195

Object

Representation ID: 2492

Received: 14/11/2016

Respondent: Mr Stephen kennedy

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Dose southend need a second cinema

Object

Representation ID: 2864

Received: 15/12/2016

Respondent: Stockvale Group

Agent: Stockvale Group

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

This paragraph identifies Seaways as: "...a major opportunity for mixed-use development, contributing to the leisure and cultural offer of Southend Central Area through the provision of uses
such as restaurants and cinema as well as possibly a hotel or residential, car parking, public open and green spaces, improved access and connectively through the creation of 'Spanish Steps' linking this opportunity site to the promenade of Marine Parade." We are concerned about this paragraph for a number of reasons. This is the single most important car park for the seafront, and supports numerous growing businesses on Southend seafront. In short, the seafront tourism businesses rely on this car park. It is worrying to see it referred to as a "major opportunity for mixed-use development", as we are concerned about its ability to continue in this role. If this car park is lost, there will be significant implications for the seafront businesses, including the major attractions operated by The Stockvale Group (Adventure Island and Sea Life Adventure, as well as its several restaurants and other catering outlets on the seafront ).
We are also worried by the statement that this development will contribute "to the leisure and cultural offer" of Southend Central Area, as we consider that this car park primarily serves the town's tourism offer. As we have stated in our representations on other paragraphs and policies, there is a difference between tourism and leisure. Although there is crossover, tourism serves primarily visitors to an area and leisure mainly provides for residents. There needs to be a clear statement in the Plan that this site serves the town's tourism industry, and any loss of that role to other developments (such as leisure and residential) will be a major concern to us. We don't dispute that a cinema would provide a facility for visitors to the town, but this would not be its primary role. Most visitors to Southend come from towns with cinemas; they do not visit Southend of this reason. It is essential that this point is understood by the Council because the loss of an important tourism resource to a development that is primarily serving local residents is going to be a sizeable blow to the town's tourism economy. There is no mention in the supporting text of protecting and expanding the site's tourism role, and in particular increasing and enhancing the parking provision on the site to accommodate the growth in the town's tourism offer that the SCAAP proposes.