ITEM NO: 10

Report To: EXECUTIVE CABINET

Date: 24 October 2012

Executive Member/Reporting Cllr K Quinn - Executive Leader Officer: Robin Monk - Executive Director (Economic Growth, Investment & Sustainability) Damien Bourke - Head of Strategic Investment & Development

Subject: REVITALISING TAMESIDE’S TOWNS

Report Summary: This report sets out the Council’s future plans to revitalise Tameside’s town centres.

Recommendations: Subject to formal Key Decision at Cabinet Executive Members are asked to: 1. Note the content of the report and approve the proposals it puts forward; 2. Approve the submission of a capital bid of £4.5m to fund the public realm works to Ashton Market Square; 3. Approve delegation to the Executive Director (Economic Growth, Investment & Sustainability) to: a) Agree an action plan for each of Tameside’s six Town Teams on behalf of Tameside Council; and b) Allocate and approve the spending of High Street Innovation Fund monies on behalf of each Town Team in accordance with the relevant Action Plan, to a maximum value of £16,666 per Town Team.

Links to Community Strategy: Town Centres play a key role in meeting the aims of Prosperous Tameside and Attractive Tameside, with direct and indirect links to all other Community Strategy themes.

Policy Implications: A strategic and co-ordinated approach to town centres is essential to deliver successful outcomes that make best use of available resources.

Financial Implications: The report advises that further investment to revitalise town centres is essential if local businesses and communities are to (Authorised by the Borough flourish. Any costs relating to action plans must be met from Treasurer) existing budgets. The report sets out the Driver Projects and funding options that are being considered and pursued. The report also advises that in order to secure the future of the Ashton town centre as a thriving business and urban environment it is essential that the public realm works around the market square are fully completed. A recent bid for match ERDF funding to support this scheme was not successful. A capital bid of £4.5million is therefore proposed. A report to Strategic Capital Panel needs to be prepared setting out the full capital bid proposals and detailed budget

assumptions.

Legal Implications: It is important that the council effectively invests and supports its Town centres to thrive to sustain the economy of the (Authorised by the Borough Borough. It is important that bureaucratic arrangements are Solicitor) not put in place for the limited funding that is available for each Town Team yet there must be clear accountability for the expenditure which is intended to cover any costs associated with running the Town Teams including hire of rooms/premises for meeting, administrative arrangements etc.

Risk Management: The failure to address the needs of Tameside’s town centres would severely restrict the Council’s ability to support Tameside’s economy through the recession.

Access to Information: The background papers relating to this report can be inspected by contacting the Report Writer Kate O’Donnell, Manager – Economic Strategy, Skills & Enterprise by:

Telephone:0161 342 2174

e-mail: [email protected]

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This report sets out the Council’s future plans to revitalise Tameside’s town centres. Our approach is to work with public, private and community sector partners to create the conditions in which local businesses and communities can flourish. The report updates Executive Members on current progress, and asks for their approval of the proposed course of action.

1.2 In a climate of continued public resource constraints, Tameside Council has sought to minimise the impact of savings targets on local communities. The continued downturn and national austerity measures in place have created a tough local economic climate with raised unemployment particularly in our young people. The council recognises that it is even more important than ever to ensure that we are doing whatever possible to provide a boost to the local economy,

1.3 The Council recognises the importance of Tameside’s town centres as drivers of economic and social growth. Thriving town centres are crucial to the wider economic growth of the borough. They act as loci for economic activity and vital centres provide confidence for investment in new jobs and infrastructure. The role of town centres is changing, as supermarkets and out of town shopping areas continue to flourish and retail behaviour moves towards online purchasing. In future the need for retail space is expected to contract within town centres, which will be valued increasingly for their social, civic and leisure contribution to the area.

1.4 Tameside has six major town centres, including Ashton, Denton, Droylsden, Hyde, Mossley, and Stalybridge. Ashton is Tameside’s principal town, providing an administrative and economic capital for the borough. The remaining town centres have very different characteristics and needs, and each has a distinctive role to play in Tameside’s economy.

2.0 ASHTON TOWN CENTRE

2.1 Significant evidence is now in place to support the principles around the redevelopment of Ashton town centre. Most crucially, the need to ensure that the centre functions effectively for Tameside as:  A vital and thriving retail and commercial centre  A transport hub connecting people with jobs  A centre for skills development.

2.2 The arrival of Metrolink to the town centre in 2013, the potential Tameside College relocation programme and redevelopment of the Tameside Administrative Centre provide a once in a generation opportunity to think about how best we reshape the town centre to maximise the impact on the economy of Tameside and Greater Manchester.

2.3 The key driver projects include:  The relocation of the College to Ashton Town Centre  A new transport interchange  An urban village for Ashton  A new Shared Services Centre  Public realm and market square

2.4 Recent work by Inspired Spaces/Igloo has highlighted a number of spatial opportunities around the town centre and identified several issues to overcome:  Optimal College Location [for a vital Town Centre] in Northern Core split with St Petersfield.

 The Delamere Area provides an opportunity for a new cultural quarter and will benefit from improved public real and linkages between St Petersfield and the Northern Core.  The relocation of the College into the northern core combined with a new TAC would require a new urban design vision for the whole area.  Opportunities around improving the Market Square and consolidating the retail offer should be pursued.

Driver Projects

The driver projects for Ashton Town Centre continue apace:

2.5 College relocation. We are working closely with the College and their retained consultants [Fusion/Taylor Young] as they develop the options around the College relocation. We are working closely with the College to develop the potential funding options around the move and we have commissioned an appraisal of the financial and economic benefits of moving the College into the town centre. This is jointly commissioned by the College, TMBC and ASK Developments. The College is expected to make its decision in the middle of October.

2.6 The Transport Interchange. The feasibility study is now complete and we are currently in the process of developing the brief for an extended business case for the interchange. It is intended that the business case be completed by the end of January 2013. The Interchange was included in a list of Tameside priorities that has been notified to TfGM and the Combined Authority, and it is essential we continue the pressure to keep this on the list as transport funding is devolved in April 2013.

2.7 Shared Services Centre /Tameside Administrative Centre. Work on options around the location and scope of a new Shared Services is continuing as part of the town centre strategy and a review of the estate. Clearly, there is a strong interrelation with the College relocation project with options around shared services, urban design, access and public realm which require consideration at an appropriate level.

2.8 Ashton Market Square. Monies have already been announced for public realm works on the market square, to make up in part for the relocation of Marks and Spencer to Ashton Moss in 2013. Significant efforts have been made to identify match funding to ensure a complete scheme would be possible, but the most recent bid to a significantly oversubscribed ERDF public realm call was ultimately not successful.

2.9 January 2013 now looks like the date for the M&S relocation and it would be timely to review whether the current strategy of seeking other funding options is going to deliver sufficient change in time increase retail confidence.

2.10 Urban Village. It is clear that the impact of out of town retail and online shopping is going to have a lasting effect on our town centres and part of the strategy is to take a more radical look at how we retain vitality in a new context. One of the key projects to support the town centre would be to consider how some of the town centre development sites could be used to support an Urban Village. This would provide high quality homes close to the town centre and transport interchange, creating movement during the day and vitality in the evening economy. Discussions are currently under way with developers to understand the market and options.

GM Town Centre Review

2.11 Town Centres have been identified in the MIER and the GM Strategy as principally important to GM growth both as centres of economic activity in their own right as well hubs for the provision of skills to the regional centre and key employment sites. A number of studies have been undertaken in this area and a current programme of work is underway to revisit the strategic approach of each of the key town centres.

2.12 The GM Town Centre Review group is to visit Ashton and review its Town Centre Strategy on the 19 September. A prospectus has been developed to provide the strategic approach, set out the key projects and provide confidence that there is a realistic and pragmatic development plan. It is intended that the review team will meet the Leader and Chief Executive, stakeholders and key staff and have a short tour of the town centre. Tameside are represented on the steering groups for the piece of work:  Damien Bourke Head of Strategic Investment & Development sits on the officer steering group and will be on the review team for one of the other town centres.  Ken Knott (Ask Developments) is on the Chief Executives steering group with Eamonn Nally (Stockport), Barbara Spicer (Salford) and Theresa Grant (Trafford).

2.13 It is likely the outcome of the work will be:  A strategic critique of each town centre’s strategy  An assessment of the deliverability/viability/sustainability of proposals and;  Potentially a set of priority projects within the town centres which GM would support.

Funding Opportunities and Gaps 2.14 The main funding gap sits around the College relocation. Early estimates suggest that the best case scenario for the Town Centre [i.e. Northern Core and St. Petersfield split site] would leave a gap of £27m. We are currently looking at a number of different options around meeting this gap including SFA funding, devising a social impact bond type solutions around skills levels, 25 year annuity funding and other options through the GM Investment Framework.

2.15 As the investment fund currently stands it is unlikely that the College project would succeed against the criteria of private sector jobs and swift repayment. We are currently lobbying to investigate the opportunities for the Town Centre Review to identify some funds which could be used to enable schemes like this to go ahead.

2.16 The other gap that has been identified sits around the Market Square public realm project, and the gap funding potential for this scheme from existing public sources has to be considered unlikely. It is suggested that the council consider provision of further capital funds to ensure that this project goes ahead at a time of considerable uncertainty in the town centre and to demonstrate the Council’s appetite to ensure a sustainable vitality for Ashton and the wider Tameside economy.

Public Realm Capital Works 2.17 The creation of a strong visual identity for Ashton Market Square has long been a priority for the Borough. Following the fire and subsequent rebuilding of the indoor market, further redesign of the wider square outdoor market have been undertaken. This work was scheduled to take place alongside the college relocation.

2.18 The forthcoming relocation of Marks & Spencer next to the Sainsbury’s on Ashton Moss creates a real issue for the town centre retail core. Marks and Spencer is located at a key site and is a strong driver of footfall and a vital trip attractor. Its location next to the outdoor market drives circulation across the market area and there is strong demand by stall holders to be located next to M&S.

2.19 M&S performed a sale and lease back on 78 of their stores 2007 to an equity management firm called Topland. In return for around £240m, M&S transferred title to Topland and agreed an annual total rent of around £24m but crucially an option to exit 30% of those stores at any time. The Ashton store is one of the 78 stores involved in the sale and leaseback, and M&S were planning at one point to leave Ashton altogether.

2.20 At the point of M&S announcing their move, £1.5m was announced to deliver much needed public realm improvements to the market square to help make the retail core more resilient.

2.21 Despite best efforts, in a new and difficult funding environment, match funding for this has not been achieved. The most recent attempt to secure ERDF funding was not successful due to the lack of close linkage to new private sector jobs. It now seems sensible to bring forward plans for the public real works to create a real boost to the retail core to help.

2.22 Based on estimates from the work on the Hyde Civic square, it has been estimated that a total of £4.5m will be required to complete the required public realm works. It was anticipated that the scheme could be the basis of an international design competition which will drive interest and create new opportunities for the configuration and activity on the square.

2.23 Without the public realm works Ashton town centre could be faced with a difficult trading period. It is unlikely that a retailer of the scope and offer of M&S would be found to replace the retailer in that location. Whilst we are doing what we can to put pressure on M&S and their agents to identify a successor, Topland are based in Israel and their agents are dealing with a portfolio of sites. Ashton is unlikely to be their top priority.

2.24 Competition from a new edge of town offer will also draw footfall away, and some of the higher spenders making trips specifically for M&S will be deterred from the retail core. It is critically important that we take the initiative now to create a new confidence that will help mitigate some of the impact.

2.25 Further work will be completed to develop a full proposed budget based on an indicative figure of £4.5m in order to make an Key Decision on any agreed approach.

3.0 OTHER TOWN CENTRES

Denton 3.1 Denton has seen significant investment in recent years, including the redevelopment of the town square and the opening of Crown Point North. The Secretary of State has confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) made by Tameside Council in March 2011 for the Crown Point East development. Plans proposed for the area include 165,000 sq ft retail and commercial space, new public open space and infrastructure including a link road between Ashton Road and Edward Street.

3.2 A further planned investment of £5m is planned at the M60 Junction 24 / Denton Roundabout "Pinch Point" Scheme, intended to relieve queuing at the Denton Rock roundabout.

Droylsden 3.3 Plans are also being drawn up for new offices for the GM Pension Fund within the Droylsden Canalside scheme, relocating from the Concord Suite.

3.4 In 2009 Villemomble square was refurbished as part of the Metrolink works.

3.5 53 apartments and 16 town houses have been built by the Council’s development partner Watkin Jones. Negotiations are currently taking place to revitalise the scheme which had stalled due to market conditions and continue the regeneration of the Canalside area.

3.6 The Metrolink is nearing the end of construction and is due to open later in 2012 to the town centre then will continue to Ashton in 2013/14

Hattersley 3.7 Over 800 new private homes for sale are planned for Hattersley, which will change the tenure mix in the area and provide a vibrant mixed community of existing and new residents. Work began on the first 173 homes in March 2010, and a number of properties are now occupied. Further plots are in production and several are complete. The total investment to date from BASE is circa £35m.

3.8 Peak Valley Housing Associations secured funding from the HCA to deliver Over-55’s accommodation in Hattersley. The scheme completed in 2012 and comprised 8 bungalows and 33 two bedroom apartments.

3.9 The £4m new Community Hub will provide accommodation for a new library, community centre and office space for Hattersley Neighbourhood Partnership, GM Police and Peak Valley Housing Association. The Hub is due for completion in November 2012.

3.10 Demolition of the old District Centre is expected to begin in early 2013, and the site is expected to be cleared by summer 2013. In accordance with proposals within the GVA Masterplan, future development on the site is expected to consist of accommodation for elderly residents.

3.11 £23m has been invested in a new superstore opened by the Mayor of Tameside on 9 July. The store provided 300 full-time and part-time jobs, and around 100 of these went to local people who had previously been long-term unemployed.

3.12 Tameside was awarded £424,890 of Local Sustainable Transport Funding (LSTF) for investment in improved pedestrian and cycle access to five Tameside railway stations. A significant proportion of this funding will be dedicated to improvements at Hattersley station.

Hyde 3.13 The Council is currently delivering a number of projects in Hyde town centre funded through the Council’s Capital Programme with an allocation of £1.2m for the period from 2011 to 2013.

3.14 The Core Projects are:  A new Civic/Market Square, with a refined, revitalised outdoor market;  Public realm improvements to the core of the town centre  Signage and gateway improvements across Hyde town centre; and  Improved appearance and signage for the indoor Market.

3.15 A celebratory launch event for the new Civic/Market Square, involving the local community and businesses, took place on 29 September. Other public realm improvements are also underway in the town centre, to be completed during the course of the current financial year. Some signage and gateway improvements have been completed, and a community arts project has recently commenced with the aim of improving the visibility of the indoor market

Mossley 3.16 In Mossley the new Mossley Hollins School opened to students in September 2011, following an investment of £20.4m.

3.17 Mossley has seen the benefit of six retaining wall schemes over the period 2008/9 to 2011/12, and the development of housing, in particular the site known as Mossley Mills.

Stalybridge 3.18 Stalybridge Town Centre has suffered decline over the past few years and this has been subject to focused attention by local elected members, the MP, various teams within the Council and by the Stalybridge Town Team since its establishment earlier in the year.

3.19 A number of measures are currently being pursued including new housing development at Longlands Mill and robust use of the Council’s enforcement powers to address derelict commercial properties.

3.20 Significant progress has recently been made with the Council’s enforced sale of the former Casablanca Health and Fitness Club and positive engagement with the owners of a number of prominent derelict properties in the town should result in the resolution of these in the near future.

3.21 From December 2012 an extra rail service is planned from Stalybridge to Manchester Victoria (and onwards to Kirby/Southport), to create three services per hour during off-peak travel, in place of the current two.

4.0 TOWN TEAMS

4.1 The 2011 Portas Review recommended the creation of independent and non-political Town Teams, bringing members of the public, private and community sectors together to revitalise Britain’s towns. In response to this call, a Town Team was established in Stalybridge in April 2012, chaired by Andrew Stevenson, a local resident.

Stalybridge Town Team 4.2 The Stalybridge Town Team model has proved successful, and has seen a more positive outlook develop within the town. The Team consists of local traders from the Stalybridge Business Forum, residents, a faith representative, councillors, the MP’s office and council officers from Investment & Development and District Assemblies. The remit of the Town Team is limited specifically to revitalising the town centre of Stalybridge.

4.3 A constitution and action plan have been established by the Town Team to ensure that its goals are met. An events programme has been put in place to increase footfall, and improvements have been made to parking provision and traffic flow. Several new businesses have opened over the summer. Local schools have agreed to become involved in the Town Team over the next term and New Charter are engaging with the Team over plans for the former Casablanca Health and Fitness Club site.

4.4 Plans to engage local residents in shaping the vision for the town have recently been announced, funded by TMBC. Regular progress updates are given by the Town Team at District Assembly meetings, and articles are placed by members of the Team in the press and local Stalymag.

4.5 Due to the success of the Stalybridge model, the Council has announced its intention of establishing Town Teams in the rest of Tameside’s major towns. The aim is to hold the first Town Team meetings in the remaining major towns during October. Annex A sets out progress towards establishing membership of the remaining Town Teams at the time of writing.

High Street Innovation Fund 4.6 A range of support has been made available for Town Teams by the Government, following the Portas Review. Tameside Council is one of 100 authorities to be allocated £100,000 from the High Street Innovation Fund to reduce the number of empty shops in our town centres. It is proposed that this Fund should be dedicated to supporting the activities of Tameside’s Town Teams.

4.7 Executive Members are asked to approve the delegation of powers to the Executive Director (Economic Growth, Investment & Sustainability) to:

 Agree an action plan for each of Tameside’s six Town Teams on behalf of Tameside Council; and  Approve the allocation and spending of High Street Innovation Fund monies by Tameside Council on behalf of each Town Team, in accordance with the relevant Action Plan and to a maximum value of £16,666 per Town Team. Initial proposals for spend include support for ‘pop-up shops’, marketing, events, fair trade and shop local schemes.

Future High Street X Fund 4.8 Government has invited bids from English towns into a £1m future High Street X Fund intended “to reward the location or locations with the most innovative high street regeneration schemes that have demonstrated an effective transformation.”

4.9 The deadline is 6 December 2012 and the outcome will be announced in March 2013. An independent advisory panel will assess applications and make recommendations as to the number and level of awards to be made. Bids should include a link to a 2-4 minute YouTube video that must not be professionally made. Stalybridge Town Team intends to apply to the X Fund.

Town Team Partners 4.10 A further development is an invitation by Government to local MPs to nominate their local Town Teams to adopt Town Team Partner status. This is open to Town Teams that have not been successful in achieving Portas Pilot status, and Jonathan Reynolds MP has applied on behalf of Stalybridge Town Team.

4.11 Town Team Partner status will provide Town Teams with access to a multi-million pound support package consisting of:

 An advice line and a network of advisers managed by the Association of Town Centre Management, as well as key informative events;  Direct mentoring and visits from a range of retail experts;  Regular meetings with other Town Teams to share lessons learned, tips and ideas;  An online community to receive advice and information from retail experts.

5.0 NEXT STEPS

5.1 Tameside’s town centres are important to our economic prosperity and require a co- ordinated approach to their revitalisation. A number of individual development opportunities exist within each town, and also a range of issues. The strategic lead on the approach to such issues will be provided by Tameside Council working in partnership with local Town Teams.

5.2 The immediate challenge for Ashton is to find a source of funding that will enable an early win in terms of Ashton Market Square. Across the other major towns we will continue work to establish town teams over the next month. In terms of development, we have committed to working with Taylor Young to provide an updated Masterplan for each town centre, which will act as the focal point for discussions with Town Teams and the wider community regarding the future offer of the local town.

6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 Executive Members are asked to:

1. Note the content of the report and approve the proposals it puts forward;

2. Approve the submission of a capital bid to fund the public realm works to Ashton Market Square;

3. Approve delegation of powers to the Executive Director (Economic Growth, Investment & Sustainability) to:

a) Agree an action plan for each of Tameside’s six Town Teams on behalf of Tameside Council; and

b) Allocate and approve the spending of High Street Innovation Fund monies on behalf of each Town Team in accordance with the relevant Action Plan, to a maximum value of £16,666 per Town Team.

Specialist (Resident) Electrician Forum reps: 7 November Stalybridge Stalybridge Trinity Church Kevin Garside Cllr D Sweeton Cllr E Shorrock E Taylor & Son E Cllr D Dickinson Community Rep Community Tbc: Copley High The Kitchen Door Andrew StevensonAndrew Andrew Stevenson,Andrew Old Forge Furniture Berkley Construction Stalybridge Business Rev. Tom Parker, Holy Holy Rev. Tom Parker, Jan Pearson (Resident) School, West Hill SchoolSchool, West Danny Power (Resident)Danny Jonathan Reynolds ds Jonathan Foods TMBC TMBC Centre Elderly Church Plevins Council Network Warmco Mossley Mossley Marketing High School Kevin Garside Mossley Business Mossley Melanie Anderson Micklehurst Estate Cllr P Dowthwaite, Melanie Anderson, St George’s Parish Tbc: Mossley Tbc: Town Mossley Tbc: Mossley Tbc:Hollins Mossley Rev. Richard Lindsay, Mossley Action for the Mossley Residents’ Association Roughtown Community Mossley Organic & Fine Mossley First meeting: October Next meeting: Jonathan Reynol Reynolds Jonathan reps Asda Hyde Hyde Centre course) Werneth Lee Print Wilkinson Association Hyde Mosque Andy Brennan Cllr P Fitzpatrick George’s Church George’s Church Hyde Task Group indoor and outdoor Suzanne McGivern Jonathan Clarendon Shopping (Business Enterprise Bangladeshi Welfare Tbc: Hyde Clarendon Hackme PC Clinic +2 Tbc: Market traders – Tbc: Hyde Godley and and Godley Hyde Tbc: Hyde Business Forum: Rev. Joanna Parker, St Rev. Joanna Parker, St

Centre Droylsden Droylsden Association Cllr K Quinn Cllr K Quinn HomeWatch The Beehive David Heyes Co-op Travel Football Club Ian Cochrane Farleys Estate Farleys Tbc: Friends of Copperas Field Leonie Ormsby Cllr J Middleton (DA Youth Rep) Droylsden Junior Carroll’s Jewellers St Martin’s Church St Andrew’s ChurchSt Andrew’s Droylsden Shopping Tbc: Max Spielmann Field St HomeWatch Littlemoss Residents Tbc: Droylsden West West Droylsden Tbc: Rev. Joan Farnworth, First meeting: October First meeting: October Rev. Jack Hemsworth,

Group Denton Denton October Organisers Cake Studio Bill Jennings, Cllr M Downs Via Mosscare First meeting: Martin Walton Andy Brennan Cllr A Gwynne Cllr A Gwynne AsOne Design JDA Architects JDA Architects Tbc: Morrisons, Andrew GwynneAndrew East Community East Community and Denton North Tbc: Denton West Crown PointCrown North Tbc at first meeting Tbc at first meeting Tbc: Duke St Youth Housing Association Thackeray Bookshop Ashton Ashton Chaplain) Rotary ClubRotary and outdoor Supplies Ltd David Heyes The Arcades Ian Cochrane Business – tbc The Ladysmith Ashton Mosque Cllr J Bowerman Tbc: Harrington & councillors, T3SC (Business course) Tameside College Ashton Sixth Form Hairdressers, C&M Residents – tbc via Market traders – indoor Team meeting: October Giovannis, Shubar, The Rev. Bob Davies (Retail First Meeting: November Hallworth, Meeks Shoes, Business Forum and pre- Perfect Signal (TPS),The Lee Winters Easy Salons, Cloth Cavern, William Jon St Michael’s and Waterloo Tbc: Ashton Hurst,

ANNEX 1. TownMembership Team Town Team (Interim) Chair Councillors MP Businesses Community Reps Faith Reps Youth Reps DA Meeting