Councillors Wainwright (in the Chair), Acomb, Andrews, Arnold,Aslett, Mrs Burr, Cottam, Keal, Knaggs and Legard.
Councillors Mrs Arnold, Clark, Cussons, Mrs De Wend Fenton,Hawkins, Hemesley, Hope, Jackson, Maud, Raper, Ms Warriner, MrsWilford and Woodward.
Mrs L Carter, J Rudd, Mrs J Thompson, Miss J Waggott and HWallis.
482. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bailey,Mrs Cowling, Mrs Frank, Mrs Hodgson, Mrs Keal, Mrs Shields andWindress.
483. Declarations of Interest
In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct the followingdeclarations were received in connection with the Malton TownCentre Strategy:
Councillor Andrews declared a personal interest as a member ofthe Car Park Action Group and also as he attends meetings ofbusiness groups in Malton.
Councillor Legard declared a personal interest as he has aninterest in a shop in Malton.
Councillor Mrs Arnold declared a personal interest as she is aNorth Yorkshire County Councillor.
Councillor Arnold declared a personal interest as his wife isa North Yorkshire County Councillor.
Councillor Clark declared a personal interest as he usesMalton Market on a regular basis.
Councillor Aslett declared a personal interest as he had beenlobbied.
Councillor Mrs Burr declared a personal interest as she ownsbusiness premises in Malton.
Councillor Mrs Wilford declared a personal interest as shelives adjacent to the Malton Cattle Market site.
484. Malton Town Centre Strategy
The Forward Planning & Economic Development Managersubmitted a comprehensive report (previously circulated) thepurpose of which was to consider the conclusions andrecommendations of the Malton Town Centre Strategy, which had beenprepared for the Council and Yorkshire Forward by WSP and AtisrealConsultants, and to agree an approach to taking forward theoutcomes of the Strategy.
Prior to the meeting, a presentation had been given byrepresentatives of WSP and Atisreal Consultants. In addition to allMembers of the Council, representatives of Malton and Norton TownCouncils, FitzWilliam Estate, Business in Action, Thrive, Malton& Norton Area Partnership, Boulton & Cooper and Cundallshad been invited to attend.
The Forward Planning & Economic Development Managerreported that the conclusions and recommendations of the MaltonTown Centre Strategy had been based on a detailed investigation oftechnical, environmental and market conditions in Malton. Thepreferred options took into account the responses from two publicconsultation events, the second of which had been attended by over250 people. The recommended Strategy and the approach to thespecific sites had the potential to directly address a significantnumber of the threats and limitations that had been identified bylocal communities and again in reports looking atMalton/Norton.
The implementation of the Strategy was intended to turn aroundthe significant leakage of shoppers to centres outside of Ryedaleand Malton’s decline in some of the retail rankings. It was alsointended to bring forward new town centre housing (especiallyaffordable units) and to provide new entertainment and leisureopportunities. The approach set out in the Strategy also sought toimprove conditions for pedestrians and shoppers, and to lift thepublic realm generally, whilst maintaining key highway links andenhancing parking provision. The Strategy identified potentialdevelopment allocations at a time when the Council was seekingsites that would help address Ryedale’s housing, employment andretail needs for at least the next 15 years. The sites were in themost sustainable locations in Ryedale, all being within the towncentre or in walking distance of the town centre and the publictransport and facilities of Malton/Norton – the principal servicecentre of the District.
The Study did not represent an end in itself, but set out aclear direction of travel. Further work was required to progressand fine-tune the preferred options, including assessing thedetailed highway impacts of proposals and negotiations over leases.There were also important decisions to be made about the Council’sown service delivery and land ownership if some elements of theStrategy were to move forward. Nevertheless, the Study representeda significant step forward for Malton/Norton and merited status asan important material consideration in the determination ofapplications. It was considered vital that the Council was activein developing and progressing the recommendations for action.
The Malton Town Centre Strategy was the overview and masterplan element of a Malton Town Centre Renaissance & EnhancementStudy that had been undertaken for Ryedale District Council andYorkshire Forward by WSP (planning and regeneration consultants)and Atisreal (property consultants). As part of the RenaissanceStudy, detailed development briefs for 10 town centre sites wouldalso be produced and these were to be presented to a subsequentmeeting of this Committee.
The Malton Town Centre Renaissance Study was part of a wellestablished initiative and this Committee had agreed in July 2002to support an ‘action plan’ approach for each of its market towns,starting with the twin-towns of Malton and Norton, to promote theredevelopment and enhancement of specific sites and areas. Theaction plan for each town would act as a strategic plan, with acentral vision and a list of key concerns/issues to be addressedthrough the subsequent actions promoted in the Plan. The initiativewas established to feed into the review of local and regionaleconomic strategies, with the potential to identify strategicsites.
The particular need for ‘a proactive and managed approach, ledby Ryedale District Council in partnership with others, towards thefuture development of Malton and Norton’ was considered necessaryin the light of several reports and studies, including thoseproduced through the Malton and Norton Market Towns Initiative.These identified a wide-range of recurring themes affecting thefuture of the towns (as of 2003), details of which were listed inthe Forward Planning & Economic Development Manager’sreport.
The Council had set the following aim for its initiative todrive forward change and improvement in Malton / Norton:
‘A regeneration and enhancement project toidentify, coordinate, encourage and facilitate land use actions andchanges to tackle identified issues and problems, in particularthose highlighted through the Malton and Norton Partnership,through a partnership approach. The Plan will aim to make best useof previously developed land, and will include allocation of keysites for redevelopment. The Plan will coordinate closely with theTransportation Strategy that is being prepared for Malton andNorton by NYCC, and with the work of the Malton and NortonPartnership.’
This initiative had led to two major studies of town centredevelopment opportunities:
- A 2004 River-Rail Corridor Redevelopment Study
- The Malton Town Centre Renaissance & Enhancement Study
In reality, there had been a wide range of initiatives thathad since identified and moved forward measures to address theissues set out in the report. These included North Yorkshire CountyCouncil’s 2005 Malton and Norton Transportation Strategy plus the2006 Ryedale Employment Land Review and the 2006 Ryedale RetailCapacity Study. There was also a direct relationship with currentdevelopment proposals such as the Business & Technology Park(including an Enterprise Centre) at Old Malton and the joint schemewith North Yorkshire County Council to enhance Commercial Street.This Council’s collection of developer contributions to fund A64junction improvements had also stemmed from this originalinitiative, as did many elements of the 2005 LDF Core Strategy. Themarket had also responded in certain areas, such as the improvementin the range of restaurants and bars that had occurred in Malton.Nevertheless, there remained much to address through LDF policiesand proposals and through individual projects.
The report recommended:
a. That the Malton Town Centre Strategy bewelcomed as a positive step forward and that the conclusions begenerally endorsed;
b. That this Council resolves to giveappropriate regard to the Strategy as an important materialplanning consideration in making development control decisions thataffect the sites in question. Also, that the Strategy is used asthe basis for discussions with landowners and developers aboutthese sites;
c. That the recommendations of theStrategy inform the production of the Ryedale Local DevelopmentFramework, with a view to, where appropriate, allocating sites and/ or producing development briefs, for further publicconsultation;
d. That the District Council works closelywith Yorkshire Forward, North Yorkshire County Council, other keypartners, and with landowners and developers to progress theoutcomes of the Strategy;
e. That detailed development briefs forindividual town centre sites be considered at a subsequentmeeting.
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Knaggs, proposed thatthe above recommendations be replaced by “That the Malton TownCentre Strategy be received as a basis for further consultation anddebate”. Councillor Legard seconded the proposal. Councillor Knaggswas of the opinion that the Strategy should not be either rejectedor accepted at the present time. It was suggested that a trafficimpact assessment was required as well as a business plan. It wassuggested that those that would benefit from the proposals shouldfinance the business plan.
Councillor Knaggs referred to a proposal, which had beencirculated at the meeting, relating to the formation of a SteeringGroup. Councillor Knaggs expressed concern regarding the proposedmembership of the group.
It was proposed by Councillor Andrews and seconded byCouncillor Mrs Burr that the four Group Leaders and the threeMalton Ward Members be authorised to determine the membership ofthe Steering Group. Upon being put to the vote the motion wascarried. The Chairman suggested that a report in this connection besubmitted to the April 2008 meeting of the Policy & ResourcesCommittee. The Committee endorsed this course of action.
Upon being put to the vote, the motion put forward byCouncillor Knaggs and seconded by Councillor Legard, wascarried.
Resolved
(a) That the Malton Town Centre Strategybe received as a basis for further consultation.
(b) That the establishment of a SteeringGroup be supported and that the four Group Leaders and Malton WardMembers be authorised to determine the membership of the SteeringGroup.