Presentation by Catherine Mayhew, City Centre Co-Ordinator
Minutes:
Catherine Mayhew, City Centre Co-ordinator, gave a presentation highlighting the following:
(a)
Alfreton Road is a key arterial route into the city centre and is
often the first impression for visitors from the west. It has been
highlighted as a problem area in the media with high profile
derelict sites, many vacant units, deteriorating property and
unattractive public realm;
(b)
a review was carried out by Nottingham
Regeneration Ltd in May 2015. The study area for the action plan is
Alfreton Road from Canning Circus to Forest Road West;
(c)
the area has many local and independent
businesses, with a high proportion of restaurants and hot food
takeaways, many of which are open only in the evening. There are
residential units on upper floors, with a high proportion occupied
by students, as well as some ground floor residential use where
retail has been converted;
(d)
in addition to the two blocks of
semi-derelict property – the Roger Smeeton site and Forest Mill site – the
survey identified fourteen vacant properties. A further survey will
be undertaken this month to identify any changes to this;
(e)
some problems for businesses in the area
are that many properties are owned by non-institutional landlords
who do not promote them through standard agent routes. There are
many start-ups and independents due to cheap business rates that
have no robust business plans. There is also no recognised traders
group or association;
(f)
there is a high volume of vehicular
traffic and car parking, which limits the opportunities for short
visits to the local businesses as well leading to an unpleasant
atmosphere. The area is also part of two conservation areas which
can lead to more difficulties with implementing change;
(g)
the main objective of the action plan is
to improve the trading environment for retail businesses on
Alfreton Road, therefore reducing vacancy and enabling growth of
small and medium sized enterprises. This will be achieved through
the following:
|
Action |
Timescale (by) |
|
Pursue a dialogue with owners of the 2 derelict sites and review the potential for bringing them back into use. |
December 2015 |
|
Contact property owners to understand individual issues, encourage them to bring vacant properties back into use and sustain those who are already occupied. |
March 2016 |
|
Engage with retail businesses to understand the individual barriers to growth and help them access appropriate business support |
December 2015 |
|
Work with retail businesses (possibly through a steering group approach) to encourage them to proactively participate in improving the local area |
December 2016 |
|
Work with retail businesses to create a ‘sense of place’ and to support the promotion of the offer for the local residents and for specialist/ destination markets e.g. world cuisine |
March 2016 |
|
Review car parking in the area to understand the availability of car parking throughout the day time for shopping customers |
March 2016 |
|
Introduce a premises improvement grant for retail businesses |
December 2015 |
|
Ensure vacancy levels are reviewed on a regular basis alongside the city centre vacancy review |
Twice yearly (May and November) |
|
Investigate the potential for advertising vacant properties through Property Plus and other City Council networks |
March 2016 |
|
Take account of the recommendations for Alfreton Road in the Radford Neighbourhood Plan 2010 in delivering this action plan |
March 2016 |
The following comments were made by Committee members, community representatives and members of the public:
(h)
the area needs investment to improve its
appearance. Improving the appearance of the two main derelict sites
will make a huge difference to this;
(i)
many premises only operate at night-time
and so appear empty during the day time, making the area appear
neglected. The night-time economy of the area should be better
promoted;
(j)
it would have a more positive impact if the area if the scheme
could be extended to Hartley Road or Bobbersmill Bridge, especially as the section near
Canning Circus has already seen improvements to the public
realm;
(k)
simple fixes such as clearing the
gutters of all the premises would make a noticeable difference to
the appearance of the area. Perhaps a co-ordinated package of
improvements available to all businesses should be
introduced;
(l)
parking is a problem in the area for
shoppers. The area has many destination shops that people drive to,
but it can be difficult to find a parking space as many commuters
park on the surrounding streets.
RESOLVED to thank Catherine for her presentation and to invite her back for an update in 6 months’ time.