Tag: Peel

3 Organisations will jointly sign “Memorandum of Understanding” with Peel for transport planning on Wirral Waters project

3 Organisations will jointly sign “Memorandum of Understanding” with Peel for transport planning on Wirral Waters project A report on Merseytravel’s General Purposes Committee meeting of the 5th September 2013

3 Organisations will jointly sign “Memorandum of Understanding” with Peel for transport planning on Wirral Waters project

                                                                           

Councillors on Merseytravel’s General Purposes Committee today agreed to Merseytravel’s Chief Executive David Brown signing a “Memorandum of Understanding” with Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited about transport planning for the Wirral Waters project.

The Memorandum of Understanding will (subject to future approval) be signed by Wirral Council and the Highways Agency too. The agreement is for twenty-five years and is set to be reviewed annually by the Transport Steering Group. It covers the areas of any necessary public transport improvements, monitoring the effect of Wirral Waters related traffic on the local road network as well as the effect of construction traffic. Wirral Council will be leading the Transport Steering Group as it’s the local Planning Authority for the Wirral Waters scheme.

Chair of Merseytravel Cllr Liam Robinson (Labour) said, “Thanks for that Jeff, can I just say I’m absolutely delighted we’ve had this report brought through, because I think I would echo everyone in this chamber by saying that Wirral Waters is one of the most exciting proposed developments, not just in our part of the world but the whole of the country, dare I say Europe and I know from Merseytravel’s perspective we are all fully committed to provide the very best sustainable transport option for what is going to be hopefully a very, very exciting and prosperous development for the City Region. So the fact that we’ve got this report before this before we’ve signed the memorandum of understanding that gives us an opportunity to look at all of those options that are out there to provide the very transport solution for Wirral Waters which is welcomed from the development of this organisation. So that’s just really just what I wanted to say, so if anyone wants to add to that at all? Les?

Cllr Les Rowlands (Conservative spokesperson) said, “I just want to reiterate those great words. It is a very, very important project, I know it’s over a long period of time but we need to be getting in at the very early stages which is why as you know I’m very interested in what is going on there because I think we need to be starting to think about the memorandum at a very early stage to get the document in place, I very much welcome this report”.

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Economy and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee 16/1/2011 Part 2 Peel presentation on Wirral Waters

Mr. Mawdlsey went into detail about what would be in the “neighbourhood areas”. Part of it would be residential, with high density families called Sky City. They also hoped to have an area for corporate headquarters, studios, small and medium sized enterprises and a civic/educational hub. There would be a channel for large vessels as well as a marina park. Peel were also leaving an opportunity for a large cultural building. He showed various CGI images. The planning application in 2009 was for 13,500 residential units, which would hopefully create 20,000+ new jobs, but it would take 30+ years to build it.

The planning application had not been called in and the area was now part of the Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone. The next steps were getting occupiers in 2012 in the areas of cultural, commercial, educational and manufacturing. They wanted to secure both local and international occupiers.

On green infrastructure the Forestry Commission had pledged £1.4 million for tree planting. They were also looking for funding to extend the tram network. The first phase of the project was the Hydraulic Tower and the International Trade Centre. They wanted to have hotels, services offices, education as well as an automotive or rail supplier. The focus would initially be at the Four Bridges end.

The trams had the potential to be extended, which was “cheap and cheerful”. They would gift the land to the operators of a disused railway line and already had apprentices working on it.

The Peel International Trade Centre had come about from their sponsorship of the Shanghai Expo in 2010. The ITC would include four buildings, each with up to a thousand companies showcasing their products to trade buyers. There would be a series of showrooms in a large box. They had visited a trade centre in China with sixty thousand tenants called Yiwu City. They were working on the funding strategy and as part of the first phase had entered into a joint venture with Stella Shiu who would contribute fifty percent of the capital costs.

They were now in talks with the Bank of China for a loan for the other 50%. In March 2012 they would start remediation of the former industrial site and hoped that the first tenants would be occupying in early 2013. They had entered a new phase of work, in a difficult economic climate they were trying to take the small steps to get the catalytic occupiers. The strong government support they had received so far they needed to continue. He thanked people for listening.

The Chair asked if people had any questions.

Cllr Pat Hackett said he had a simple question, it was a massive piece of real estate, what were the processes for acquiring businesses if they didn’t want to move? What were the processes for relocating businesses on the dock estate?

Mr. Mawdsley said most of the land was already vacant, however the steel business was important to the local economy. Since gaining planning permission they were working with the businesses on the dock estate. However for some it could be five or ten years before they needed to move. They would look at their needs and help them move, but it was an ongoing dialogue.

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Economy and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee 16/1/2011 Part 1 Peel presentation on Wirral Waters

Present:

Cllr Tony Cox
Cllr stuart Kelly
Cllr Gerry Ellis
Cllr Mark Johnston
Cllr Andrew Hodson
Cllr Denise Realey
Cllr Steve Niblock
Cllr Pat Hackett
Cllr Stuart Wittingham

Cllr Mark Johnston wished people a happy New Year. He asked for any declarations of interest. Cllr Steve Niblock declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 5 (Outcome of Wirral’s Housing Market Renewal Transitional Funding Bid) as he lives in a Housing Market Renewal Initiative area.

Cllr Mark Johnston asked a question on the minutes, specifically about page 4 item 29. He asked if the information had been released?

Kevin Adderley said that the Department for Work and Pensions had not changed its approach and the information was embargoed as confidential. The minutes were agreed.

Cllr Mark Johnston said that as Lindsay Ashworth was in China, instead the presentation would be given by Richard Mawdsley instead. Richard Mawdsley introduced himself as the Project director for the Wirral Waters project which encompassed the Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone and the Peel International Trade Centre.

He gave those present some background to Peel, describing it as an asset rich, cash poor company with a brief description of its various divisions which included the Trafford Centre and a stake in Pinewood Studios. Mr. Mawdsley also referred to the wind turbines on the Mersey and Peel’s plans for power from a Mersey tidal barrage.

Media City UK in Salford Quays was given as an example of a completed regeneration project involving a docks area. He offered to show officers and councillors a tour to show them the site. The BBC had relocated to Media City in Salford Quays who he described as a “catalytic occupier”. He said that people had been sceptical that they could deliver the Trafford Centre but they had.

He explained Peel’s Ocean Gateway and Atlantic Gateway projects including a map showing the land owned by Peel. Peel’s projects were in three areas which were regeneration, transport & logistics and sustainable technologies. In 2005 they had bought the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. The Liverpool Waters project had raised issues related to their World Heritage Status.

Mr. Mawdsley showed those present an aerial photo of the three miles of Wirral dock land. This covered the East Float, West Float, Bidston and Twelve Quays. The Bidston area was going to be a centre for leisure and retail. They would start the concept of the design in the Summer. The area had good motorway links and a underutilised railway line. He pointed out the polarised situation of house prices on the Wirral, with an East vs West divide.

Cllr Peter Kearney arrived.

Mr. Mawdlsey said they had gone “back to the drawing board” in 2006, with consultation with stakeholders and a supportive public. They had looked at best practice in different cities and had set out ten goals in 2008. These included an international city waterfront, new markets and prosperity, health and well-being as well as master planning. They wanted to create a new skyline for Wirral. He compared the height of the planned Peel buildings with other well-known tall buildings from around the world, stating it was going to be a similar height to the London Eye.

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Planning Committee – 4/1/2011 – Part 1 – dry silo mortar bagging plant (Bromborough)

The <A HREF=”http://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=157&MId=3116″>agenda</a> for last night’s Planning Committee can be found on Wirral Council’s website.

All councillors usually on the committee were present. The minutes were agreed, there were no declarations of interest and no requests for site visits.

The first item for consideration was the extension of a planning consent for a dry silo mortar bagging plant in Bromborough. Cllr Gilchrist stated that he was interested in a particular aspect of this planning application due to a long running desire to have the coast open for people. He was anxious if the opportunity arose that the owners would be approached over access to the coast. Cllr Salter asked that as this was an extension of a planning consent wasn’t it more usual to reapply? The answer given was that permissions can be extended.

Cllr Elderton asked if another fee applied? The answer given was that the applicant only had to pay a reduced fee as they don’t have to submit all the forms again. Part of the previous government’s changes to planning in 2008-2009 to make it more flexible had meant that applicants could apply for an extension of time. Cllr Elderton was concerned over the true cost and was told that the planning fees were set nationally.

Cllr Mitchell asked if a noise assessment had been done and what the highway effects would be. He also referred to the Wirral Waters projects and the need it would have for cement and sand. The answer given was that in the original planning application there had been a statement regarding noise. The nearest residential property was 660m away. It was an industrial area, but the noise would be of a contained nature. It wouldn’t result in any signficant traffic and was near the motorway and A41. There were no grounds to object on traffic management.

A councillor asked about the 3 years limit on development, when the original planning application had been given 5 years and was told the 3 year limit was brought in in 2007, with the original application being made just before.

Cllr Mitchell proposed the application be approved, with Cllr Salter seconding it. It was approved unanimously.