implemented prior to the year end in accord with the conditions of funding support from the Fiscal Stimulus Fund, subject to the requisite approvals and the availability of funding.

Recommendation

On the basis that the proposed pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvements to Cheapside are consistent with the objective of enhancing the public realm of the town and supporting safer and more efficient and effective travel, for all road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists, it is recommended that the Minister for Planning and Environment authorises the release of funds, up to the value of £90,000 of Urban Renewal funds to enable this scheme to proceed to implementation, subject to the availability of resources and subject to the endorsement and approval of the amendment scheme by the relevant highway authorities.

Reason(s) for Decision

1. The proposed pedestrian, traffic and environmental improvements to Cheapside are consistent with the objective of enhancing the public realm of the town and supporting safer and more efficient and effective travel, for all road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists;

2. There are sufficient funds available in the Urban Renewal budget to support these works, which are consistent with the objectives of urban renewal.

Legal and resource implications

The legal responsibility for the carrying out of these works to the highway is exercised by the Minister for Transport and Technical Services and the Connétable of St Helier.

There are sufficient resources within the Urban Renewal budget to contribute toward these works.

Action Required

Notify T&TS and PoSH of the release of funds, to the value of up to £90,000, from the Urban Renewal budget;

Written by:	Assistant Director: Policy and Projects

Endorsed by: