Minutes:
During public participation the following points were made, which are summarised below, and the Chairman responded accordingly:
Retail
Catherine Turness (Winchester BID): There had been considerable recent media attention to retail. She could give assurance that retail in Winchester was not dying but it was diversifying. It was welcomed that the SPD was not prescriptive. Independent businesses were part of Winchesterness. Businesses still wanted to be in Winchester and the regeneration would give choice in a town where rents were at a premium, which was problematic to some businesses. The Winchester BID offered its continued assistance towards the formation of the SPD.
Adoption process and legal implications
Patrick Davies: Asked if more clarity could be given on who had made the legal challenge and what were the implications in that the SPD could not go beyond the original planning document.
Judith Martin: Following the legal challenge and to maintain public goodwill the SPD should be submitted to full Council for adoption.
Councillor Gottlieb: Declared a personal but not prejudicial interest and stated that the legal challenge had not been made by him.
Tim Fell: Commented that in his view the lead-in time for consideration of the SPD by The Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet was too short for the SPD to be properly debated. He also asked if a name for the area had been decided upon.
Sustainability and Environmental Protection and Transport
Christine Holloway: Welcomed the responses to the consultation and brought attention to the Winchester Clean Air Day to be held on the 26June which would promote walking and cycling.
Peter Robinson (Stagecoach): Stated that it was vital for shoppers that buses be kept close to the city centre and this would also help to reduce traffic congestion.
Terry Gould: Stated that the public realm in the Broadway should be improved and that buses should be kept close to the centre, for example by utilising the existing Friarsgate Car Park area rather than the Middle Brook Street Car Park.
Phil Gagg: Welcomed the inclusions on cycling and sustainable building design. He commented on the affect of proposals to introduce short term parking in the Colebrook Street Car Park and how this could generate additional traffic movements that could impact on the Broadway.
A representative of Cycle Winchester asked that this new group be involved in consultations and commented that improvements to the public realm, for example the opening of water ways, should have public access.
Expert Studies
Richard Baker (City of Winchester Trust): Enquired if the studies by Deloitte and Mace on retail and those on archaeology and housing would be fed into the SPD. He added that the implementation and phasing (of development) would be challenging to keep the city working.
Design
Hew Thomas: Enquired what the design would look like.
A resident asked if there was a model of the development that the public could view.
Needs of the Disabled
A resident: Asked about the provision for the access needs of disabled people.
The Chairman thanked the public speakers for their contribution.