Item 8 Appendix 1 - R&R 22-23 Delivery Plan (Econ Dev)
West Dunbartonshire Council · 2 November 2022
Back to Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee — 2 November 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Appendix 1: Economic Development Extract from the Regulatory & Regeneration Delivery Plan 2022/23 Key Achievements in 2021/22 Cross Service • Services across R&R continued to meet the significant challenges posed by the pandemic, delivering services as efficiently and effectively as possible with limited impact on service users. • There was strong collaborative working by Regeneration, Planning, Building Standards, Environmental Health and Legal Services on key regeneration sites. • The District Heating Network at Queens Quay became fully operational, winning two prestigious awards in its first year: o District Heating Network at The European Heat Pump Awards, Heat Pump City of the Year category, for the most efficient, smart and sustainable project of the year; and o Carbon Reduction Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards. • Commenced remediation work at the Exxon site at Bowling and appointed the contractor for the infrastructure works. • Created the Clydebank Development Framework with Regeneration, Planning and Asset Management to provide a 15 year vision for Clydebank, with the aim of re-establishing a distinct town centre heart. • 146 new social housing units were constructed at Queens Quay, which will bring the first of approximately 1,200 households to the waterfront site by August 2022. • Entered into a legal agreement with the Malin Group for the initial stages of a major marine development at the former Carless site which will see millions of pounds of private, Council and Scottish Government monies invested in a Marine Technology Park creating jobs and economic opportunities. • Prepared and approved the Alexandria Town Centre Masterplan. Economic Development • Provided support to 201 new business start-ups and held 37 free business skills webinars for 202 different clients including start-up and established businesses during a very challenging period. • Supported businesses by delivering over £31m of COVID-19 grants to over 1,500 businesses over the period of the pandemic. • Agreed the Climate Change action plan with key services in our drive to net zero. • Secured £20m UK levelling up funding to transform Dumbarton town centre, including the redevelopment of Glencairn House, the purchase and regeneration of the Artizan Shopping centre, and the delivery of connections from Dumbarton Central to the Town Centre, all of which will have a significant impact on Dumbarton and the town centre vibrancy. ITEM 8 - APPENDIX 1
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Key Challenges in 2021/22 Cross Service • The loss, recruitment and training of key staff across Regulatory and Regeneration was a particular challenge in 2021/22 when demands on all services were higher than normal as a result of the pandemic. Economic Development • Delivering private sector homes at Queens Quay was a challenge in 2021/22. We will continue to seek to ensure Queens Quay Housing is delivered by our commercial partner in the year ahead. • Securing agreement to connect West College Scotland and the Golden Jubilee Hospital to the District Heating Network has been a challenge in 2021/22, with continued effort necessary in 2022/23. • The impact of the pandemic on the business community during 2021/22 was significant and the recovery process in the year ahead will be supported by Business Gateway’s continued intervention and distribution of the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 grants. Priorities for 2022/23 Deliver Key Regeneration Sites A number of key regeneration projects will be taken forward in 2022/23 including: • the Exxon project, with detailed design works and final business case due to be delivered by November 2022; • the North Clyde Riverside, an ambitious long term vision to promote the redevelopment of our riverside sites from Clydebank to Dumbarton; • key actions in the Alexandria Masterplan and Clydebank Development Framework, both of which aim to develop their respective town centres; • the Scottish Marine Technology Park (SMTP) at the Carless site in Dalmuir; and • a range of projects funded through the £20m Levelling Up fund, including the redevelopment of Glencairn House, the purchase and regeneration of the Artizan Shopping centre, and connecting Dumbarton Central to the Town Centre, all of which will have a significant impact on Dumbarton and the town centre vibrancy. Queens Quay Infrastructure works for this 80 acre residential waterfront development were completed in 2020/21. The focus in 2022/23 will be securing housing developments across the site in partnership with site owner Clydeside Regeneration Ltd. The site wide design codes, which set out a vision for the Clydebank site and ensure all new developments meet the same high standards, are complete and efforts to promote and market the plots will be critical to ensure the Council’s investment sees economic as well as commercial returns. This continues to be a challenge, particularly in relation to flatted private homes which the market is finding difficult to make commercially viable.
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Commercial Opportunities The regeneration team will seek to identify commercialisation opportunities for new development opportunities in conjunction with the private sector. We will seek to progress discussions with developers who may wish to enter a partnership with the Council to achieve joint benefits from a commercial, housing and low carbon perspective. The Regeneration Capital Fund with £12.77m and external funding of £1m will need to be allocated across a number of projects. The Fund’s key operating principles and allocations to specific projects agreed by Committee will be progressed. Projects linked to the Scottish Marine Technology Park (SMTP) at the Carless site and, importantly, the expansion of the District Heating Network to the Golden Jubilee Hospital and beyond, will be progressed over this period. Mission Clyde is the Scottish Government’s latest flagship infrastructure approach to Regeneration along the length of the River Clyde. West Dunbartonshire sits well in term of potential areas for consideration of Mission Clyde funding with sites such as the Exxon project, Carless, the Golden Jubilee Hospital and Queens Quay already seen as key contributors to Mission Clyde. Officers have secured £2m of external (Scottish Government) funding for the Carless site in partnership with the Malin group and Cemineral have secured £179k to develop their cement handling facility at Rothesay Dock in Clydebank.The Council has also committed £2m from the Regeneration Fund to support the development of the Marine Technology Park. The UK Government’s Levelling UP funding has enabled the Council to acquire and part demolish the Artizan shopping centre in Dumbarton, reducing the retail capacity of the town. The regeneration of the shopping centre will provide a reduced source of Council income in the future with limited retail capacity, however anticipate income from potential new Council tax from housing on the site. Supporting Business Recovery Assisting town centres to recover from the pandemic will continue to be a focus in 2022/23, and we will prioritise support for High Street businesses. An unexpected benefit of the pandemic is people demanding more from their local areas and town centres, so we will continue to develop projects to make our town centres attractive places, and take advantage of the Town Centre Fund and Place Based Investment funds provided by Scottish Government. Underpinning the delivery of our Town Centre Recovery Plan and Masterplanning of Towns is the Scottish Government’s policy driver on creating ‘20 minute neighbourhoods’. The approved Clydebank Development Framework includes the disposal and development of the former Playdrome site, a transport hub at Clydebank Station, improved connections between the town centre and Queens Quay, with a linear green park from Canal south to Transport Interchange, and related community-led activity, all as part of a cohesive plan for Clydebank.
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Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan The Council has developed a Climate Change Strategy in response to Scotland’s climate emergency and to provide a route map towards meeting Scotland’s national net zero carbon target by 2045. This Strategy has informed the development of a Climate Change Action Plan for 2022/23 to ensure environmental actions are devolved to relevant service areas and climate change action is mainstreamed across council policies, operations and the wider public. Progress against the plan will be monitored and reported to the senior management team and to Council on a regular basis. Economic Development Strategy A new Economic Development Strategy will be presented to Council in 2022/23 with a vision that ‘By 2025, West Dunbartonshire will have an inclusive and vibrant economy through the creation of fairer jobs, a drive towards net Zero, and the development of prosperous places in partnership with our communities and businesses’. The strategy will identify the key strategic priority for the Council in delivering economic growth and improved wellbeing in our communities. It will also align with the new Strategic Plan for 2022-27, the recent City Region Strategy and anticipated Scottish Government transformation strategy. This will supersede the current 2015-20 Economic Strategy and a series of actions will be developed and presented to the IRED committee for approval. Action Plan An action plan has been developed to take forward the priorities in 2022/23 (below). It comprises a range of performance indicators to enable progress to be monitored and reported to stakeholders as well as relevant risks. Progress will be monitored and managed on a regular basis and reported twice yearly to Committee, at mid-year and year end. Our Environment Our resources are used in an environmentally sustainable way Performance Indicator Owner Tonnage of carbon dioxide emissions from Council operations and assets Adam Armour - Florence Action Due Date Owner Co-ordinate, monitor and report the progress of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan for 2022/23 31-Mar-2023 Adam Armour - Florence
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Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Inability to reduce carbon footprint in line with targets The risk that the Council will be unable to achieve net zero emissions by 2045, both in relation to mitigating carbon emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Net zero refers to achieving an overall balance between emissions produced and emissions taken out of the atmosphere. This target has been developed in a way that mirrors the emission reduction trajectory set by the Scottish Government in light of the Climate Emergency. Adam Armour – Florence Our neighbourhoods are sustainable and attractive Action Due Date Owner Promote the next phase of Queens Quay Housing 31-Mar-2023 Pamela Clifford; Gillian McNamara Our Economy Our area has the infrastructure for sustainable and inclusive growth where businesses can flourish Performance Indicator Owner Number of businesses given advice and assistance to start up through Business Gateway Gillian Scholes No of business gateway start-ups per 10,000 population Gillian Scholes Cost of Economic Development & Tourism per 1,000 population Gillian Scholes Proportion of properties receiving superfast broadband Gillian Scholes Action Due Date Owner Deliver key regeneration sites across West Dunbartonshire 31-Mar-2023 Gillian McNamara Explore commercial opportunities in our town centres and wider regeneration sites 31-Mar-2023 Gillian McNamara Support Town Centre Recovery 31-Mar-2023 Gillian McNamara Develop a new Economic Development Strategy and action plan 31-Mar-2023 Gillian McNamara; Gillian Scholes Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Affordability of the Exxon City Deal Project There is a risk that the affordability of delivering the City Deal Exxon project is beyond the resources being made available from Glasgow City Region City Deal. Gillian McNamara Failure to deliver Queens Quay Masterplan Following completion of Council investment there is a risk the housing plot sales do not materialise in the next 3-7 years, with implications for the return on investment and the business case for the District Heating Network. Pamela Clifford; Gillian McNamara
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Risk Description Current Assessment Target Assessment Owner Inability to meet demands of Council to progress regeneration projects within desired timescales The number and complexity of regeneration projects is putting considerable strain on the resources available which can be exacerbated by delays out with the control of the service and when pinch points on different projects occur at roughly the same time. Pamela Clifford; Alan Douglas; Gillian McNamara Our Council Our workforce is resilient and skilled where digital technology supports service delivery for our residents Action Due Date Owner Develop and implement wellbeing, employee engagement, equality and training plans to enable capabilities, improved resilience and promotion of a diverse workforce 31-Mar-2023 Management Team Develop and implement employee life cycle plans in line with the People First Strategy to attract and retain the workforce 31-Mar-2023 Management Team Implement service review process including role design, use of new technology and new ways of working to add resilience, address gaps, and establish opportunities for efficiencies 31-Mar-2023 Management Team Develop and implement training plans and development opportunities to improve capabilities and resilience within the workforce 31-Mar-2023 Management Team