Issue - meetings

Lancaster Canal Quarter Masterplan

Meeting: 11/07/2023 - Cabinet (Item 12)

12 Lancaster Canal Quarter Masterplan pdf icon PDF 381 KB

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Wilkinson)

 

Report of Chief Officer Sustainable Growth (report published on 5.7.23)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Wilkinson)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer Sustainable Growth to approve the submission of the Lancaster Canal Quarter Masterplan to Full Council for its consideration, approval, and adoption into the council’s Policy Framework. The final Masterplan version has been compiled in consideration of the wide stakeholder input and public views received on the consultation Masterplan draft issued last year. The report also summarised next steps in progressing the development phases and proposals, including delivery of the early phase housing proposals.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1: The final version of the Canal Quarter Masterplan is approved to be forwarded to Full Council for adoption into the council’s Policy Framework

Option 2: The final version of the Canal Quarter Masterplan is not forwarded to Full Council.

Advantages

Enables the council to progress regeneration proposals to an agreed masterplan and delivery strategy.

No advantages identified unless Members require substantive amendments to the document or seek further consultation on the final document.

Disadvantages

A delay in the adoption of the Masterplan as corporate policy will impact on negotiations with key funding partners and potential investors and deliver further uncertainty around the council’s intentions for the area.

While having some flexibility the masterplan clearly defines the council’s overarching spatial approach and delivery strategy for the future development of the area, particularly in regard to its own land and property assets.

 

Ongoing discussions with funders and third parties takes place outside of an agreed masterplan and delivery strategy.

Risks/

Mitigation

Risks are mainly around reputational risk to the council of approving an approach which does not meet the objectives and/or does not find favour with the wider community. However, the document is based upon and meets the requirements of the Canal Quarter SPD (itself the subject of extensive public and stakeholder participation).

 

It is considered that the masterplan reflects the broad balance of stakeholder and community aspirations (as expressed through consultation) and the council’s overarching and current corporate policy position as expressed by the newly elected council administration.

Delivery and negotiations with funders proceeds outside of an agreed spatial planning framework.

 

The officer preferred option is Option 1.

 

Securing delivery would be an ongoing and iterative process which was dependent on the current centralised funding landscape and mainly driven by the opportunities arising under central government mandates – particularly around the “Levelling Up” agenda. However, in adopting a defined masterplan, the council was in a better position to engage with major funding partners and progress sites as funding opportunities presented themselves.

 

The Canal Quarter could be broken down into 5 main phases/areas. A summary of the ongoing work, practical progress, and issues, against each phase was provided in the report with further detail in Appendix 2 to the report.

 

Councillor Wilkinson proposed, seconded by Councillor Dowding:-

 

“That the recommendation, as set out in the report, be approved.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12