The detailed report from consultants setting out their vision
for the future of the Felixstowe Peninsula has now been made public
and has been welcomed as an exciting step forward by the
partnership that commissioned the study.
Last year David Lock Associates were asked to draw up a
long-term vision for the regeneration and future of Felixstowe with
funding from the East of England Development Agency, English
Partnerships, Felixstowe Town Council, Haven Gateway and Suffolk
Coastal.
“Supporting urban renaissance is central to English
Partnerships’ activities. We believe that bringing about
change relies on forging strong working partnerships which are
capable not only of creating a vision, but also have the capacity
to deliver ambitious plans. After widespread engagement with
local residents, businesses and the wider community, David Lock
Associates have now produced a vision for how Felixstowe and its
peninsula could develop in the future. The Local Strategy for
the Felixstowe Peninsula is a detailed look at the issues facing
the area and presents some of the possible solutions that could
assist its regeneration,” said Mark White, Regeneration Manager at
English Partnerships.
The town planning and urban design consultancy sought the views
of the public at exhibitions and through questionnaires, and held a
number of meetings with town and parish councillors, local
community and other groups.
“There is a great deal here to weigh up and discuss and I hope
as many people as possible take the chance to read and debate the
recommendations that have been made. This is an important document
which deserves some serious consideration and I am sure that it
will stimulate a great deal of thought at this Council and any
other organisation that is committed to building a better future
for Felixstowe,” said Cllr Cyril Webb, Mayor of Felixstowe Town
Council.
The consultants point out the major challenges facing the town as
average households are becoming smaller, so that over 20 years some
1,700 new homes would be needed just to accommodate the same
population. The current demand for new homes from the
local community, as well as those wanting to move to the town, is
not being met. Without new homes, the population will decrease,
becoming older on average. As a result, there is more traffic
on the roads as people have to commute into the town, and if this
population trend continues, some schools are likely to close, and
shops lose trade.
Four scenarios for future development have been outlined, each
with a range of approaches for addressing the negative trends that
the consultants have identified in relation to housing, employment,
leisure, the town centre, and community development.
The report recognises that around half of the jobs in Felixstowe
are dependent on the Port and suggests that there may be a need to
diversify to offer alternative job prospects so that the town is
not so reliant on one activity.
“The Port is a valued and welcome source of employment, but the
consultants are right to highlight that our local labour market is
highly dependent on it. The report points to the need for
strategies to be adopted that can attract new inward investment
that will help create new jobs and fuel the regeneration of
Felixstowe,” said Cllr John Perry, Suffolk Coastal Cabinet Member
for the Economy and Tourism.
The report suggests the best locations for future development
that include previously used land in Felixstowe and also parcels of
land around the Trimleys. It also proposes some radical and
innovative ideas for improvements to ‘the public realm’ – in
Hamilton Road, the seafront and elsewhere.
“As the consultants emphasise, this report should be seen as
‘independent recommendations’. We called in outside experts because
we wanted someone with proven experience, skills and creative
solutions to come up with proposals for the way forward for
Felixstowe. A key aspect of the report is that it identifies that
doing nothing is not an option. Without any positive intervention
issues, such as an ageing population, the trend for young people to
leave and the need for more homes, will result in a lower quality
of life for everyone living around the town,” said Samantha Togher,
Senior Executive of the East of England Development
Agency.
Any proposals for the future development of land and property in
Felixstowe and its peninsula would still be subject to full and
formal public consultation as they would have to be incorporated
into the Local Development Framework being drawn up by Suffolk
Coastal – a process which has already started.
“Their ideas for a new look for the Town are exciting – but a
real challenge to us all to bring about. This report is a valuable
and exciting analysis of ways that we could progress – but these
are not cast in stone, they are only proposals and are therefore
open to challenge, debate and improvement. What is clear is that we
cannot afford to do nothing and this report sets the foundation for
us all to start working together to help provide the planned and
carefully managed changes that will help build a better Felixstowe.
Today is the end of the consultants’ work – but the beginning of
the whole community’s chance to debate and shape a better future
for us all,” said Cllr Andy Smith, Suffolk Coastal’s Deputy Leader
and Cabinet Member for Planning.
The next stage for the consultants’ report is that it will be
considered by the partner organisations, including Suffolk
Coastal’s Cabinet. The report can be viewed in full on
www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/yourdistrict/planning/felixstowe/
while hard copies can be read at the Council’s Melton Hill offices
and Felixstowe Town Council, and from Saturday at Trimley Post
Office and Felixstowe library.
“Felixstowe is a key part of one of the areas for investment
that the Haven Gateway Partnership has identified in its bid to
Government for the sub-region to be designated a ‘Growth Point’.
The master plan will support that submission as well as being one
of the key documents we will use to attract funding for the town.
The Partnership helped initiate this project and is very keen to
work with the other agencies to help realise the aspirations that
have been identified,” said Mike Bateson, the Haven Gateway
Partnership Secretary.
Ends
Note to editors
About the East of England Development Agency
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is the driving force
behind sustainable economic regeneration in the East of England:
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and
Suffolk. The vision for the East of England is to create a leading
economy, founded on a world class knowledge base, creativity and
enterprise to improve the quality of life for all who live and work
here. For further information follow the link to
www.eeda.org.uk