Agenda item

[To consider the City Centre Public Realm Improvements Programme]. 

 

[Presentation is marked: To Follow]. 

The Service Lead for Placemaking in City Housing and Environment introduced the presentation on the City Centre Public Realm Improvements Programme, a copy of the presentation is attached to the signed minutes.

She gave information on the background of the programme.  The Service Manager for Transport Strategy displayed a map showing the three phases.  Phase 2 was yet to commence.  An image showing the City Centre Destination Plan was displayed.  An image showing the Public Realm and Transport Links was displayed.   There was a central spine of cycle facilities in all of the Public Realm improvement areas.  There were also new bus stops and upgraded bus stops to enhance the public transport experience.   A slide was displayed showing the significant increase in new taxi bays and taxi ranks.   

 

The Service Lead for Placemaking in City Housing and Environment described the outputs the Council wished to achieve as follows: -

 

·       Improve links between the City Centre and new and future developments (Interchange, high street, Civic Halls, box space, City Centre West). 

 

·       Improve street scene, high quality finishes, green spaces.

 

·       Provide secure pedestrian areas, reduce traffic, air quality.

 

·       Connect existing and new cycle links.

 

·       Support local businesses, create new event spaces.

 

 

The original end date for Phase 1, Victoria Street was February 2023.  Phase 1 would be substantially completed by February 2023.  The events area at Bell Street would be completed by March 2023.  The hostile vehicles bollards would be finished by March 2023.  The original end date for Phase 3, The Halls, was October 2022.  The area in front of the Civic Halls and North Street was substantially complete in December 2022.  Red Lion Street, Corporation Street and additional works in Mitre Fold were due to be completed in March 2023.  The hostile vehicle bollards would be finished by March 2023. 

 

The Service Lead for Placemaking in City Housing and Environment presented a slide on Eurovia: Social Value (2021-2022).  They had provided a dedicated Social Value and Communications Manager.  She presented a CGI picture showing the concept of Phase 2.  £3 million of funding had been secured from the Town’s Fund.  The plan was to submit a £9.5m City Region Sustainable Transport bid business case in March 2023.  Extensive engagement had been undertaken and led by City of Wolverhampton Council.  The first stage engagement had concluded in December.  Over 200 businesses and 150 residences engaged as well as key stakeholders and interest groups.  284 responses had been received with the majority in favour of the proposals.   Phase 2 was likely to be less invasive than phases 1 and 3.   The infrastructure and traffic movement was already in place. 

The Service Lead for Placemaking in City Housing and Environment stated that business support would be integral to the Phase 2 works.  The Temporary Traffic Regulation Order ran out in June 2023.  A detailed design would begin in April 2023.   The Member Reference Group in September had endorsed the engagement plan.  In February, Cabinet would be receiving a report on the outcomes of the concept design engagement. 

 

A Panel Member asked if any compensation would be awarded to the businesses on Victoria Street, who had seen a reduced foot fall in the area.  The Director of City Housing and Environment responded that they were looking at what support could be offered to businesses who could show a demonstrable loss during the works.  The Council had engaged the services of some business advisors and they were currently reviewing the process.  A payment had been made to a number of businesses who had shown loss during the initial phase of the support package. 

 

A Panel Member asked for the figure of the initial budget for all three phases and the expected end budget.  They asked for further details on the engagement process that had taken place and whether there had been any mention of a hardship fund for businesses affected.  He asked what was going to be put in place for businesses which clearly could show they’d been impacted.  Their third question related to ensuring that the Council did not have similar legal issues to what they had faced with the contractor who had carried out works at the Civic Halls.   Their final question was on the £9.5 bid which was intended to be submitted in March.  He asked what was the plan for if this bid failed and how confident they were of finding alternative funding should the bid not be successful. 

 

The Service Lead for Placemaking in City Housing and Environment responded that there had been no budget attached to the initial delivery plan of the Public Realm works.  The plan had set out the intentions for the programme.  On Phases 1 and 3 there had been significant engagement over a period of three years.  Face to face engagement had taken place with all the businesses in the Phase 1 and Phase 3 areas.  When the country entered lockdown, due to Covid-19, they had only be able to communicate with them by email.  As soon as they were able to legally engage with face-to-face communications with businesses following an easing of the Covid restrictions, they did so.  Through Eurovia they also had a Public Liaison Manager who and a Project Manager who were on site each day. 

 

The Director for City Housing and Environment made it clear that there was no legal requirement to provide compensation to businesses for Highway works, it was different to utility works.  The Council were however looking at what support could be made available to businesses where it was deemed right and proper.  The project was very different to the Civic Halls and they had a high degree of confidence they would remain with budget.

 

A Member of the Panel asked about day-to-day issues for repairing walkways in the City.  She was particularly concerned about the disabled area around the outside of the art gallery and asked for it to be inspected.  She also had specific questions about squares of tarmac near to the new paving in the City Centre, which seemed unsightly.  The Director for Housing and Environment responded that there were a series of inspections which took place which would pick up any dangerous defects in the walkway.  They were inspected on a monthly cycle.   Reasonable and proportionate work would take place in Lichfield street until the Phase 2 works commenced.  The new Public Realm areas were protected for five years from planned utility company works, other than those classed as an emergency.  They were required to make the area good following works.  Before Christmas, the businesses had requested that works stop in order to allow them to attract more customers.  This meant some areas were blacked over with tarmac to keep them safe in the interim.  The cycle areas would eventually be coloured green.  Some areas that were currently tarmac would have blocked paving.

 

A Panel Member asked for reassurance that the paving used for the Public Realm works would not have to be replaced on a regular basis.   He made reference to the cycle lane on Queen’s Square showed in the map.  He was concerned that taxis were parking in cycle lanes in the City Centre during the middle of the day.  He asked what enforcement would take place.  With reference to the Box Park, he asked what would happen if events were not well attended.

 

The Director for City Housing and Environment responded that the new paving was of a higher specification to what had been used previously such as that on Dudley Street.  The paving was laid on a concrete bed.  If Taxis were parking in cycling lanes, it would be enforced, if there were enforceable restrictions.   The events space would provide extra space for businesses to have tables and chairs outside.  The events team were working on a programme of events to increase footfall.  The market was strong for an events space. 

 

A Member gave a view that Brexit had caused the City to suffer due to no longer being eligible for European funding. 

 

The Cabinet Member for Inclusive City Economy suggested that the Box Park could be added to the future Scrutiny Work Programme.  He was excited about what it could bring to the City. 

 

A Panel Member raised the importance of an effective communications plan for the City and the importance of timing.  He suggested this could be added to the work programme for Scrutiny Board in the future.  The Service Manager for Transport Strategy remarked that she would be able to send the current Communications Plan for the Phase 2 Works of the Public Realm.  

 

The Vice-Chair raised concerns that the views of residents and businesses had not been taken into account enough during the Public Realm Works.  He also raised concerns about some of the changes that had been made to public transport, such as the bus stop not being directly outside the entrance to the Art Gallery.  He raised a query about the Phase 2 plans, which showed a cycle lane going down the middle of the pedestrianised area in Victoria Street.  He asked if the access to the Civic Centre underground car park would be available off North Street, which at the present time people had to access via Wulfrunian Street.  He questioned whether any Phase 2 work was required on Lichfield Street.  He expressed a view that the works that had taken place on Salop Street made the street look emptier. 

 

The Service Manager for Transport Strategy responded that the design for the cycle route on Victoria Street were in keeping with other cycle route designs in the City, where pedestrians had been able to co-exist successfully with cyclists.  Active travel had increased as a result.  She was confident that the wider footways would allow all the activities to take place.  The access to the North Street entrance of the underground Civic Centre car park would be maintained, unless there were events taking place requiring access restrictions. 

 

Members expressed views about the current state of some of the streets in Wolverhampton including how they had changed over time.  Concerns were raised about the number of, to let properties in and around the City Centre. 

 

A Panel Member expressed concern about the location of some of the bollards in the public realm areas.  Some businesses had told her that they were not having the communications with the Council which they desired.  She was worried about the overall health of the business sector.  She felt communication with them was vitally important going forward and appropriate support. 

 

The Director of City Housing and Environment gave an assurance he would look into the placement of the bollards.   He also gave an assurance that they would engage with individual businesses, especially those which felt they needed more communication.  

 

The Cabinet Member for Inclusive City Economy gave an assurance he was happy to receive suggestions for helping to manage the changes in the City Centre. 

 

There was a discussion about St Peter’s Church and their requirements.  Officers gave an assurance that they were in regular communication with them.

 

A Panel Member referenced the example of Birmingham Council who had invested in a Hotel for the City.  He suggested the Magistrates Court in Wolverhampton could be converted into a four-star hotel. 

 

Members expressed views of the importance of Scrutiny in the decision making process. 

 

Resolved: That the report on the City Centre Public Realm Improvements Programme be noted.