City Development Committee - 30/04/2001

At a MEETING of the PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 30th April 2001.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor PRESSWOOD, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 16th April 2001 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I NEW STREET NAME

The Committee approved the undernoted street name:-

II APPLICATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION CONSENT - NEW ROADS

The Committee approved the undernoted applications for Construction Consent, subject to conditions, which had been agreed with the Contractors:-

III DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL (SEAGATE/GELLATLY STREET/CANDLE LANE/ COMMERCIAL STREET/TRADES LANE AREA) (VARIATION OF TRAFFIC REGULATIONS) ORDER 2001

Reference was made to Article XIII of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 24th January 2000 which authorised the preparation of an Order to:-

(a) relieve congestion and remove vehicular conflicts in Gellatly Street;

(b) relieve congestion in Seagate, Commercial Street and Candle Lane;

(c) provide protected loading facilities in Seagate, Gellatly Street and Commercial Street;

(d)control parking for disabled badge holders where it is safe and does not interfere with the flow of traffic or inhibit servicing; and

(e)create more on-street parking space in Trades Lane.

The proposed Order was duly drafted and during the statutory consultation period three objections were received, two of which were later withdrawn. Strathtay Scottish Omnibuses maintained their objection.

This Committee on 26th February 2001 (Article III refers) authorised that the Order be advertised as drafted.

The Committee, having noted that no objections had been received, agreed to make the Order as advertised.

IV FINALISED FIFE STRUCTURE PLAN

With reference to Article X of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 24th April 2000 it was reported that Fife Council had now published the Finalised Structure Plan and submitted it to the Scottish Executive for approval. A period of eight weeks from 31st January to 28th March 2001 had been given for making objections/representations to the Plan. The comments made by this Council in relation to the Draft Plan were in support of elements of the housing and transport policies and proposals. There had been no changes to these aspects of the Plan or to any matters which may have implications for this Council. Given these timescales a letter indicating support for the Plan had been submitted to the Scottish Executive.

The Committee endorsed the position and action.

VI TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT - CENTRAL AREA - INTRODUCTION OF FOURTH TRAFFIC ZONE

There was submitted Report No 49-2001 by the Director of Planning and Transportation regarding the Traffic Regulation Orders necessary in the Central Area to enhance operations for public transport, reduce congestion and improve the pedestrian environment.

The Committee approved the preparation of the Traffic Regulation Orders necessary to create additional controls on cross-city traffic movement in order to improve the environment for walking, cycling and operating conditions for public transport and to enable the operation of the new link road under construction at Middle Street, namely:

(a) Meadowside between Reform Street and Chapel Street

Prohibition of driving except for taxis in an easterly direction;

(b) Bell Street between both legs of Euclid Crescent

Prohibition of driving -

(i)Bell Street/West Bell Street between west of the West Bell Street/Constitution Road junction to its junction with Euclid Crescent (east leg); and

(ii)Constitution Road between North Marketgait and south of its junction with Bell Street.

VII DTZ PIEDA RETAIL STUDY

There was submitted Report No 70-2001 by the Director of Planning and Transportation advising the Committee of the key findings of the Retail Study and advising on the implications of the Study for current and future development plan work and for the consideration of non-food retail development proposals.

The Committee approved the undernoted recommendations:-

(a)that the Committee has regard to the Study's findings in the course of finalising the Dundee and Angus Structure Plan prior to its submission to the Scottish Ministers;

(b)that the Committee has regard to the Study's findings in relation to the forthcoming review of the Dundee Local Plan;

(c)that the Committee takes account of the Study's retail capacity findings when considering future non-food retailing proposals;

(d)that the Committee refers this report and the Consultant's findings to the Development Quality Committee as a material consideration in dealing with future planning applications.

IX CITY CENTRE FACADES ENHANCEMENT GRANT SCHEME AND FACADE ENHANCEMENT GRANT SCHEMES IN ALBERT STREET AND HILLTOWN - ANNUAL UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FINANCIAL

There was submitted Report No 199-2001 by the Director of Planning and Transportation advising the Committee as to the progress being made to date on implementing the Facade Enhancement Schemes in the City Centre, Albert Street and the Hilltown and seeking agreement for extending the scheme into other parts of the city's emerging Cultural Quarter.

The Committee approved the undernoted recommendations:-

(a)to note the progress being made within the three Facade Enhancement Grant Scheme areas;

(b)to extend the scheme into the northern section of the emerging Cultural Quarter (principally South Tay Street and West Port);

(c)to target the following streets in the City Centre which still require improvement -

(i)Union Street

(ii)Reform Street

(iii)Castle Street

(iv)Commercial Street

(v)Nethergate

(vi)Cowgate

(vii)Exchange Street

(viii)High Street, and

(ix)Seagate;

(d)that existing targeted sections of Albert Street and Hilltown continue to be the focus of grant assistance; and

(f)that a budget of 200,000 be allocated to the three Facade Enhancement Grant Scheme areas: the breakdown would be -

City Centre125,000

Hilltown 50,000

Albert Street 25,000.

X CITY CENTRE ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME - CAPITAL EXPENDITURE 2001/2002

After considering Report No 212-2001 by the Director of Planning and Transportation, the Committee approved the following budget as this Council's contribution to the Environmental Programme for 2001/2002:-

(1) allocate 100,000 towards a range of projects at Nethergate/High Street; and

(2)allocate 50,000 towards the City Centre Signage Project.

XI PROPOSED SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL OF DUNDEE AND ANGUS STRUCTURE PLAN

There was submitted Report No 215-2001 by the Director of Planning and Transportation seeking the Committee's authorisation to appoint consultants to undertake a Sustainability Appraisal of the Dundee and Angus Structure Plan.

The Committee:-

(a)agreed that the Director of Planning and Transportation, in conjunction with the Director of Planning and Transport and Angus Council, appoint Consultants to undertake a Sustainability Appraisal of the Draft Dundee and Angus Structure Plan as part of the process of finalising the Structure Plan for submission to the Scottish Ministers later this year;

(b)authorised the Director of Planning and Transportation to contribute 50% towards the cost of commissioning the Sustainability Appraisal up to a maximum of 5,000; and

(c)noted the completion of the various elements of the consultation programme for the Draft Dundee and Angus Structure Plan undertaken during February and March 2001.

XII ARDLER SITE 3A - VILLAGE CENTRE

Reference was made to Article IX of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th December 1999 wherein offers were accepted for Phases 1 and 3 of the above project and authority to negotiate offers for future phases was given to the City Engineer.

It was reported that offers from the appointed Contractor, TN Gilmartin Limited, had been sought for Phases 2 and 4 as follows:-

(a) Ardler Site 3A Village Centre: Phase 2 - 184,712.20;

(b) Ardler Site 3A Village Centre: Phase 4 - 185,296.46; and

(c)Allowance for professional fees of 31,000, price fluctuations of 13,000, contingencies of 30,000 and an allowance of 23,237 for street lighting works.

(d) Total expenditure on these phases of the programme - 467,245.66.

As previously advised the Director of Finance has indicated that no provision has been made in the Capital Estimates for this expenditure. The project was to be entirely funded from Capital Receipts generated within the Ardler New Housing Partnership Project, grant aided assistance from the ERDF and contributions from Scottish Homes and Scottish Enterprise Tayside with all the expenditure occurring in 2001/02.

Authority had been given previously to negotiate prices for the next phases 5 and 6 and these would be subject of a further report.

The project had revenue implications, as follows:-

The Committee agreed that the offers from T N Gilmartin Limited be accepted and that the overall expenditure of 467,245.66 be approved.

The Convener agreed that the undernoted item be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Standing Order No 51(3)(b) in view of the timescales involved.

XIVTENDER RECEIVED BY CHIEF ENGINEER - RAILWAY STATION FORECOURT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS

There was submitted Report No 259-2001 by the City Engineer detailing offers received in respect of the above works.

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer being that from Tayside Contracts for the sum of 82,297.19, to which fell to be added allowances for contingencies, lighting, public utilities and professional fees of 37,702.81, giving a total of 120,000.

ROBIN PRESSWOOD, Convener