Agenda item

Report of Senior Head of Regeneration, Planning and Assets

Cabinet lead member: Councillor Margaret Bannister.

(1) Senior head authorised to conclude the commercial agreement with the preferred operator.

(2) Senior head authorised in conjunction with lead member for tourism and leisure and lead member for core support and strategic services, to let the construction contract for delivery of the new building, subject to planning and other consents.

7.1 Cabinet considered the report of the senior head of regeneration, planning and assets.  On 3 June 2015, cabinet had agreed a programme for the marketing and development of the site of the former Wish Tower café and sun lounge with a view to securing a café/restaurant operator and to the allocation of £1.2m from the £2m government grant award.

7.2 Focus Consulting had been appointed as project managers, together with Levitt Bernstein as architects and Bruce Gillingham Pollard, to procure a high quality operator for the site.  The new facility had been designed to complement the planned war memorial and peace garden at the Wish Tower, providing a visual link between the two, in memoriam to the civilians of Eastbourne, killed in World War II.  To that end, officers and architects had worked with representatives of the Foyle family (whose donation in the 1950’s had funded the original building) so that the design of the new restaurant had been influenced by the proposed memorial.

7.3 The council had commissioned a ‘soft market test’ from an international leisure market and investment appraisal specialist.  This highlighted the potential of the site and need to adopt a flexible approach to the terms offered in marketing the site.  Following a period of advertising to the market, there were 14 initial requests for information and 6 potential operators submitted expressions of interest.  Three operators had been shortlisted and would now go through a negotiated process to determine their best and final offer.  The preferred operator would be determined in mid-June.

7.4 The preferred bidder must demonstrate a menu and price point to appeal to all potential customers and markets including beach goers, tourists and locals.  It was important that the menu wasn’t too focused on one particular food type without offering alternatives.  Seafood was a natural food type given the location and this would be encouraged to appear on the menu.  When considering each bid, and the suitability of the offer for Eastbourne, a high degree of regard had been given to the existing seafront offer.  It was important that the preferred operator was able to offer something that did not already exist, bringing with it a certain cachet that would both attract new visitors to the town, but that would also hold appeal to local people.

7.5 Designs had been worked up to RIBA stage C within the parameters of the planning guidance note and reflecting the council’s aspiration for this iconic site.  The plans were to assist potential operators visualise the scale and form of the new facility, in turn assisting them in submitting bids for the future operation of the new café/restaurant.  A construction contractor would be appointed to deliver the scheme.  Internal fit out would be the responsibility of the tenant.  The permanent facility would need to meet the financial targets set for the scheme, consistent with the council’s commitment to achieving a sustainable asset base by 2021.  A planning application would be submitted in June, for determination in September.

7.6 Intended as a temporary facility following the demolition of the former Wish Tower cafe, the Western View café had been constructed in such a manner that most of the building could be salvaged and relocated elsewhere.  It was proposed the cafe would continue to operate until the end of November 2016.  It would then be dismantled and moved to another location.  This would need to be the subject of a separate report to cabinet presenting options and costs of relocation.  Three potential sites had been identified and officers were working up the options in more detail with a view to relocation taking place between January and March 2017.

7.7 There had been a number of stakeholder meetings with heritage, commerce and tourism stakeholders, including the Wish Tower memorial group, Business Breakfast and the Pier Action Group.  There would be further public consultation as part of the planning process.

7.8 The future development of the Wish Tower site was an integral part of the council’s seafront and tourism strategy.  Significant progress had been made to develop a design and determine an operator. The next steps would be to appoint an operator, submit the planning application, and to prepare the construction contract and to this end it was proposed that delegation arrangements be put in place to progress the project.

7.9 Resolved (key decision): (1) That the contents of the report be noted.

(2) That the senior head of regeneration, planning and assets be granted delegated authority to conclude the commercial agreement with the preferred operator.

(3) That the senior head of regeneration, planning and assets be granted delegated authority in conjunction with the lead member for tourism and leisure services, and the lead member for core support and strategic services, to let the construction contract for delivery of the new building, subject to planning and other consents.