Fears over huge bill for stalled town revamp

The findings of an inquiry into the soundness of the Bridlington Area Action Plan (AAP) will be published next week, but with the threat of a possible legal 
challenge, and grave reservations already on record from the inspector delivering the 
report, there are growing fears it may already be dead in the 
water.

It would leave in its wake millions of pounds of stalled regeneration projects in the most deprived town in East Yorkshire, and an unusable plan that has cost at least £1.1m of public funds to put together.

The plan would be used as a blueprint for £200m of investment in the resort, but Bridlington Harbour Commissioners have signalled their intention to appeal if it is given the go-ahead, claiming it would hamper their ability to operate the port.

And planning inspector Sian Worden has previously said the soundness of the plan was “seriously at risk”.

The Yorkshire Post can reveal the council is sitting on £11m held in the Bridlington Regeneration 
Reserve, prompting calls for clarity about the destination of this fund if the plan is deemed unsound.

Plan authors East Riding Council spent £80,000 representing itself at the inquiry, and would have to find more to make its case at the High Court if the Commissioners appeal.

The council said the bulk of the cost of the plan was met by £800,000 from now defunct regional development agency orkshire Forward, although it has not disclosed its total spending on six consultants Atkins, Roger Tym & Partners, Drivers Jonas, Chapman Taylor, KM Consulting and West 8 – used on its Bridlington regeneration effort since 2004.

About £3m has been spent buying property and land for the site assembly in advance of the AAP, and the authority is also spending about £230,000 a year on its plan delivery staff at the Bridlington Renaissance team.

Opponents are now questioning the wisdom of any further spending.

Former East Riding councillor Geoff Pickering, who gave evidence at the inquiry, said: “We are looking at a project that set off as a short-term scheme and some 15 years down the line we are still no further on and more and more money is being spent on more and more reports. The regeneration has become an industry in its own right.”

He went on: “If the council had spent the money supporting existing businesses we wouldn’t need all the consultants. Can you imagine what a difference spending all that money would have made? We would not have half the town boarded up.”

Alan Menzies, the council’s director of planning and economic regeneration, said: “The council has been open and transparent about the costs of the AAP, which is a critical component in the future strategy of the town.

“The council is pro-active and supportive of local businesses and assists the local economy in various ways.”

Almost £51.5m was pumped into Bridlington – designated as a “category one priority” for regeneration – between 2004 and 2010, including £16.4m from Yorkshire Forward, £14.5m from the council, and £9.9m from the European Regional Development Fund, which delivered a £20m refurbishment of the Spa, a £6.7m Spa environs scheme and a new park and ride.

East Yorkshire Conservative MP Greg Knight said he hoped the impasse between the Commissioners and the council could be overcome, and warned a continuing stand-off could drive potential investors away.

He said: “I would have thought it’s not beyond the wit of those involved to try to take it forward with a compromise that takes into account all the points raised.”