Decision details

Notice is hereby given that the Cabinet Member for City Highways and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Public Realm have made the following executive decision on the above mentioned subject for the reasons set out below.

·           The Cabinet Members approved the completion of initial design, detailed design and implementation of the streetscape improvements described in paragraph 4.9 and shown on the General Arrangement Drawing in Appendix 1 of the Cabinet Member Report.

·           The Cabinet Members approved capital expenditure of up to £2.0m as set out in section 5 of the Report for completion of ‘Phase 1’ to complete the initial design, detailed design and implementation of the scheme with costs being met in full from third party funding.

·           The Cabinet Members approved the advertisement and the making of traffic regulation orders arising from the improvements as detailed in paragraph 4.13 – 4.15 and shown on the draft General Arrangement drawing in Appendix 1 of the Report.

·           The Cabinet Members approved that the Council is able to enter in to a section 278 agreement with the landowners to fund the scheme.  The agreement will be completed by the Director of Law in consultation with the Executive Director for City Management & Communities.

·           The Cabinet Members approved that the Council is able to enter into a formal agreement for the management of Highway bollards associated with the scheme by a third party.  The agreement will be completed by the Director of Law in consultation with the Executive Director for City Management & Communities.

·           The Cabinet Members approved the delegation of the resolution of all outstanding matters as described in section 8 of the Report to the Executive Director of City Management & Communities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for City Highways.

·                This part of Chinatown is undergoing a significant change brought about by the redevelopment of the Newport Sandringham block by Shaftesbury (the major landlord in Chinatown).  The development will be complete during the summer of 2017, and the public realm improvements are key to the completion of this area’s regeneration.  As a result the funds have now been made available to deliver on the long held aspiration of the local community to see an improved public space and landmark for Chinatown.

·                Newport Place is currently dominated by traffic all day making it uncomfortable for residents, business and the thousands of visitors to Chinatown and the new public square will reduce traffic and make the most of the space for the purposes of enjoying the area’s heritage.

·                These improvements together with subsequent phases will see the completion of the transformation of the public realm in every street that makes up ‘Chinatown’; works which started with the improvement of Gerrard Street in 2004.