Object
Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP) - Revised Proposed Submission 2016
Representation ID: 2883
Received: 16/12/2016
Respondent: Southend BID
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Transport and Access into the Town is a key theme and in order to deliver the aspired number of new dwellings and new jobs in the Central Area, the BID wish to see this appropriately addressed through the SCAAP documentation. At present the BID does not believe that the Transport, Access and Parking issues have been given enough consideration. Nor has the ability of the existing infrastructure to cope with the increased pressure on it that will be created from the aspirational growth. During busy periods business believes that the parking and infrastructure network is insufficient to deal with existing demand, let alone cope with the predicted growth.
The Council's Local Transport Plan 3 estimates the growth in demand for car parking in the central area over the next 4 years will be 25%. No policy is in place within the scaap to deal with this estimated shortage in capacity.
The BID notes that the omission of an effective parking strategy, stating the need to increase parking stock over the next 4 years, neglects the needs of existing business and the development needs of the area as well as the existing and future infrastructure requirements.
The BID would like to emphasise its concern that the above, combined with the desired sustainable transport measures proposed in DS5, will lead to a major shortage of parking capacity during peak periods and heavy congestion throughout the area.
The Seafront businesses rely on easy access to car parking and convenient access to the seafront so the large number of families visiting by car can access the tourist attractions on the seafront easily. The retail businesses located in and around the high street rely on a large supply of easy to access car parking spaces to encourage trips into the high street. The BID believe the omission of planned infrastructure improvements and increases in the parking stock will create parking chaos and congestion and drive the customers of its businesses elsewhere. Tourists will simply choose another resort destination and increasing numbers of shoppers will choose out of town shopping centres and retail parks such as Lakeside and the Mayflower retail Park at Basildon.
We attach representation form re the SCAAP. The enclosed form is submitted by us as members of Southend BID whose details and address are included in Part A of the form. However all communications should be with or sent to us at the telephone numbers and email addresses shown in Part A or by post to:
Paul Thompson, Alan Bacon
This representation is made on behalf of members of The Southend BID. The BID is comprised of 378 levy paying members which comprises a wide range of businesses in sectors including retail, tourism, education and office based professional services to name a few. The BID zone in broad terms is made up of businesses within the High Street and its surrounding side streets together with the main tourist part of the seafront. The BID zone falls within the Southend Central Area and thus its members make up the majority of businesses within the SCAAP area. The BID was established 4 years ago following a ballot of the 378 businesses that now comprise the levy payers.
Through the BID a number of representations have been made following the BID's own consultation on a range of issues. The BID appointed SK Architects Ltd to make a formal representation as part of an earlier consultation by Southend Council on its SCAAP. SK Architects attended the council's consultation workshop and as the 2 sessions were poorly advertised the attendance by businesses was low. SK Architects then undertook its own consultation on behalf of the BID and produced a consultation form based on the key themes and opportunity sites highlighted in the SCAAP. The consultation responses helped form the 35 page document that SK prepared and which the BID submitted to SBC in February as it's formal representation to the SCAAP. (submission document attached)
Following on from the publication of the final version of the SCAAP the BID board of directors decided that certain parts of it's representation had been ignored by SBC and feel that sections of the dpd would threaten the economic viability of businesses within the scaap area. It was agreed by the board to make this further formal representation to the public consultation process prior to the oral examination with the government inspector.