In their own words... services for coastal regeneration

Regional Development Agencies and coastal regeneration

RDAs were established in 1999 and are the responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The primary role of the RDAs is to act as the strategic drivers of regional economic development.

In 2007 the government, in response to the Select Committee Inquiry into coastal towns, established the RDA Coastal Towns Network which aims to:

• improve coordination of interventions in coastal towns between central, regional and local government;
• provide a focus on good practice dissemination;
• identify barriers to policy implementation.

The network brings together representatives from all the coastal RDAs, and includes central government departments, agencies and local authorities with an interest in the costal towns' agenda.

What follows are samples of RDA activities with coastal communities in their areas. Fuller details are available on RDA websites.

East of England Development Agency (www.eeda.org.uk)

The RDA contributed £6 million in Kings Lynn to a £23 million programme to support the redevelopment of 50 hectares of brownfield land for a mixed-use development scheme. The project enabled the major inward investment by Palm Paper to be located in Kings Lynn, plus associated infrastructure, new homes and integration with the town.

OrbisEnergy is a regional centre of excellence in Lowestoft, creating a business environment that promotes and fosters the development of the offshore wind sector.

The new £7.9 million Jerwood DanceHouse on Ipswich Waterfront was provided with £1 million of EEDA funding to create a performance space and a headquarters for dance agency DanceEast.

EEDA has contributed over £10 million for regeneration schemes, including public realm and tourism enhancements in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

East Midlands Development Agency (www.emda.org.uk)

EMDA allocated £2 million, under the LEADER approach element of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), to the East Lindsay coastal action zone, and is working with Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council to develop their RDPE programmes

EMDA provided capital funding to public realm work in Mablethorpe, and is working with the owners of Fantasy Island theme park at Skegness on their development plans.

One North East (www. onenortheast.com)

In Blyth, the RDA has invested significantly in an internationally recognised centre of new and renewable energy research (NaREC) and has stimulated a cluster of innovative manufacturing around this critical new economic sector.

In other areas, such as Seaham, a former colliery town with significant economic challenges, the RDA has invested in place-based regeneration and supported the attraction of businesses through business accommodation projects and public realm investment.

North West Development Agency (www.nwde.co.uk)

In Southport, completion of the Lord Street area improvement initiative benefited from a contribution of £2.6 million in total from the RDA. There was refurbishment of Southport Floral Hall and Theatre 2009 with a total RDA contribution of £4.4 million. There was support for the acquisition of Pleasureland amusement park by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council with a total RDA contribution of £2.7 million.

In Morecambe, NWDA has signed a Resort Action Plan with the local authority to provide the framework for Morecambe's regeneration, including funding for the restoration of the Midland Hotel and feasibility work for the refurbishment of Morecambe Winter Gardens.

In Blackpool, NWDA has been providing ongoing support for ReBlackpool, the urban regeneration company and the main delivery mechanism for Blackpool's regeneration.

South East of England Development Agency (www.seeda.co.uk)

SEEDA produced, with partners, a Coastal South East Framework in 2008 that is reflected within both the Regional Economic Strategy and Corporate Plan of the agency. This identifies a number of actions to support regional and local action.

A number of the region's coastal areas are identified as priority places for investment and growth: Hastings, Margate and Dover for major regeneration, whilst Portsmouth and urban South Hampshire is one of the initial MAAs and a Diamond for Investment and Growth.

Brighton and Hove, West and East Sussex and Thames Gateway Kent are identified as a Diamond and a potential MAA.

SEEDA is supporting new university campuses in Hastings, Folkestone and Bognor Regis, and major infrastructure projects in Hastings, Southampton and Chatham Maritime.

South West Development Agency (www.southwestrda.org.uk)

The RDA is currently contributing funding to the region's Market and Coastal Towns Network (MCTN). Each county network receives approximately £70,000 over three years (total funding £450,000). The MCTN's purpose is to maintain and expand a comprehensive network of town partnerships across the region to provide mutual support, advocacy and development of closer links to Local Strategic Partnerships, the Local Area Agreement delivery framework and statutory community planning.

• Torbay

  The RDA has invested £2.9 million in the Torbay Development Agency which will support the Mayor's Vision setting out the 20 key projects for the future success of the bay by encouraging private sector investment in regeneration and a prosperous economy. Examples of projects for investment in Torbay:

  • £8.4 million investment in the completion of the Brixham regeneration project, new fish market, employment and residential uses on the harbour;
  • providing road and other infrastructure for the opening of the 35-acre White Rock Business Park at Paignton, a prime site for 2000 high-quality jobs;
  • development of a new higher education centre at South Devon College, Paignton, to provide higher level skills for graduates entering into business and commerce, subject to confirmation of LSC funding.

  There is also an ERDF Competitiveness Programme to fund business start-ups and new enterprise in deprived parts of Torbay. Cockington Court creative industries incubation centre is being considered for funding within this European Union programme.

  The RDA is supporting businesses across Devon through its contact with strategic companies, its funding of Business Link, sustained support for the 'Bites Back' campaign, as well as supporting individual events (such as the Mayor's event on the recession). Area Action Forces are established to deal with instances of significant job losses.

• Dorset

  The RDA's priority investment in Dorset remains the former Royal Naval air station on Portland where it is investing in excess of £40 million to create a centre for sailing excellence and a magnet for leisure and marine industries. The agency is also making almost £10 million available for the Twin Sails Bridge scheme in Poole Harbour. Both these projects are employment-led regeneration schemes that aim to deliver thousands of new jobs.

  Apart from the £30.5 million already invested at Portland, other major RDA investments include £4.73 million to upgrade the Bournemouth International Centre - which helped it generate an estimated £127 million for the local economy last year compared with £70 million before the upgrade. The RDA invested £2.5 million in the Enterprise Pavilion at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth, which now supports 90 jobs; and spent £1.4 million to help free up a site next to Sunseeker in Poole to help the company expand, creating 500 jobs.

  Through the Rural Development Programme for England, the RDA is providing almost £6 million to community groups in north, south and west Dorset to support rural regeneration and business support projects. Around £12.8 million of RDPE investment has also been earmarked for sustainable tourism projects across the region, including an off-road cycling hub on the outskirts of Bournemouth, and investment to interpret and conserve 83 heritage sites along the South West Coast Path.

  The RDA is also contributing considerable investment to the highly innovative Wave Hub project - to create the world's largest wave energy farm off the north Cornwall coast. The agency is also continuing £7.3 million investment in the Peninsular Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMARE), to make the South West a world leader in marine renewables.

Yorkshire Forward (www.yourshire_forward.com)

Yorkshire Forward has invested £9.5 million in Scarborough's economic development through its Renaissance Programme. This includes a new creative and digital business centre, Woodend, the Rotunda Museum, and developments of the marina and spa theatre. Over £200 million of private sector investment has been secured for the town.

Refurbishment of the Bridlington Spa Complex was completed early in 2008, and discussions are continuing with regard to redevelopment of the Marina. A major improvement scheme has commenced around the Spa Complex to upgrade the public areas and provide outdoor performance spaces.

In Cleethorpes, under the Renaissance Programme, work has been completed on the Lakeside Arena. Currently there is a process of commissioning a strategic development framework for the whole of Cleethorpes. A 'Town Team' has been formed from interested residents and businesses to steer the process of remaking their town.