Agenda item

Report of the Chief Officers (Regeneration and Planning) and Resources.

The Chairman welcomed Alistair Eagles, Chief Executive of Seatruck Ferries and John O’Neill, Chamber Manager to the meeting.

The Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning) requested the Committee to consider a draft vision for the Heysham Gateway link road.

It was reported that South Heysham had been identified as a Regeneration Priority Area in the Lancaster District Core Strategy (2008) now recognised as the Heysham Gateway. A proportion of the vacant land was in public ownership and this would be redeveloped to capitalise on the demand generated by the completion of the Heysham M6 link road.

Members were advised that initial marketing had been undertaken on the City Council owned land and, apart from a small parcel of land, all had become the subject of serious offers for development by local and regional companies.  This included businesses wanting to expand and take up new premises within the Heysham Gateway vacating White Lund Industrial Estate.  This indicated that the local commercial market was healthy, and with the opening of the Link Road, take up of available sites was expected to need routine levels of promotion at this stage.

The Chief Officer also reported that one impediment to releasing underused sites on the Heysham Industrial Estate was the lack of linkage between Imperial Road and Middeleton Road.   This had already been flagged up with the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership and design and costings were being collected.   The owners of the site were in dialogue with the City and County Councils about land availability and marketing.

It was noted the link road would have a significant positive impact on Heysham Port and make Heysham far more accessible than Barrow in Furness for access into Morecambe Bay for servicing offshore wind and gas energy equipment.

Alistair Eagles, Chief Executive of Seatruck Ferries, had been invited to the meeting and was invited to explain how the Heysham Gateway would benefit the Port of Heysham.

Members were advised that Seatruck Ferries focused its business on transporting unaccompanied trailers across the sea. This freed up valuable HGV drivers which were in short supply. With the link road opening up the gateway to the Port, it would see an increase in lorries travelling to Ireland that would normally have to travel to Stranraer in Scotland or Holyhead in North Wales.

It was reported that Seatruck Ferries had invested in new ships for Heysham increasing the tonnage capacity at the Port. It was suggested that the City Council, County Council, their partners and the business community should pull together to promote the district with the same messages as well as aiming high.

John O’Neill had been invited to the meeting and informed the Committee that despite Brexit, local businesses were thriving and attracting business from around the world.

The Committee went on to discuss the importance of retaining and attracting young people to work in the district. It was reported that the Chamber was working with the local Universities and College and business sponsored advisers to champion the district for job opportunities.

All other Members and other attendees asked to attend the meeting were invited to ask questions.

The Members present were then asked to consider the priorities for the Heysham Gateway.

The following were agreed to take forward to Cabinet as priorities :

·         Provision of HGV parking

·         Opportunity to restructure White Lund Industrial Estate

·         Provision of employment opportunities

·         Consideration of leasing versus selling Council owned land within the Heysham Gateway

·         Provision of Warehousing

·         Provision of Affordable Housing

·         The Heysham Gateway area be marketed in collaboration with other land owners to provide a joined up comprehensive approach.

The Committee was then requested to consider the City Council’s Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy which was being presented in draft before consideration at Cabinet for comments.

It was agreed that the Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy would be considered at a future meeting of the Committee before being considered by Cabinet.

Resolved :-

(1)          That the following be agreed to take forward to Cabinet as priorities :

•    Provision of HGV parking

•    Opportunity to restructure White Lund Industrial Estate

•    Provision of employment opportunities

•    Consideration of leasing versus selling Council owned land within the Heysham      Gateway

•    Provision of Warehousing

•    Provision of Affordable Housing

•    The Heysham Gateway area be marketed in collaboration with other land      owners to provide a joined up comprehensive approach.

(2)          That the Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy be considered at a future meeting of the Committee before it being considered by Cabinet.