Metropolitan Borough of Wirral Cabinet: 8 January

METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF WIRRAL

CABINET: 8th JANUARY 2004

REPORT OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE/DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MERSEY WATERFRONT REGIONAL PARK [MWRP] BOARD HELD ON 12th DECEMBER 2003

1. Executive Summary

1.1 This report seeks approval of the recommendations of the MWRP Board at its meeting on 12th December 2003, and of the MWRP Management Group at its meeting on January 7, 2004.

2. Background

2.1 Cabinet, at its meeting on December 17, 2003, considered a series of recommendations from the MWRP Board held on December 12, 2003.

2.2 At the MWRP Board meeting there were two tabled items which were only finalised on the day of the meeting and it was not possible to include these, for timescale reasons, in the report to Cabinet on December 17th 2003 and the Board delegated certain project approvals to its Management Group Meeting on January 7, 2004 to ensure that the projects could be considered and, if approved, begin to spend before the end of the current financial year.

3. Report

3.1 Marine Parade Bridge [Application by Sefton MBC]

3.1.1 Southport is one of only three principal coastal resorts in the North West (alongside Morecambe & Blackpool) and an important tourism resource within Merseyside. In May 2002 the Southport Partnership produced a Seafront Strategy and Action Plan, which provided a vision for Southport Seafront, which ‘is to create a high quality tourism resort for the Region’. In order to achieve this vision a multi-priority Action Plan approach has been adopted which aims to secure both public and private investment to implement an holistic approach to the regeneration of the area – through business development, physical regeneration, employment and life-long learning.

3.1.2 One of the key physical regeneration projects referred to in the Strategy is the re-opening of the Marine Parade Bridge (the bridge). The bridge was constructed in 1895 and was an essential part of the highway infrastructure of Southport until 1990 when it was closed to traffic for safety reasons. Over subsequent years the condition of the bridge Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 1 deteriorated and in 2001 an independent consultants report recommended that the bridge be demolished primarily as it was considered to be incapable of economic repair.

3.1.3 Following a comprehensive consultation process a scheme for a replacement bridge was approved by Sefton MBC (the Council) Planning Committee on 28th August 2002. Following a competitive tendering process the Council appointed Balfour Beatty Construction Limited (Balfour Beatty) as contractor for the construction of the new bridge and works commenced on site in November 2002. The demolition of the existing bridge structure was completed in June 2003 and construction of the new bridge is scheduled for completion by the end of March 2004.

3.1.4 It is considered that the new Marine Parade Bridge gives the opportunity to provide an iconic landmark structure, which will create an identity for Southport at the gateway to the MWRP. This has encouraged the Council to pursue a bold engineering solution for the new bridge, and to give special attention to its detailed design. In this context the Council are requesting MWRP to provide funding support towards the following specific design enhancement works.

· Overall Integrated Lighting Scheme - the work envisaged includes 6 floodlights on the supports of the main bridge pylon; 18 floodlights, one to the outer edge of each bridge support cable; 50 illuminated bollards along the bridge; 46 LED luminaries to the under deck sections of the bridge; and 3 floodlights to the terraced areas;

· GRP Finish to Pylon - the Pylon is the main support structure of the Bridge and the two supporting legs are to be clad in a glass fibre reinforced plastic finish; · Balustrades – Provision of ornamental balustrades to each side of the Bridge, and to the East Terrace; · Link Bridge to Pier - this modifies and enhances the existing footbridge on the West Bank allowing access from the Pier to the new Bridge. The work entails new foundation work to suit the Link Bridge’s new position; modifications and re-painting of balustrading; and the incorporation of a non-slip finish to the Link Bridge surface; · Landscaping – a comprehensive scheme is proposed incorporating both hard and soft landscaping at both the East and West ends of the Bridge.

3.1.5 The total cost of the works items is £593,375 and is included within the overall £6.754m scheme cost. MWRP are being requested to provide a funding contribution of £500,000 towards the total project cost. MWRP attributable outputs for the project include the creation of one new MW recreation access point and attraction, an annual increase of 7,400 in visitor numbers to MW attractions and an associated annual increase in spend of £270k.

3.1.6 The project has been independently appraised by Taylor UDC and an appraisal of the summary is given below:-

· The clear main aim of the project to improve the overall design of the bridge to provide an iconic rather than functional structure which considerably enhances the appearance of Southport Seafront by day and night and will be a landmark feature in its own right.

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 2 · The bridge is located in a key location and once completed will be a focal point for Southport and the northern gateway to the MWRP as such there is a clear need for a high quality of design befitting of such a landmark structure.

· The Council’s Engineering Consultancy (using Babtie Consulting Engineers as designers and site supervisors) will be responsible for the procurement and management of the project and they have a proven track record of delivering major infrastructure projects.

· The project fits in with a number of the MWRP Specific Objectives and is included within the 2003/04 Performance Plan. In addition the project fits in and complements a number of MWRP funded projects, including the Southport Pier Tram and Southport Environmental Improvement Scheme.

· It is considered that the project will support the priorities of NWDA’s Regional Economic Strategy including Regeneration and Infrastructure and Image. The project also links in with the objectives of NWDA’s Strategy for Tourism in the North West (June 2003), which identifies Southport under its Regional Gem programme.

· The Marine Parade Bridge project sits within a number of strategies for Southport and the wider Mersey Waterfront area including the Southport Seafront Action Plan, Sefton MBC Local Transport Plan and the Merseyside Objective 1 Programme.

· In terms of impact on equality and diversity, the project will be implemented in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures on equal opportunities. The project has no impact on different ethnic groups or by gender as the project benefits will be readily available to all groups.

· The Council’s estimate of the cost of the project works (£759,415) has been the subject of a detailed evaluation by W.M Law who are on the NWDA’s Cost Consultant Panel. In overall terms the Consultant QS has increased the total project cost to £1,023,795. The main increase is in relation to the estimated cost of the landscaping element, which has been evaluated by the Consultant QS at £250k as compared to the Council’s cost inclusion of £80k. The Council have agreed with the Consultant QS’s evaluation, which has been reflected in the revised overall project cost for the Bridge (£6.754m). In accordance with standard procedures on retrospection any works already completed have been excluded as part of the evaluation in order to arrive at an MWRP eligible cost figure. A total deduction of £430,421 has been made for the value of the works already completed, which leaves an MWRP eligible project cost of £593,375.

· There are no other suitable alternative funding sources and without MWRP funding the basic bridge scheme will be completed, however, the MWRP funding is to provide significant enhancement to the overall design quality of the project. Without MWRP funding the elements of enhancement and overall quality will be significantly reduced which will detract from the impact, which such a landmark structure should have.

· Although the MWRP funding is only a very small element of the overall funding package for the project it will be used to fund works, which are vital in order to provide

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 3 an iconic rather than functional structure. Taking into account the estimated outputs and the other project benefits it is considered that the proposed MWRP funding does offer very good value for money.

· Completion of the project will see delivery of the key outputs, the Council will take onboard the on going management and maintenance of the bridge following the contractors 12 month maintenance period.

· Overall, it is considered that this is a low risk project to the MWRP programme.

3.1.7 The Board recommended that a maximum MWRP grant of £500,000 should be approved to part fund this project, subject to the non-delegated approval of the project by the NWDA as the MWRP grant is in excess of the £250,000 delegated limit set by the NWDA.

3.2 Management and Administration, and Technical Support Costs

3.2.1 The Board agreed to a request from the Acting Director of the MWRP to re-align the structure of the Management and Administration Budget to better address current and future spending heads. The total Management and Administration Budget of £1,277,000 will not be affected by this alignment but the agreement of the NWDA will be required because of the terms of the Grant Offer Letter signed between Wirral MBC [as Accountable Body for the MWRP] and the NWDA. This is currently being sought.

3.2.2 In addition the MWRP Board agreed to allocate £375,000 from its Direct Project Costs heading to provide technical support for the development of projects which was thought to be important in its plans for 2004/05. Again this will require the approval of the NWDA as it represents a variation to the Grant Offer Letter and this is being sought.

3.3 Projects delegated to the Management Group Meeting on January 7, 2004

3.3.1 The Board, in an attempt to ensure maximum financial expenditure within the current financial year [which ends on March 31, 2004] agreed to delegate to its Management Group which meets on January 7, 2004 the decision on several projects, subject to satisfactory appraisal.

3.3.2 The projects are outlined below and the Deputy Chief Executive / Director of Planning & Economic Development, who chairs the MWRP Management Group, will report verbally to Cabinet on the decisions made by that group.

3.3.3 The projects are as follows:-

· Runcorn Gap – Trans Pennine Trail Access and Visual Improvements [Applicant – Halton Borough Council]

The Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) crosses northern England from the Mersey to the Humber running through the cities of Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Hull. It provides a ‘green’ and enjoyable way to travel from urban centres to the countryside, passing distinctive scenery such as the Peak District National Park,

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 4 Mersey Forest and South Yorkshire Forest. Sections around the River Mersey form part of the proposed Mersey Waterfront Trail. The TPT has benefited from considerable public investment over recent years including over £5.5m of funding from the Millennium Commission.

The TPT crosses Halton on the Widnes bank of River Mersey passing through and adjacent to a number of Nature Reserves and other places of interest including Widnes Warth, Spike Island, Pickerings Pasture and the Hale Duck Decoy. The TPT was completed as a route through Halton in 2000, when Millennium Commission funding was made available to provide a pedestrian bridge over Ditton Brook and to provide a route for the trail through the West Bank Dock Estate. In order to build on work already done to the TPT Halton Borough Council (The Council) are implementing a strategic programme of overall improvements to raise the profile of the TPT involving upgrading areas which do not conform to the higher standard elsewhere on the route.

One of the areas identified by the Council as requiring upgrading is a site around Parsonage Road at the point where the TPT passes beneath the Runcorn Railway Viaduct and the Jubilee Road Bridge. This Council owned site is characterised by overgrown vegetation, concrete hardstanding, fly tipped material and in general terms provides for a very poor and inappropriate physical environment. The Council is requesting MWRP funding support to undertake site clearance, landscaping and resurfacing works to more clearly define the route of the trail and improve accessibility. The total cost of the works has been estimated at £30,000 of which £10,000 is to be funded through the Council’s Capital Priorities Fund with the remaining £20,000 the subject of this application for MWRP funding. MWRP attributable outputs for the project are the improvement of 1.5 hectares of neglected/underused land and 0.7 km of improved public access.

The project has been appraised by Taylor UDC and a summary of the key points are given below:-

· The clear main aim of the project is to improve the visual appearance of a derelict site on and around the route of the TPT at an historic crossing point of the River Mersey;

· The need for the project has been recognised by the Council, as the site is included in a strategic programme of improvements to raise the profile of the TPT by upgrading sites, which are derelict and provide for a poor and inappropriate physical environment;

· The Council’s Landscape Services department will be responsible for the procurement and management of the project and they have a proven track record of delivering a wide range of similar environmental improvement projects, on time and within budget;

· The provision of funding for the project is included within the MWRP Performance Plan 2003/04 as part of the Estuary Development and Management Initiative (EDM). Proposals for the establishment of the EDM are currently being independently appraised and an application to the Merseyside Objective 1 Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 5 programme to provide match funding support for the EDM initiative is to be submitted by the end of January 2004. This project is being brought forward by Halton Borough Council, which means that it will not be able to attract Objective 1 match funding. Taking this into consideration and the fact that the project is in a position to proceed immediately an application has been submitted for appraisal prior to the formal approval of the EDM initiative by MWRP;

· It is considered that the project will support the priorities of NWDA’s Regional Economic Strategy including Infrastructure and Image. The overall project linkage is the national TPT initiative and the more regional proposed Mersey Waterfront Trail. Locally the Council’s Urban Renewal Strategy and Unitary Development Plan recognise the importance of the protection and enhancement of the TPT;

· The total project cost has been estimated by the Council at £30,000 and a detailed breakdown of the proposed works has been provided broken down into quantities and rates. The rates adopted have been based on recent tenders and the Council’s extensive experience of similar environmental improvement projects. On this basis it is considered that the project can be delivered within the total estimated project cost of £30,000;

· It is clear that the environmental improvement scheme proposed is the best option as is the only way that the visual improvement of this site can be achieved. The only way for the project to proceed in the short term is for MWRP to provide funding at the level applied for by the Council;

· Taking into account the estimated outputs and the other project benefits as compared to the relatively low level of MWRP funding support requested it is considered that the project does offer very good value for money;

· Completion of the project will see delivery of the key outputs, the Council will take onboard the on going management and maintenance as part of the TPT;

· Overall, it is considered that this is a low risk project to the MWRP programme.

The appraisal recommends:-

By undertaking the environmental improvement works proposed the Council will greatly improve the visual interest to the TPT between the two visitor centres at Pickerings Pasture and Spike Island and a vital section of the proposed Mersey Waterfront Trail. The project has a very strong strategic context in terms of the RES, EDM Initiative and MWRP 2003/04 Performance Plan. The project satisfies the NWDA’s guiding principles and appraisal criteria and the specific MWRP appraisal criteria of legacy and quality, delivery capacity and leverage capacity.

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 6 It is recommended that MWRP provide £20,000 of capital funding to Halton Borough Council to part fund this project subject to confirmation of £10,000 of funding through Halton Council’s Capital Priorities Fund.

· Wigg Island Floating Reedbed [Applicant – Halton Borough Council]

Wigg Island is located in Runcorn and is a 24 hectare site, bordered by salt marsh and the Mersey Estuary on one side, and the Manchester Ship Canal on the other the land on which Wigg Island now stands was originally salt marsh and since the early 1860s was used for various industrial processes. Wigg Island was later taken over by the Runcorn Development Corporation, who demolished all the buildings, imported fill material and reclaimed the land for recreational use. In the mid 1990s, the site was closed to the public, following concerns about underlying chemical contamination being exposed.

The site was acquired by Halton Borough Council (the Council) in 1998, with a view to undertaking remediation works and opening it to the public for recreational use. The first phase of the re-development of the site started in early 2001, and consisted of a network of footpaths and cycleways; an area for model aircraft flying; a car park; management of existing planted areas; new tree planting; and bird hides looking over the Mersey estuary. The works were funded by the Council and SRB and the site was opened to the public in April 2002. The recently completed second phase of works involved the remediation of a disused spur of the Runcorn Latchford canal, to create a clean freshwater habitat.

In order to complete the remediation of the Runcorn Latchford canal and the second phase of works to Wigg Island the Council are requesting MWRP funding assistance towards the cost of introducing a floating reedbed system to the canal. Reedbeds are considered to be an attractive and important part of an estuary landscape as they support a distinctive range of breeding birds including locally rare species such as the Reed Bunting as well as providing feeding and roosting sites for migratory species.

The total cost of providing the reedbed is £89,010 of which £8,000 is to be funded by the Council with the remaining £81,010 the subject of this application for MWRP funding support. MWRP attributable outputs for the project include the creation of one improved MW attraction attraction, 0.16 hectares of enhanced habitat and an annual increase in visitor number of 91.

The project has been appraised by Taylor UDC and a summary of the key points are given below:-

· The clear main aim of the project is to improve the visual interest to guided tours and diversify the habitat on Wigg Island, which will help achieve Local Nature Reserve status;

· The reedbed is needed as it is considered that it is integral to the ecological clean up of the canal spur (phase 2 works) as Reedbeds are able to soak up contaminants and act as a filter to prevent discolouration of otherwise clean water;

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 7 · The Council’s Landscape Services department will be responsible for the procurement and management of the project and they have a proven track record of delivering a wide range of similar regeneration/heritage projects including the two phases of the Wigg Island project. The Council’s Nature Conservation Officer will provide biodiversity advice;

· The provision of funding for the project is included within the MWRP Performance Plan 2003/04 as part of the Estuary Development and Management Initiative (EDM). Proposals for the establishment of the EDM are currently being independently appraised and an application to the Merseyside Objective 1 programme to provide match funding support for the EDM initiative is to be submitted by the end of January 2004. This project is being brought forward by Halton Borough Council, which means that it will not be able to attract Objective 1 match funding. Taking this into consideration and the fact that the project is in a position to proceed immediately an application has been submitted for appraisal prior to the formal approval of the EDM initiative by MWRP;

· It is considered that the project will support the priorities of NWDA’s Regional Economic Strategy including Infrastructure and Image. Locally the project fits in with a number of strategies for Halton including the Natural Assets, Biodiversity Action Plan and Community Strategies;

· The total project cost has been estimated by the Council at £89,010 based on a quote provided to the Council by the contractor for the recently completed Phase 2 Engineering works. The contractor who has provided the quote was appointed to undertake the Phase 2 Engineering works following a competitive tendering process, which included providing an estimated cost for the proposed reedbed. The Council have provided a copy of a letter (dated 25th November 2003) from the contractor confirming the firm cost for the project works. On this basis it is considered that the project can be delivered within the total estimated project cost of £89,010;

· It is clear that the floating reedbed is the best option as is the only way that the aesthetic aspects of the canal restoration process can be achieved, which allows for proper maintenance and management regime to be implemented. The only way for the floating reedbed to be provided is for MWRP to providing funding at the level applied for by the Council;

· Taking into account the significant estimated outputs and the other project benefits as compared to the relatively low level of MWRP funding support requested it is considered that the project does offer very good value for money;

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 8 · Completion of the project will see delivery of the key outputs, the Council will take onboard the on going management and maintenance of the reedbed as part of the Wigg Island Management Plan (a ten year forward planning document).

· Overall, it is considered that this is a low risk project to the MWRP programme.

The appraisal recommends:

The installation of a reedbed will allow the Council to complete the remediation of the Runcorn Latchford Canal and will help achieve the aim of making Wigg Island a regionally important feature on the Mersey Estuary. The project has a very strong strategic context in terms of the RES, EDM Initiative and MWRP 2003/04 Performance Plan. The project satisfies the NWDA’s guiding principles and appraisal criteria and the specific MWRP appraisal criteria of legacy and quality, delivery capacity and leverage capacity.

It is recommended that MWRP provide £81,010 of capital funding to Halton Borough Council all of which will be spent this financial year (2003/04). This funding should be made subject to the Council providing written confirmation that their proposed £8,000 funding contribution is in place prior to letting a contract for the proposed works.

· Southport Marine Lake Study [Applicant – Sefton MBC]

Southport is one of only three principal coastal resorts in the North West (alongside Morecambe & Blackpool) and an important tourism resource within Merseyside. In May 2002 the Southport Partnership produced a Seafront Strategy and Action Plan, which recognised that whilst Southport benefited from high visitor numbers, the resort, like most coastal resorts in the UK suffered from changing trends within the UK tourist market. The Strategy also considered that although Southport Seafront has attracted substantial investment in recent years significant parts of the infrastructure and facilities of the resort remain outdated and in need of re-investment.

The Strategy provided a vision for Southport Seafront which ‘is to create a high quality tourism resort for the Region that meets the needs of local people and visitors; is closely integrated to the wider town centre; and is underpinned by a series of well managed, sustainable businesses’. In order to achieve this vision a multi-priority Action Plan was approved as part of Merseyside’s Objective One Programme in 2001. One of the key projects referred to in the Action Plan was the need for significant improvements to the Marine Lake and the adjacent Princes Park.

The Lake has a water area of some 36 hectares and a circumference of 1.5 kilometres, but its condition is now hampering its use for watersports due to increasing levels of silt caused by blowing sand, and silt deposition when the lake is filled on high tides. The condition of the perimeter of the lake is also causing increasing concern. Rectifying the problems and developing the lake to once more fulfil its potential will require substantial funding which may need to be phased over a number of years.

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 9 Restoring the depth would require a combination of localised raising of the edges of the lake, and dredging. The latter operation will require sites to be found locally for disposal of the dredgings, in order to minimise costs.

One solution may be to link this work with the re-landscaping of the adjacent Princes Park – a flat, featureless grassed area which has been affected by adjacent development, and was identified in the Action Plan as suitable for more productive use. It has the potential for development as a multi-purpose recreational area with the capability of accommodating occasional large-scale events.

A draft Design Brief for the Marine Lake and Princes Park commission has been produced (December 2003).

Project Description

The project is designed to help achieve the above objectives by commissioning a Study to make the economic case for the works needed to bring the lake and its immediate surroundings, including Princes Park, up to the standards necessary to enrich the quality of the seafront offer and enhance this key gateway to the north end of the Mersey Waterfront Park.

The study will produce a detailed cost-benefit analysis in order to make the case fully to all potential funding partners. It will also include a Swan Study to advise on the effect of any changes on the large, resident swan population at the Lake.

The Study will be commissioned in January 2004 and be completed by the end of March 2004.

Project Costs

Element 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Total

£ £ £ £ Marine Lake Appraisal 45,000 45,000 Princes Park Design 35,000 35,000 Marine Lake Edge Design 40,000 40,000

Swan brief 10,000 10,000 Biological impact report on 15,000 15,000 dredging Total 145,000 145,000

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 10 Funding Sources

Sources 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Total £ £ £

Mersey Waterfront 40,000 40,000 Sefton MBC 75,000 75,000 Southport Partnership 30,000 30,000

Total 145,000 145,000

Outputs

The project will not proceed without the proposed MWRP funding and it is estimated that it will achieve the following MWRP outputs during 2003/04.

2003/04 2004-06 All Years Output Total MWRP Total MWRP Total MWRP

No. of studies 1 0 0 1 produced Total Mersey Waterfront (NWDA) 40.0 0 0 40.0 fund spent (£k) Total Other Public Sector spend, 105.0 105.0 including SRB (£k)

It is recommended, subject to the confirmation of matched funding, that £40,000 of MWRP funding is agreed to part fund this project.

· Hale Duck Decoy – Replacement Swing Bridge

The Hale Duck Decoy (the Decoy) is an important Scheduled Ancient Monument located near Hale Village on the Widnes side of the River Mersey within the Mersey Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Decoy was constructed in the Seventeenth Century as a method of attracting and catching ducks and is the only surviving Decoy in the North West and one of only three remaining in the country. The Decoy is owned by Hale Estates and for the period 1977 to 1998, was leased to Cheshire County Council (CCC). Since gaining Unitary status in 1998, Halton Borough Council (the Council) have taken over responsibility for nature conservation matters from CCC and in 2001 they took out a new 25 year lease from Hale Estates to re-establish the site as a nature reserve.

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 11 The Decoy is shaped in an irregular pentagon covering an area of 3.6 ha of which 3 ha is made up of mature oak woodland with the remainder comprising mostly the main pond, ditches and footpaths. A small gamekeeper’s cottage has been re- constructed near to the site entrance on the northern side of the reserve and two timber bird hides have been provided on the southern corner overlooking the marsh. The decoy is surrounded by a 6 m water filled moat and is accessed by a narrow swing bridge across the moat.

During 2003, the Council undertook restoration works to the heritage elements of the Decoy with the objective of recreating the method of catching wildfowl from the Estuary. The cost of these works was £46,000, which were funded by the Heritage Lottery fund (HLF). The restoration works were officially launched in August 2003 following which a number of guided walks took place for the first time in its three hundred year history.

The swing bridge, which is the only means of accessing the Decoy, is in a very poor state of repair and does not meet current health and safety requirements. The Council are requesting MWRP funding support to design and construct a new swing bridge and to undertake access improvement works to the Decoy to improve visitor safety. The cost of designing the new swing bridge has been estimated by the Council at £5,000 and provisional estimates indicate that the cost of constructing the bridge and undertaking the access improvements will be in the order of £17,000. The Halton Local Strategic Partnership intends to provide a £5,000 funding contribution towards the total project costs. MWRP attributable outputs for the project comprise the creation of one improved recreation access point and attraction and an annual increase in visitor number of 308.

Appraisal Summary

· The clear main aim of this project is to improve the safety of visitors to the Decoy by providing a replacement swing bridge and undertaking access improvement works which comply with modern safety requirements;

· The new swing bridge is needed as the current structure is in a very poor state of repair and does not meet current safety requirements. Also, it is considered that a new swing bridge is key to attaining visitor numbers to the Decoy;

· The Council’s Landscape Services department will be responsible for the procurement and management of the project and they have a proven track record of delivering a wide range of similar regeneration/heritage projects including the recently completed HLF funded works to the Decoy. The HDDS will provide heritage and biodiversity advice;

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 12 submitted by the end of January 2004. This project is being brought forward by Halton Borough Council, which means that it will not be able to attract Objective 1 match funding. Taking this into consideration and the fact that the project is in a position to proceed immediately an application has been submitted for appraisal prior to the formal approval of the EDM initiative by MWRP;

· In terms of impact on equality and diversity, the project will be implemented in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures on equal opportunities. The main construction works will be competitively tendered. The project has no impact on different ethnic groups or by gender as the project benefits will be readily available to all groups;

· The total cost of the project has been estimated by the Council at £22,000 comprising £5,000 for design fees and £17,000 for the construction of the new swing bridge and the access improvement works. It is considered that the £5,000 estimate for design fees does not seem unreasonable considering the size and nature of proposed construction works. The Council’s estimate of the cost of for the swing bridge is only an indicative figure at this stage as the design has not yet been completed and the works have not been tendered. As such, it is considered that an assessment as to the reasonableness of the estimated cost cannot be made at this stage;

· It is clear that a replacement swing bridge is the best option as is the only way that the safety risks can be removed and the Council’s visitor number aspirations can be met. The only way a replacement swing bridge and the associated access improvement works can be provided/undertaken is for MWRP to providing funding at the level applied for by the Council.

· Taking into account the estimated outputs (as detailed in the Project Summary) and the other project benefits as compared to the relatively low level of MWRP funding support requested it is considered that the project does offer very good value for money’;

· Completion of the project will see delivery of the key outputs, the Council will take onboard the on going management and maintenance of the new bride as part of the Hale Duck Decoy Management Plan (a ten year forward planning document). The Council have advised that maintenance costs will be met from existing Landscape Services revenue budgets.

Recommendation

The construction of a new swing bridge and the implementation of access improvements will provide a safe and reliable means of access for visitors to the Hale Duck Decoy. The project has a strong strategic context in terms of the RES, EDM

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 13 Initiative and MWRP 2003/04 Performance Plan. The project satisfies the NWDA’s guiding principles and appraisal criteria and the specific MWRP appraisal criteria of legacy and quality, delivery capacity and leverage capacity.

A number of risks have been identified in relation to the eventual cost and deliverability of the new swing bridge, as the design of a new structure has not yet commenced. Having regard to the identified risks it is recommended that an MWRP grant is approved towards the costs of the Hale Duck Decoy bridge in two stages:-

£3,850 towards the design cost of £5,000 [the difference being funded by Halton’s Local Strategic Partnership] and subject to satisfactory design and tendered cost, a grant of £13,150 towards the construction costs of £17,000 [with the difference £3,850 being funded from Halton’s LSP]. This makes the total grant £17,000 towards the total project costs of £22,000.

4. Financial and Staffing Implications

4.1 All these projects are funded from the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park, a financial resource that is made available by the North West Development Agency for which the Council is the Accountable Body.

5. Equal Opportunities Implications

5.1 The Mersey Waterfront Regional Park [MWRP] promotes equal opportunities for all.

6. Planning Implications

6.1 There are no known planning implications arising directly from this report.

7. Local Agenda 21 Implications

7.1 There are no known Local Agenda 21 Implications arising directly from this report.

8. Community Safety Implications

8.1 There are no known Community Safety implications arising directly from this report.

9. Human Rights Implications

9.1 There are no known Human Rights implications arising directly from this report.

10. Local Member Support Implications

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 14 10.1 As Wirral Borough Council is the Accountable Body for the MWRP project, this report will be of interest to all members of the Council.

11. Background Papers

11.1 The Board papers circulated to the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park [MWRP] Board on 12th December 2003 were used in the preparation of this report.

11.2 These papers are held at the Wirral Waterfront Office, Egerton House, 2 Tower Road, Birkenhead, Wirral.

11.3 If further information is required please contact David Ball, the Executive Manager, on 0151-650-6981.

12. Recommendations

12.1 This report recommends that:-

· subject to the non-delegated approval of the North West Development Agency, a grant of £500,000 from the MWRP be approved to Sefton MBC to part fund the Marine Parade Bridge;

· the approval of the NWDA is sought to make adjustments to the Management and Administration Budget [within the overall budget of £1,277,000] and to allocate £375,000 of Direct Project Costs to Technical Support Costs;

· subject to the confirmation of matched funding, £20,000 of MWRP resources is approved to Halton B.C. to part fund the Runcorn Gap project;

· subject to the confirmation of matched funding, £81,010 of MWRP funding is approved to Halton B.C. to part fund the Wigg Island Floating Reedbed project;

· subject to the confirmation of matched funding £40,000 of MWRP funding is approved to Sefton MBC to part fund the Southport Marine Lake Study;

· subject to the confirmation of matched funding and MWRP, Halton B.C. and Hale Estates agreeing the design of the bridge, that an MWRP grant is approved towards the costs of the Hale Duck Decoy bridge in two stages:-

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 15 J. WILKIE Deputy Chief Executive / Director of Planning & Economic Development

\\Bigboy\sys\PlanAgenda\CABPED040122REP2.doc

Cabinet: 8th January 2004 Recommendations of the Mersey Waterfront Regional Park Board: December 12. 2003 16