Object
Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP) - Revised Proposed Submission 2016
Representation ID: 2862
Received: 15/12/2016
Respondent: Stockvale Group
Agent: Stockvale Group
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
We strongly object to this policy. The Council's Car Parking Study (CPS), undertaken by Steer Davis
Gleave, Reference 22958604, dated November 2016 and the RPS Technical Note, which is submitted with in support of these representations, show that the car parks south of the railway line are the ones that are most under pressure, with 97% occupancy recorded on a day that was far from the busiest of the year. This site is an important part of that capacity, and also needs to play a role in increasing capacity to support the growth of the seafront tourism sector proposed by the SCAAP and to deal with the capacity issues identified in the two car parking documents.
We are surprised that the policy only mentions addressing a need for replacement car parking provision by "identifying how any displaced parking needs are to be met on the site or in this part of the town centre". This makes no allowance for the growth in the tourism industry that the SCAAP states that it is seeking, which will generate additional demand for parking (noting that there is a greater reliance on the private car by tourists - see RPS Technical Note). It also does not reflect the statement in Local Transport Plan 3 that there is likely to be a 25% growth in car parking demand by 2021. There needs to be a clear statement that any development proposals which remove areas of surface car parking should contribute to the replacement of that car parking, with an increase of around 25%. If this policy does not aim to deal with capacity issues identified in the CPS and the RPS Technical Note, as well as providing for the growth in tourism that the SCAAP is seeking to achieve (see our representations on other paragraphs and policies covering growth), then this will not have been positively prepared. In addition, a policy that cannot accommodate and facilitate this growth will not be effective in meeting the objectives of the SCAAP set out on Page 12. The statement about finding an alternative site in "this part" of the town centre needs to be clear that the site must be south of the railway line; otherwise the seafront area, where it has been identified that there is the greatest pressure, will suffer from a reduction in parking capacity, with serious consequences for the businesses on the seafront.
RPS has prepared the following representations to Southend Borough Council's Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP), Revised Proposed Submission Version (November 2016) The following Headings represent Paragraphs or Policies contained within the SCAAP. These representations should be read in conjunction with the accompanying completed Representations Forms.
Our client operates the largest and most successful tourism businesses in Southend (The StockvaleGroup is the owner and operator of: Adventure Island theme park; Sealife Adventure; Three Shells beach café; Pavilion Fish and Chips; Feelgoods Pizza Pasta Restaurant; Sands Bistro restaurant; Adventure Inside and Radio Essex). We would like an opportunity to explain our client's business aspirations and explain why the policies in the Plan will not provide a firm basis for the growth of tourism in Southend, and indeed will have the opposite effect on tourism businesses to the objectives set out at the start of the SCAAP. It is very important to our client that the Inspector understands the consequences of adopting the SCAAP as currently drafted.