Issue - meetings

Councillor Dale Heenan, the Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, Heritage, and Culture, along with the Director for the Economy, Growth and Place submitted a joint report to update Cabinet on the progress being made on the Cultural Quarter feasibility study and to see support for the recommendations for taking the project forward. The report also seeks Cabinet’s support for recommendations on the location of cultural assets to maximise the social and economic benefit of the project. Councillor Heenan summarised the proposal and emphasised to Cabinet that, if approved, this would be the basis to seek the funding.

Councillors Jim Grant and Jane Milner-Barry spoke or asked questions, to which the Leader, Councillor Heenan, and Councillor Gary Sumner – Cabinet Member for Strategic Initiatives, Transport and Planning - responded, covering:

·        What is the plan for the Regents Street/Princess Street site? It will be a modular plan to allow for a new theatre and other elements to be added as funding is available. 

·        Would the projects be delivered and how? The emphasis was on securing private and public partners along with government grants and examples were given of existing work including the new Zurich Office and the plans for Signal Point and the Tri-Centre.

·        How does this related to the 2013 Town Centre Masterplan? This is currently being refreshed alongside the Local Plan Review, with a significant programme of stakeholder engagement including developers and landowners.

·        How bids for funding were better with cross-party support and how would Cabinet seek to engage with the Opposition group as it did for the 2013 Masterplan? The Cabinet would engage with the other party political groups.

Resolved: (1) That the preferred approach of pursuing four cultural projects consisting of a new theatre, a renewed Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, Media Production Centre and Dance Centre as set out in the Feasibility Study and 3.25 in the main body of the report to enhance cultural provision in the town centre be approved.

(2) That the preferred location of the new cultural quarter offer to be Kimmerfields, a mixed-use area of office, residential and culture, be approved.

(3) That it be approved that the preferred option for a new build theatre rather than a refurbishment of the existing Wyvern Theatre as set out in the Feasibility Study.

(4) That the delivery of an Investment Prospectus by March 2021 to set out potential funding options as detailed at 3.43 in the main body of the report be approved.

(5) That it be approved that the Swindon Museum & Art Gallery remain closed until social distancing is no longer required and that re-provision options are developed during the time that it is closed, noting that this is whilst work on the longer-term potential for relocation to a new venue is pursued.

(6) That the work on a masterplanning exercise for Princes Street be approved.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.