SOUTH COPELAND COAST ECONOMIC PLAN Author : Eric Barker Supporting the development and delivery of projects that stimulate and Copeland Borough Council underpin economic growth and sustainability in the South Copeland Community Regeneration Coastal Communities and the Western Lake District. Officer 01229 719657 [email protected] P a g e | 1 Contents 1. Executive Summary 2 2. Membership of the Team 4 3. The Plan 5 SCCCT Mission: SCCCT Vision: Strategic fit with other Copeland focused plans Strategic Themes 6 SMART Objectives 8 Desired Outcomes 10 Core Projects to Deliver the Plan 11 Action Plan – Short, Medium and Long Term 12 Associated Partner Projects 15 4. SWOT Analysis 18 5. Background and Context 20 The Local Area and Coastal Communities Information Map of South and Mid Copeland Coastal Plain 22 5.1 South and Mid Copeland - A Demographic Snapshot 23 5.2 Context – The South and Mid Copeland Partnership 26 Evidence to Support the Plan 29 The Economic Impact of Leisure and Tourism Cycling 30 The Benefits of Cycling Tourism on Health and Wellbeing 30 Direct Job Creation as a Result of Cycling Tourism 31 Tourism Data What the Community said 6. Potential Barriers 34 7. Resources Required to Deliver the Plan 34 8. Potential Funding Sources 34 9. Communications 35 Communications Future Consultations Communication with community 10. Support, structure and sustainability of SCCCT 35 P a g e | 2 Contents Fig. Index 1: South Copeland Coastal Communities Strategic Themes 2: Objectives 3 Desired Outcomes 4: Core Projects for SCCCT 5: Action Plans to Deliver the Core Projects 6: Medium and Long Term Goals 7: Long Term Goals 8: Project Pipeline 9: SWOT Analysis 10: Related initiatives in the region which will influence the economy of the region 11: The Economic Impact of Leisure and Tourism Cycling Summary. 12: The Economic Impact in Respect of Direct Job Creation. Table Index 1: Resident Population on Census 2011 in South Copeland Communities 2: Resident Population on Census 2011 3: Socio Economic Grouping 4: Education 5: Benefit 6: General Health Appendix 1. Sustrans economic assessment (only part completed) 2. Demographics details 3. Results of online community consultation survey in full 4. Cumbria Tourism Data/ Survey P a g e | 3 Executive Summary This plan will describe how the South Copeland Coastal Communities Team (SCCCT) will work with partners and stakeholders to support and facilitate the development and delivery of projects and businesses that stimulate and underpin the sustainable economic growth of the South Copeland Coastal region. The plan addresses the socio economic needs of the region, in particular • Poor connectivity and rural isolation • Lack of tourism infrastructure • Over dependence on the nuclear sector for employment • The need for work & skills development and diversification • Health challenges presented by obesity and mental health problems The plan addresses these needs by articulating the opportunities to • Create tourism infrastructure attractions and amenities which support the visitor economy. In particular the development of a Sustrans National Cycle Network route along the coast connecting the coastal communities between Seascale and Millom and growing cycling tourism. • Diversify employment and skills through developing the visitor economy, focusing on the growth and development of cycling tourism and greater use of the rail network. • Develop businesses, work and skills training courses and options along the coast linked to cycling tourism and the visitor economy in line with Copeland Work and Skills Partnership. • Encourage healthy active lifestyles through development of cycling and rights of way access routes which are available to each coastal community as well as the tourist visitor. These routes will include links into Western Lake District valleys of Wasdale, Eskdale and The Duddon. The main outputs resulting from the delivery of the plan One full time project officer role to develop and deliver the activities outlined in the plan. 70 miles of new fully mapped and signed cycling and rights of way access infrastructure throughout the region between Seascale and Millom and linking the coastal routes into the Western Lake District and providing significant opportunity for growth of cycling tourism An annual cycling sportive making use of the new cycling infrastructure. One new start business delivering coastal sports and cycling activities. The Desired Outcomes resulting from the delivery of the outputs: • To increase from 8% t0 10% (ie +2%) the number of visitors into the Western Lake District as a proportion of total visitors to the Lake District than at present. This would mean an approximate 328,000 more visitors to the region annually which with an average daily spend of £21.00 per person which equates to over £6.5m additional spend per year. • The creation and support of new full time jobs along the coast in the tourist industry • The development of new attractions and events which support the visitor economy. • Growth in the level of active lifestyles across the community through cycling and walking. P a g e | 4 1. Introduction The South Copeland Coastal Communities Team (SCCCT) is in part a continuation of the Copeland Coastal Partnership and the Coastal Community Network which have for the past five years worked to stimulate coastal growth, through projects and activities which are enhancing and celebrating the coast. It also closely reflects the successful “locality working”, launched by Copeland Borough Council in 2011 under the umbrella of The Copeland Partnership which has seen community and economic regeneration projects developed and delivered by local partnerships working collaboratively across the public, private and third sectors. SCCCT consists of a range of people and business interests from the coastal communities within the south and mid Copeland area who have an understanding of the issues facing their specific communities and the area as a whole. Its purpose is to develop an effective forward strategy for the South Copeland coastal area and to seek input from, as well as support from the local community and a range of local stakeholders. The Accountable Body in terms of funding for this team is COPELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL Sarah Mitchell The Copeland Centre Irish Street Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7SJ The Community Regeneration Officer employed through Copeland Borough Council is facilitating the team and the development of this economic plan and his contact details are: Eric Barker: Community Regeneration Officer (Mid & South Copeland) Copeland Borough Council C/O Black Combe Office Millom Network centre Salthouse Road Millom LA18 5AB 01229 719657 P a g e | 5 Membership of the Team South & Mid Copeland Coastal Communities Team Membership Keith Hitchen: Cumbria County Councillor, Copeland Borough Councillor, Chair of the South Copeland Parish Partnership, Parish Councillor for Drigg and Carleton and Parish Clerk for Wabberthwaite. Eileen Eastwood: Parish Councillor Seascale and chair of Mid Copeland Parish Partnership. Peter Frost Pennington: Business Owner Muncaster Castle & Pennington Hotels, Parish Councillor and member of Cumbria Tourism. Robert Morris-Eyton; Businessman, farmer and chair of Whicham CIC Gary Creaser: Parish Councillor for Drigg and Carleton & cycling enthusiast Trudy Harrison: Project Manager for the Wellbank Scheme and Bootle 20/20 projects Rebecca Cathey: Lake District National Park Authority: Western Distinctive Area Ranger Brian Kennish: Parish Councillor for Muncaster, Vice Chair of the Mid Copeland Parish Partnership and Broadband Hub Coordinator Paul Stewart: Centre Manager for Millom Network Centre & Unit 3 Skills Centre Janice Wilson: Tourism Development Officer and Blue Badge Tourist Guide Eric Barker: Community Regeneration Officer (Mid & South Copeland), Copeland Borough Council who are the accountable body. South & Mid Copeland Communities Partners / Stakeholders Karl Melville: Cumbria County Council Highways Laurence Hilland: Community Rail Partnership CCC Nikki Wingfield: Sustrans Area Manager Cumbria Jim Partridge: Millom Discovery Centre and Millom Railway Station. Marion Giles: Millom Recreation Centre Bella Howse: Millom Health and Wellbeing Centre, Market Hall, Millom Trevor Stockton: Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass Peter Hensman: Ravenglass Railway Museum and Lake District Estates The Copeland Work and Skills Partnership c/o Copeland Borough Council P a g e | 6 2. The Plan SCCCT Mission: To support the development and delivery of projects that stimulate and underpin economic growth and sustainability in the South Copeland Coastal Communities. SCCCT Vision: The SCCCT have a vision to create the conditions for a vibrant coastal economy through the development of new and improved cycling and access infrastructure between Seascale and Millom. These new and improved cycling/walking routes will enable the significant development of cycling tourism as well as providing better connectivity between isolated communities and the promotion of healthy active lifestyles. We envisage that the development of the visitor economy as a result of increased cycling tourism and associated activity will encourage business growth in the hospitality sector and prompt the further development of amenities and attractions which support and diversify the visitor economy, expand work and skills opportunities and make the coastal communities more sustainable places to live, work and visit. Strategic fit with other Copeland focused plans