An Asset and a Challenge; Heritage andRegeneration in Coastal Towns in England

Final report, October 2007

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Key challenges 2

3. National policy perspectives 6

4. Case studies 10

5. Coastal regeneration: drivers for success 60

6. Heritage: a dynamic resource for regeneration 64

Margate Beach

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1. Introduction

The Communities and Local Government Select Committee undertook an inquiry into Coastal Towns in 2006-2007.The Committee’s report, which was published in March 2007, highlighted the complex range of issues facing coastaltowns, which include:

- changes in tourism trends;- the seasonality of the seaside economy;- frequent high levels of deprivation;- a range of housing issues, including a lack of affordable housing due to high levels of second-home ownership and

disproportionate levels of unsuitable accommodation;- issues concerning coastal erosion;- physical isolation which is often a barrier to economic growth; and- high levels of in-migration of older people, and out-migration of younger people, placing pressure on social and

community services.

Whilst focusing principally on the economic, social and geographic issues facing coastal towns, the report alsocommented on the heritage of coastal towns, stating:

“The heritage of coastal towns, particularly seaside resorts, can be seen as both an asset and a challenge… [English Heritage notedthat] the extreme climate and large number of public and listed buildings in seaside resorts can lead to higher maintenance costs. Itcould equally be argued, however, that high numbers of listed buildings are also an asset for these towns.” Communities and LocalGovernment Committee, Second Report of the Session 2006-07.

The picture of English coastal towns in 2007 is by no means bleak, and there are many examples of successfulregeneration and economic diversification. There are also many examples of historic buildings and public spacesproviding the flexibility to adapt to accommodate new uses and helping to draw in new visitors and residents.

This report documents examples of good practice in the heritage-led regeneration of English coastal towns. Itexamines a number of case-studies to gather lessons which may be applied to other coastal towns across thecountry. By sharing challenges and solutions, the current coastal renaissance can be supported and given furtherimpetus.

There are a whole range of complex issues affecting coastal towns in England but thepicture of these towns in 2007 is by no means bleak. This report sets out a number ofgood practice examples of heritage-led regeneration currently underway in English coastaltowns.

2. Key Challenges Coastal settlements are extremely diverse, ranging from industrial cities to fishing ports toformer mining communities and their fortunes are just as diverse. Despite this, there are anumber of common challenges which England’s coastal towns share.

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2.1 Key challenges

Coastal settlements are extremely diverse. Theyinclude industrial cities such as Hartlepool, fishingports such as Whitstable and Great Yarmouth, ‘setpiece’ resorts such as Margate, Morecambe andWeymouth, and former mining communities such asHayle and Seaham. In addition to this diversity ofheritage and settlement-type, there is huge diversity offortune, with places such as Aldeburgh and Whitstablethriving, whilst others continue to struggle. The CLGCommittee report noted that despite their diversity,there are a number of issues which tend to be sharedby coastal towns, and which often combine to create acritical mass to be addressed. These can besummarised as follows:

1.Decline in visitor numbersCoastal Towns have been particularly hard-hit bychanges in tourism patterns.The availability ofaffordable flights, which began in the 1970s, putdomestic resorts in direct competition withoverseas destinations which were perceived to bemore exotic and benefited from more reliableweather. This trend resulted in a significant declinein visitor numbers to traditional English seasideresorts.The English Tourism Council’s 2001 reportSea Changes notes that during the last 25 years, thenumber of domestic trips to coastal towns has fallenfrom 32 million to 22 million per year. In addition tocompetition from comparable destinations overseas,Coastal towns also compete with an increasingrange of types of holidays; in 1968 seaside holidayscomprised 75% of all holidays, compared with only44% in 1999 (CABE, Shifting Sands, 2003).As the

CLG Select Committee report on Coastal Townsnotes, ‘Although tourism is only one of theemployment sectors in coastal towns, for manytraditional seaside resorts tourism is of significanteconomic importance’, and that tourism related jobsstill account for 11.7% of all employment in coastaltowns, compared with only 8.2% in in-land towns(NOMIS in DCLG, 2007). One of the challenges forEnglish seaside resorts is to define a new visitoroffer, which diversifies into areas such as culinarytourism and adventure tourism, and which competeson quality as well as price.

The Four Seasons Hotel, Scarborough

2.The 180 degree Catchment AreaPositioned at the edge of the land, coastal towns areoften geographically remote from regionalcommercial centres, and may sit at the end oftransport routes, unable to capture spontaneousvisits from through-traffic.This physical featurecommon to all coastal towns can translate intoeconomic disparity with inland towns; and oftenmeans that coastal towns cannot rely solely on retailfor economic health. Poor access can makeinvestment seem less viable, increasing financial riskand making borrowing more difficult and expensive.

3.An out-dated marketTowns which have historically served the needs ofvisitors face a complex and competitive market. Inorder sell their product, local authorities and localbusinesses need to understand the unique appeal oftheir assets and strategically align their offer toparticular sectors of the market, whether it bestudents, young professionals, families or olderpeople.The rounded visitor experience depends onthe right combination of accommodation, food,activities and ambience, and demands a targetedapproach. Investment in services and facilitiestogether with high quality, carefully targetedmarketing and communication are essential.

4.The accommodation lagWhile renovated historic exteriors can appeal to themodern consumer as much as they did when theywere first built, the accommodation they provide incoastal towns can sometimes be inappropriate tomodern needs: large boarding houses built toaccommodate Victorian families on week-long trips

are less attractive to modern families looking for theintimacy and informality of small apartments andself-catered accommodation, nor to youngprofessionals looking for up-to-the-minute interiors.Accommodation typologies need to match theparticular tourist offer of each coastal town, andwith careful thought and design, historic buildingscan very often be renovated to meet modern needs.

5.Higher maintenance requirementsWeathering is often more pronounced in coastaltowns where buildings face salt-laden winds.Thecycle of maintenance has to be quicker and istherefore more expensive. When balanced againstother local authority budgetary priorities, derelictioncan quickly take hold. In areas such as Hastings,where the housing market is not strong, largequantities of Georgian and Victorian housing stock

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Kings Road, St Leonards

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ageing at the same rate can leave local authoritieswith a backlog of urgent repairs to fund and deliver.

6.Centres of multiple deprivationHigh levels of multiple deprivation in coastal townscan make regeneration harder to deliver. Privatefreeholders cannot afford to match funding whenoffered restoration packages, and low house pricesremove the incentive to invest. Difficulties in sellinglarge properties on for re-use can leave largeboarding houses vulnerable to adaptation as housesof multiple occupation (HMO). Such dwellings oftenbecome home to residents with complex needs who

require considerable support and funding to becomestable, economically active members of the localcommunity. Heritage assets can also be greater riskfrom vandalism and arson associated withunemployment and higher crime rates, and publicly-funded restoration is less likely to be sustained byprivate investment.

7.Ageing populationOutward migration of younger people and in-migration of older groups in some coastal areas canresult in low levels of the population beingeconomically active, whilst at the same time placinggreater burdens on health and social services.

8. Negative perceptionsLong-term decline in some areas has creatednegative images of many coastal towns which aredeeply entrenched in public perception and can bechallenging to reverse. Poor upkeep can leave thebuilt heritage unappreciated by visitors, undervaluedby investors, and potentially seen as a burden bylocal authorities.

9. Urban design conflictsOften built to attract the luxury market of theeighteenth and nineteenth centuries, coastal townsare home to some of Britain’s finest pieces ofGeorgian,Victorian and Inter-war architecture, aswell as the finest planned townscapes and excellentexamples of local vernacular materials and styles.Local authorities have to make difficult judgementsabout developments which may compromise thetownscape, or may be too conservative tocontribute to its long-term evolution. There are,however, some extremely successful examples ofcontemporary interventions within historic coastalsettings.

Marine Drive, Margate

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Terrace,Westbrook Promenade, Margate

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3. National policy perspectivesThere is no dedicated national policy statement relating to coastal towns. However, anumber of policy agendas help to support the regeneration of coastal towns.

3.1 Heritage-led regeneration

Many coastal towns have significant potential to benefitfrom heritage-led regeneration. The restoration ofhistoric buildings to accommodate new uses canstimulate new economic sectors, such as arts andcultural industries. In addition, investment in thehistoric environment will strengthen a town’scharacter, provide a strong sense of identity, andcontribute to a sense of optimism which can act as acatalyst for regeneration. The positive impacts ofheritage-led regeneration are well documented in theHeritage Dividend series (English Heritage, 1999, 2002and 2003), which analyses the impact of investment inthe historic environment and reveals many benefits interms of job creation, private sector investment,improved public realm, improved commercialfloorspace and improved dwellings. The coastal townswhich are featured as case studies in this documentare experiencing the powerful effects of heritage-ledregeneration, discovering that the historic environmentcan be a valuable asset in addressing the challenge ofdefining a new competitive role within the moderneconomy.

3.2 Sustainability and climate change

Public awareness of the sustainability agenda hasgrown hugely within the last two years; this is slowlytranslating into greater levels of personal responsibilitytowards individual carbon footprints, and alteredholiday choices based on ecological, rather than purelyfinancial priorities. Low holiday miles, and reducedsecurity risks and delays give English touristdestinations a fresh advantage over their foreigncompetitors, and an opportunity to capture newmarkets. Between July and September 2006, for

example, Eurostar carried a record number ofpassengers, and an increase of 9.9% on the yearbefore, attributed to airport delays and ecologicalconcerns among customers (Eurostar press release,16/10/06).

The coastal holiday experience can also satisfysustainable lifestyle aspirations, offering locally andorganically produced food, and health benefitsassociated with out-door activities in the local naturalenvironment. Historic buildings make an excellentcontribution to the delivery of sustainability objectives,conserving embodied energy and resources. Forexample, in Margate and Great Yarmouth, historicbuildings are being used to provide new housing andvisitor attractions.

Seafood Stall,Whitstable

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Sea level rises resulting from increased globaltemperatures threaten the very existence of somecoastal towns.This is a national and a long-term issue,which is already creating local uncertainty and anxiety.In the medium-term, a symptom of climate change willbe faster coastal erosion and increased naturalhazards. Flooding, for example, poses a serious threatto heritage assets along the coast, and raises localinsurance costs.According to the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change, maintenance of the UK’s4,300 km of coastal defences already costs around£243m (US$500m) per annum. The issue of coastalerosion will increasingly present a risk to the historicenvironment in some areas, and careful planning willbe necessary.

3.3 Creative industries and contemporarytourism

The natural and heritage assets found in coastal townsgive them an advantage in the generation of creativeindustries, the fastest growing sector of the UKeconomy. Set in stunning natural environments, andwith some of the finest built heritage in the country,coastal towns can offer a low cost, high quality of lifeto an increasingly mobile workforce, providing thesupply-side conditions in which cultural and creativeindustries thrive. They can also provide a readysource of inspiration to artists and designer-makers.In turn, the presence of a community of artists ordesigner-makers can help to encourage new visitors toan area, with knock-on benefits for hotels andrestaurants. For example, in Whitstable, the presenceof a strong artistic community has been a key tenet inthe town’s regeneration.

Similarly, the development of a high quality hotel andleisure sector can itself help to stimulate a modern

visitor economy. Customers are increasinglydemanding quality of service and facilities, and coastaltowns are well placed to meet this demand, in partbecause of their high quality historic fabric. Forexample, we found that in Seaham, investment by asingle entrepreneur in restoring Seaham Hall to a fivestar hotel has stimulated investment in the widerSeaham economy.

In addition, the current trend for well-being relatedactivities can find fulfilment in the natural coastalenvironment through watersports, walking and natureconservation, and through the increasing number ofluxury spas, which reinvent the Victorian seaside idealfor the modern age.

Restored residential property, Poulton Road, Morecambe

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The Time & Tide Museum, Great Yarmouth

3.4 Centres of Multiple Deprivation

Coastal towns contain disproportionately high levelsof multiple deprivation among the national IMDrankings, and therefore deserve high levels of publiclybacked financial and administrative support.Accordingto the Communities and local government CommitteeReport, 21 of the 88 most deprived local authoritiesare in coastal towns.While employment levels incoastal towns are similar to those of inland towns(74.6% in coastal towns, compared with a 75.1%average across England), there is a large discrepancybetween coastal and in-land towns regarding benefitsclaims. In 2006, 15.2% of the working age population incoastal towns were claiming benefits compared to12.65% across Great Britain. More significantly, therewas a 2.2% increase in the number claiming incapacitybenefits, special disability allowance or income supportfor disability claims since 1997, compared with a 12.3%rise in similar claims in coastal towns.As the CLGCommitee report notes, while these characteristicsare not unique to coastal towns, in conjunction withcoastal environmental challenges, they warrant‘focussed, specific Government attention’. (CLG SelectCommittee Report, March 2007)

3.5 Coastal Action Zones

In December 2004, Britain’s first Coastal Action Zonewas set up as a national pilot scheme to target thecoastal zone of East Lindsey. It has established apartnership and created an Action Plan aimedspecifically at coastal problems and coastalregeneration in order to create holistic solutions andensure rapid delivery. If successful, the scheme will beapplied to other parts of the country, and strengthenthe rationale for a national coastal strategy.

3.6 Additional research

A growing body of literature now documents coastalsuccess stories, raising the profile of coastal issues, andproviding a wealth of analysis regarding coastalchallenges.

Shifting Sands (English Heritage, CABE, 2003) publicised arange of examples where iconic new structures andthe imaginative re-use of historic buildings haverestored confidence among residents and investors.Examples include the successful restoration of the DeLa Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, the development ofTate St Ives, Bournemouth Square, the Whitby AbbeyHeritage Centre and the Tern project in Morecambe.Shifting Sands is helping to raise design standardswithin the development industry, highlighting thepower of local distinctiveness in the built environment,and laying important ground work for the furtherpromotion of heritage assets.

Sea Changes (English Tourism Council, 2001) examinedthe decline of seaside resorts since the 1970s,presenting their problems in economic terms, as ‘afailure to reinvest in their product.As a consequence,they have decaying infrastructure, designed for one eraand not evolving, or not physically able to evolve, toaccommodate the demands of another’ (Moore,Locum review, 2001).The study identified new touristdemands as short breaks and day trips, businesstourism and heritage visits, and called for local andnational agencies to provide support and funding forinfrastructural upgrades.

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4. Case studies

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This section presents a number of good practice examples of heritage-led regenerationwith in-depth case studies and vignettes across England. The examples are set out bygeographical location.

4.1 Introduction

Heritage and regeneration issues have been investigated through ten in-depth case studies from across the countryand ‘vignettes’ which provide snapshot views of five further coastal towns. The spread of case studies in this sectionhas been chosen to reveal a variety of regional dimensions to the challenges facing the regeneration of coastal towns.Key lessons learnt from each case study have also been identified.

4.2 The case studies and vignettes

North West England

1. Whitehaven, Cumbria 2. Morecambe and Heysham, Lancashire3. St Anne’s on Sea, Lancahshire

North East England

4. Seaham and Hartlepool, Durham

Yorkshire and the Humber

5. Whitby & Scarborough, North Yorkshire

East of England

6. Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 7. Lowestoft, Suffolk

South East England

8. Southend-on-Sea9. Whitstable, Kent10. Margate, Kent11. Folkestone, Kent12. Hastings, East Sussex

South West England

13. Weymouth, Dorset14. Falmouth, Cornwall15. Hayle, Cornwall

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Developed as a coal mining town and port of export,Whitehaven’s harbour has beenconverted into a successful marina, and its industrial heritage transformed into a regionalcultural heritage attraction.

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1.Whitehaven: changing use of theharbour

A historic Georgian town and harbour

Whitehaven has an historic harbour overlooking theIrish Sea and is a rare example of a relatively intact,planned Georgian grid settlement with many of itsstreets still lined with original buildings. The core ofthe town and the harbour were originally developedby several generations of the Lowther family, beginningin the early seventeenth century during a period ofgreat expansion in international sea trade and coalmining. By the eighteenth century,Whitehaven hadbecome one of the most prosperous ports in thecountry with a large-scale harbour to reflect its status.

During the nineteenth century, the town continued togrow but the effects of the American War ofIndependence and the Napoleonic Wars in Europebegan to take their toll on Whitehaven’s golden erathrough the loss of many ships and broken tradinglinks. The town also experienced increasingcompetition from other ports on the west coast suchas Bristol and Liverpool and as well as from inlandtowns growing as a result of the industrial revolution.

The end of the golden era

Whitehaven’s golden era continued to decline as thecompetition from other docks and industrial townsgathered strength and the last functioning coal mineclosed in the 1980s. During this period, many of thefine Georgian buildings were derelict and the focus forindustry shifted from the coal mines and the harbourtoward the chemical, detergent and energy industries,with many of the town’s residents employed at theMarchon Works or the nearby Sellafield plant.

Maximising its assets: from a working harbourto a marina

A major report was prepared by consulants W.J.Cairns in 1990 which highlighted the harbour asWhitehaven’s unique selling point, as well as the needfor joint sector working to deliver regeneration. Thereport triggered the establishment of the WhitehavenDevelopment Corporation whose first major projectwas to construct harbour gates to enable theinstallation of jetties and pontoons. The harbour workwas aided by Objective 2 funding and was consideredcentral to the regeneration of Whitehaven, as well asnecessary in providing additional flood defences andsafeguarding for the local fishing industry. The new SeaLock and marina opened in 1999 and today, theharbour is thriving once again with a full marina andan exceptionally high quality public realm with

Whitehaven harbour street furniture

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Whitehaven harbour and marina

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contemporary public art and historically sensitivematerials and surfacing.

Whitehaven has also benefited from many years ofconservation-led regeneration schemes from the TownScheme set up in the mid-1970s to the HeritageEconomic Regeneration Scheme which came to anend in 2005, bringing together both private and publicsector funding to renew its historic fabric andregenerate its economic life and community. Today,there are few derelict buildings and Whitehaven’sstreets are lined with colourfully painted buildings witha number of restored residential properties and shops,all within close proximity of the rejuvenated harbour.

The Maritime Festival

In addition to its built heritage,Whitehaven hassuccessfully capitalised upon its maritime heritagethrough the bi-annual International Maritime Festivalwhich was first held in 1999 and attracted 80,000visitors, far more than the 8,000 than originallyanticipated by the group of local volunteers who firstdeveloped the idea in 1998. In 2007, the festival wasattended by 300,000 visitors, 50,000 more than theprevious event.

Looking ahead to the future: the Town CentreDevelopment Framework

In 2006, Copeland Borough Council and West LakesRenaissance commissioned consultants BroadwayMalyan, working with designer Wayne Hemingway, toprepare a Town Centre Development Framework forWhitehaven. This identified the need for greater linksbetween the harbour and the town centre as a keypriority, focusing on enhanced pedestrian links,effective traffic management and a new high qualityhotel on the harbour front. With the end of HERSfunding in 2005, the focus is shifting back towards theprivate sector in the regeneration of Whitehaven towncentre, particularly as a number of the keydevelopment sites are in private ownership and arecurrently being advanced for redevelopment.

The Rum Story museum, Lowther Street

Some challenges still to come

The local economy is facing a major obstacle with theimminent decommissioning of Sellafield and theprojected loss of at least 8,000 jobs in the area over aten-year period. As such, the pressure is on forWhitehaven to secure a more stable and diverse localeconomy to enable its future growth to be sustainable.In order to help achieve this, a new public transportinterchange will be sought, as will improvements tothe distinctiveness of Whitehaven and its historic corethrough a high quality public realm to help strengthenthe attractiveness and overall offer of the town centre.

The Development Framework identifies opportunitiesto strengthen the tourism sector in the town centreby building upon the potential of the harboursideenvironment to attract visitors and enhance thequality of life for local residents. There are alsoseparate plans underway for the Whitehaven CoastProject led by the National Trust,The LandRestoration Trust, English Partnerships, Copeland

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Key Lessons

· The potential of historic assets such as theharbour for contemporary leisure uses

· Recognising that securing structuraleconomic change will take many years aswell as significant investment and majorcultural change

· The need for strong leadership from thepublic and private sectors

· Enhancing the overall offer of a town centreto attract residents, businesses and visitorsto overcome negative perceptions

· Embracing the existing physicalstructure/layout of a town to attract nicheretailers

· The importance of locally-grown events andfestivals in putting a town ‘on the map’

“The whole future of the town is tied up with theharbour. The proximity of the harbour to the towncentre and its main shopping streets is a key to itsattractiveness, as is the period-feel that has beenretained in the town centre.

John Paul Jones (the founder of the American Navywho invaded Whitehaven in 1778) would stillrecognise it today because the grid pattern hasbeen preserved and the connection with time andhistory is still there, that’s what makes Whitehavenspecial.”

Gerard Richardson, Chief Executive,WhitehavenInternational Maritime Festival Company, founder of theMaritime Festival and local businessman.

Borough Council, Haig Colliery Mining Museum,Cleaner Safer Greener South Whitehaven,West LakesRenaissance and Rhodia to enhance the quality andindustrial heritage of the coastline so that it becomesa more attractive resource for visitors and localpeople. 16million people visit the Lake District everyyear but only a small proportion of this number visitWhitehaven on the west coast. By enhancing thepublic spaces and connections, as well as the retail,leisure and cultural offer, it is hoped that Whitehaventown centre will have a comprehensive ‘package’ ofattractions which is worthy of its revitalised harbour.

Scotch Street houses

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The ‘Brighton of the North’

Morecambe has a strong history as a thriving Victorianseaside resort and was a major destination forholidaymakers from Lancashire and Yorkshire for muchof the first half of twentieth century. During a periodof expansion in the interwar period, the Art Decostyle of architecture had a major influence on theresort and in 1933, the iconic Midland Hotel was builton the seafront as one of Morecambe’s key landmarks,commanding splendid views of the sweeping bay.However, the decline in popularity of Morecambe as aholiday resort during the second half of the twentiethcentury has taken its toll on the area's historic fabricincluding the demolition of its two piers and theclosure of the Midland Hotel in 1998. Today,Morecambe is on the threshold of a majortransformation, symbolised by the scaffoldingsurrounding the Midland Hotel, currently beingrestored by developers Urban Splash and due to re-open for business in spring 2008.

The regeneration strategy for the town centre focuseson reinventing the seaside resort with a more diverseoffer for residents, tourists and businesses, buildingupon its strong heritage. Morecambe has been hailedas potentially the ‘Brighton of the North’ for itsexceptional views over the bay and value for money of

properties in the area. To become a vibrant and vitaleconomy once again, Morecambe must play to thesestrengths and there are some indications that this isbeginning to happen. The area is currentlyexperiencing an increase in house prices with an 11%increase in the last 12 months compared to thenational rate of 9% and confidence is such that amajor new, high-profile, mixed-use scheme is plannedfor 10 acre site adjacent to the Midland Hotel onMorecambe’s Central Promenade, again led bydevelopers Urban Splash in conjunction with FLACQarchitects who were selected in through aninternational design competition.

The Morecambe THI is a £10million scheme whichbegan in 2003 and is grant aiding a number of keyprojects within the Morecambe Conservation Areasuch as the Midland Hotel, Housing Renewal and shopfront improvement schemes, all of which are seekingto help make the area a more desirable place to live,work and visit. The enhancement of shop fronts suchas the Shrimp Shop on Poulton Square, the formerPetals florist on Marine Road Central and the creationof new retail units at the Winter Gardens, is beginningto help renew business confidence with rents aroundTHI grant aided commercial properties rising slightly.In addition, the housing situation has been muchimproved by Lancaster City Council’s renewalprogramme which has been coupled with THI fundingto raise the standard of improvements to over 60owner-occupied properties, with £400,000 of THIfunding helping to lever in over £3million ofinvestment into the residential stock. In addition, theCouncil is working closely with a local housingassociation to convert former boarding houses fromHMOs back to single unit, affordable family homes. Allof these projects are contributing towards theregeneration of Morecambe and will provideinvaluable support to the long-term success of theMidland Hotel and the development of the adjacentCentral Promenade site.

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2.Vignette:Morecambe

Lord Street

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3.Vignette:St Anne’s on SeaDesign-led heritage restoration

St Anne’s on Sea in Lancashire was created as a high-class Victorian ‘garden town by the sea’ in 1875 and isa good example of a Victorian planned seaside resortwith broad tree-lined roads and town centreproperties with fine architectural detailing. St Anne’son Sea remained prosperous for much of thetwentieth century until the 1970s when changingpatterns of tourism began to undermine thetraditional economic base of the town. By the mid-1990s, the town was displaying symptoms of declinewith the historic fabric within the Conservation Areasuffering from neglect and under-investment. In 1998,60% of local businesses stated that they were notconfident in the future and a quarter of retail units inthe town centre were vacant and the future of StAnne’s on Sea was looking bleak.

The St Anne’s on Sea town centre regenerationstrategy was officially launched in 1998 with theestablishment of the Regeneration and Urban DesignUnit within Fylde Borough Council and St Anne’s onSea Development Partnership to lead the programme.This strategy focused on high quality physicalimprovements to the public realm using a strongdesign-led approach, property refurbishments torecover the Victorian character of the resort, theimprovement of business and housing opportunities,and work on re-branding, all in order to help generaterenewed confidence in St Anne’s on Sea. Therenaissance focused on bringing out the Victorianheritage of the town and the importance of thisheritage to local people and the role of heritage in thetown’s economy is very strong in this particular casestudy.

An English Heritage Heritage Economic RegenerationScheme began in 2001 and ended in 2006, duringwhich time the area benefited from grants of £450,000which helped attract more than £1million of privateinvestment, mostly renovating shop fronts andrecreating the classic Victorian style of St Anne’sheyday. The HERS investment has helped to returnsome of St Anne’s Victorian and Edwardian eleganceand this has resulted in a boost to the town’s businessconfidence with a recent survey showing that thevacancy rate of retail units in the town centre hasfallen from 25% in 1998 to 4%. A good illustration ofrestored confidence is also seen in the creation of a‘café quarter’ on Wood Street and the HERS-ledinvestment has created new parking areas, pavilions forseating and retail uses, landscaping, public art, openseating areas and performing arts arenas.

St Anne’s environmental regeneration has hadsignificant economic impacts, including the creation of50 jobs; 6 new business start-ups; 63 jobs safeguarded;42 buildings improved; 41 homes improved; and nearly5,000 square metres of commercial space improved.Overall, St Anne’s on Sea has benefited since 2001from a total of £4million from the Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency (NWDA), English Heritage andLancashire County Developments Ltd which in turnhas attracted £20million of private investment. It ishoped that this inward investment will continue intothe future and the Council is currently producing amasterplan for St Anne’s on Sea which includes therestoration of Ashton Gardens and enhancement ofthe promenade and sea front area. Alongside this,NWDA has produced ‘A New Vision for NorthwestCoastal Resorts’ which identifies St Anne’s on Sea as atown which should aspire to being a ‘Classic Resort’with exceptional standards of service quality andenvironmental excellence.

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SEAHAM

An industrial port The special character of Seaham lies in its layout,buildings and features which clearly reflect its originalpurpose as a planned port for the export of coal.Seaham is rather unusual in that historically, it had novisitor component to its economy. Instead, the coasthas been harnessed and used as an extension to themining industry. The new town and harbour wereestablished in the early nineteenth century by thethird Marquis of Londonderry who also beganindustrial mining in Seaham, and the town’s underlyingstructure, which remains relatively intact, is of uniquehistorical importance.

In the nineteenth century and early twentieth century,Seaham’s harbour and railway operations expandedgreatly, as did the town itself through thedetermination of the Londonderry family who ownedSeaham Hall and the Londonderry Offices on NorthTerrace. However, in the last half of the twentiethcentury, following coal nationalisation in 1947, thestrong Londonderry influence disappeared andSeaham’s decline began. Its three pits eventuallyclosed in the late 1980s and early 1990s and thehistoric environment suffered as a result with manybuildings, particularly in the town centre, requiringrefurbishment.

Turning the tide The last 10 to 12 years have seen approximately£400million of public and private sector investment toregenerate Seaham town centre through a number ofinitiatives. The ‘Turning the Tide’ project for thecoastline of Durham, funded by the MillenniumCommission, has made a significant difference to the

sea front, cleaning up Seaham’s coastline fromremnants of coal dumping. In addition, a seafrontpromenade has been developed with new pathways,street lighting, street furniture and car parking and as aresult, the coastline was rewarded with HeritageCoast designation in 2001.

Many other recent developments have been stronglyled by the public sector including: the development ofthe £18million Byron Place Shopping Centre (currentlyunder construction) which was facilitated by movingthe dock company offices out of the town centre. TheByron Place development is disappointing in terms ofarchitecture and urban design, occupying a veryprominent seafront location. The new retail offer will,however, help to support the wider town centre offer.Other key projects include the conversion of theformer Vane Tempest Colliery into a new residentialdevelopment known as East Shore Village which willhave over 650 new homes when complete; Enterprise

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Both Seaham and Hartlepool were once thriving, busy ports with suffered from the declineof heavy industry. Both towns are beginning to experience the return of investment andconfidence with major new regeneration proposals.

4. Seaham & Hartlepool: capitalisingon industrial heritage

Former Londonderry offices, now residential flats, Seaham

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Zone development on the former Dawdon Colliery;and housing market renewal in the Dawdon andParkside areas. In addition, work on enhancing localcommunity access to the North Docks has beencarried out with £500,000 from the Liveability Fundand the District of Easington Council.

Putting Seaham back on the mapPrivate sector investment in Seaham is also gatheringmomentum, reflecting a change in market conditions inthe area.Two key examples of adaptation of historicbuildings by private investors are the conversion ofthe former Londonderry Offices on North Terraceinto luxury apartments by Wilcomm Homes and the£20million conversion of the former Londonderryfamily home, Seaham Hall, into a luxury five star hotel,spa and Michelin starred restaurant by localentrepreneur Tom Maxfield, a partner in the SageSoftware Company. The hotel currently employs 150people, many of whom are local. There are now plansto expand Seaham Hall as a result of its phenomenalsuccess and this particular high-profile development issaid to have brought a sense of optimism to the areaby “putting Seaham back on the map”(Tony Forster,Principal Regeneration Officer at District of EasingtonCouncil). A new business park is being developed on asite just south of Seaham, and plans are beingdeveloped for a major new media village on a strategicreserve site.

Restoring North Docks The ‘crowning jewel’ in the regeneration of Seaham isanticipated to be the North Dock redevelopment.£2.5million of funding has recently been secured fromOne NorthEast, (the Regional Development Agency)and the District of Easington Council to develop asmall marina for commercial/leisure boats andconstruct a number of small workspace units to housenew marine-related industries. The development isscheduled to begin in autumn 2007. Seaham’s heritagewill be important for its future as the historicalfeatures of the North Dock are restored and theCouncil has commissioned a number of plans, with theassistance of Heritage Lottery funding, to ensure thatthe new development is in keeping with the historicenvironment. At present, 2,000 visitors come to thetown every year (Durham Heritage Coast) but it ishoped that the new shopping centre and North Dockredevelopment will increase these figures. It isanticipated that the North Dock redevelopment willfoster original coastal functions such as seasidetourism, water sports and fishing.

NORTH EAST

East Shore Village, on site of former Seaham Colliery

‘The investment in Seaham Hall has changed theperception of Seaham. East Shore Village wasn’tthere two years ago, but now Seaham is regardedas a commuter town by people who work inNewcastle and Durham. The hotel was the start ofit and we have also had very good support fromOne NorthEast.’ Linda Kerse, Operations Manager,Seaham Hall and the Serenity Spa

North Docks, Seaham

.

20 NORTH EAST

HARTLEPOOL

An historic peninsula settlement and industrialpowerhouse The Headland Conservation area forms the originalsettlement of Hartlepool, established during theseventh century as a religious centre and laterbecoming important as a port. Its unique character isderived from its peninsula location and from theVictorian domestic residential architecture, as well asthe presence of the Grade I listed St Hilda’s Church,said to date from 1185.

During the Middle Ages, Hartlepool was one of thebusiest ports on the east coast and in the earlynineteenth century, the arrival of the railway and theopening of the modern docks helped to support itsgrowth. In the mid-nineteenth century, the west dockswere opened and this was accompanied by the swiftdevelopment of the new town of West Hartlepool.Taken together, the towns were extremely importantand by 1900, their port was one of the four busiest inthe country. The vast docks complex was also hometo the shipbuilding industry, served by marine engineworks and a local steelworks.

Long-term, targeted investment TheHeadland in Hartlepool has been the subject oflong-term public investment with an adoptedregeneration strategy being pursued first through theSingle Regeneration Budget and latterly through theNorth Hartlepool Partnership and complementaryinitiatives. The strategy is based on tourismdevelopment through the creation of visitor facilitiesthat will celebrate the historical development, religiousheritage, architecture and maritime heritage of theHeadland. The process of regeneration has beenstarted by public sector investment in environmentalimprovements to key areas of the Headland and grant

investment in private residential properties and keyprominent buildings.

The most significant current initiative is the TownscapeHeritage Initiative, established in June 2001 with abudget of £7.4million to restore key prominentbuildings such as the Carnegie Library Building, privatehousing restoration, railing restoration along the seafront and street environmental works. There is also anew £1.6million Town Square which was funded byOne NorthEast, INTERREG European funding andHartlepool Borough Council. Prior to the THIscheme, Hartlepool has also benefited from a£150,000 Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme,£8.7million of Single Regeneration Budget fundingbetween 1999 and 2000 (mostly for the HeadlandConservation Area), and a £300,000 ConservationArea Partnership. Whilst much has been alreadyachieved and a significant difference made to theHeadland area with upgrades to the main accessroutes, enhancement of key visitor destinations,

The new Town Square, Headland

21NORTH EAST

Former Londonderry offices, now residential flats

22 NORTH EAST

HMS Trincomalee and the Wingfield Castle paddle steamer

23NORTH EAST

remodelling of the upper and lower promenades andthe creation of a new visitor facility at St Hilda’s, thereis more to do. Sourcing funding for public realmimprovements and the environment remains achallenge for the area and its appearance still has animpact on public confidence in the area.

In 1993, the £100million Hartlepool marinadevelopment was completed by the TeesideDevelopment Corporation with the centrepiece beingthe award-winning Historic Quay, a reproduction of aneighteenth century seaport, including the HMSTrincomalee, Europe’s oldest floating warship, restoredby local people. Between 1997 and 2005, touristnumbers have increase from 517,000 to 751,000 andthe economic impact of visitors has increased from£22.8million to £43.6million (Scarborough TourismEconomic Activity Model, STEAM). Events have alsobrought an increase in visitors and visitor awarenessthrough the Maritime Festival which is a biennial eventand this has led to Hartlepool winning the opportunityto host the international Tall Ships Race in 2010.

Harnessing the potential for links to the sea Under the ambitious Tees Valley Coastal Arcprogramme, Hartlepool Borough Council and Redcar& Cleveland Borough Council seek to draw upon thestrengths of a very diverse area to enhance theeconomic performance of the Tees Valley Coastsignificantly through schemes to attract tourists or toprovide facilities for local businesses to becomeestablished and to expand. A number of key projectsfunded through the Coastal Arc programme arecurrently in progress in addition to the HeadlandRevival programme which has been running since2000:

• Victoria Harbour – a joint £500million flagshipproject between Hartlepool Borough Council,TeesValley Regeneration and PD Ports Plc to open up anew stretch of waterfront to the north of themarina with a 200-acre scheme comprising highquality housing, leisure facilities and offices, a newschool, open space and a coastal walkway; and

• Hartlepool Quays – the first phase will seek theintegration, enhancement and rebranding of a clusterof attractions comprising the HMS Trincomalee,Museum of Hartlepool and the Wingfield Castlepaddle steamer. This is expected to enhance theproposed £30million revamp which is set totransform the marina and to include redevelopmentof Trincomalee Wharf, a prime marina site, for aluxury four star hotel, restaurants, shops, offices andwaterside apartments.

Key Lessons

• The importance of long-term investmentfrom public and private sectors

• The role that industrial heritage can play inproviding a sense of identity and a distinctvisitor offer

• The effectiveness of many small fundingprogrammes applied carefully over manyyears

• The significant role that local people canplay in restoring the heritage, which fosterslocal ownership and pride

WHITBY

A well preserved fishing townWhitby’s sublime position on the slopes of the Eskestuary immediately establishes its special quality. It isan exceptionally well preserved fishing town, rich inhistorical associations with many old buildings lining itssteep and winding streets. The many narrowpassageways (‘yards’) that lead off the mainthoroughfares are a memorable characteristic of thetown.

Whitby’s outstanding national significance is in thegreat Abbey church of St Hilda, on a site of primeimportance in the early history of Christianity inBritain. The Abbey ruins are in a commanding positionon the headland above the east cliff and with the townitself are amongst the region’s prime visitorattractions.

The traditional economy was based on fishing, whalingand shipbuilding and by 1790 Whitby was the seventhlargest port in England. These industries steadilydeclined and the town has long been tourism-dependent.Whitby’s isolated location on the edge ofthe North York Moors has hindered greaterdiversification and by the l970s the town was showingthe effects of a short visitor season, low spend perhead and a rather downmarket reputation.Expectations were low and the historic fabric wasunder threat.

24

5.Whitby &Scarborough: long-terminvestment in physical improvements

YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

Whitby has been extremely successful in generating year-round tourism and new businessconfidence whilst Scarborough has sought to build upon its architectural heritage andcultural assets.

Reversing the declineThrough a long running programme of publicinvestment in physical improvements over aprolonged period,Whitby’s run-down image has beenreversed and it has recovered its economic form.There is a new business confidence and once againthe town is busy and prosperous throughout theyear. Scarborough Borough Council’s Area PlanningManager David Green attributes the success to theperseverance of the public bodies, especially theYorkshire and Humberside Tourist Board, EnglishHeritage and the Borough and County Councils, whosaw that Whitby’s problems would not be solvedovernight.

“Since 1976, hundreds of listed buildings havebenefited from grant aid and more than 45 buildingsat risk have been rescued.These have beensupported by environmental improvements; the mainstreets have been paved in sandstone and overtwenty yards have also been repaved. The headlandis greatly improved, with English Heritage’s new visitorcentre and a much better setting for the Abbey.”

Visitor numbers have increased markedly; from980,000 visitor days in 1996 to more than 1.5 millionin 2005.

David Green notes:

“Whitby’s hotels are now busy round the year and, weare now having to address the problems of success;congestion at peak holiday periods, and a shortage ofaffordable housing.”

25YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

VIew down Church Street steps,Whitby

SCARBOROUGH

A maritime centre Scarborough has an unforgettable form, dominated bythe ancient castle that stretches across thepromontory and commands the wide sweep of thesandy bay. The early town was a planned settlementbuilt outside the castle walls, which prospered with itsmarkets and annual fair. Despite the ravages of timeand war, the medieval grid plan can still be traced inthe streets of the old town.

By the eighteenth century Scarborough had reinventeditself as a maritime centre with shipbuilding and shipowning to the fore. It also became a resort for thewealthy; sea bathing was in fashion, and theScarborough is believed to be the first seaside resortin the country. The town grew rapidly in thenineteenth century, with a railway bringing visitorsfrom the burgeoning West Riding conurbation. Manyof Scarborough’s grandest set pieces such as its hotels,squares and crescents, as well as its fine parks andgardens, were created over this period.

Investing in architectural heritage and culturalassets In common with many seaside towns Scarborough’spopularity as a resort waned in the latter half of thetwentieth century and its rather remote locationmade it difficult to attract new enterprise. In recentyears there has been a sustained effort to invest inScarborough’s architectural heritage and its culturalassets.

Grant schemes by English Heritage in the 1980s werefollowed up by Heritage Lottery Fund awards and SRBfunding for the Castle Pride initiative. Combined withthe Council’s resources and European (ERDF) monies,these programmes have made a significant

contribution to tackling problems of urban deprivationand building decay. The image of the town, at one timeneglected and outmoded, is being transformed.

Most recently, the Regional Development Agency,Yorkshire Forward, has invested substantially throughthe Scarborough Urban Renaissance initiative.Strategies include the strengthening of Scarborough’scultural quarter through the restoration and re-use ofthe Rotunda Museum, and the creation of new studioand workshop space at Wood End. Upgrading thenearby Art Gallery is also on the agenda. Theseworks have been complemented by sustainedinvestment in the public realm around the old harbour.

Chris Hall, the Council’s Conservation Officer, notesthe importance of high quality restoration and thevalue of targeted, high profile works in changingperceptions. He cites the example of the pontoonsnewly installed in the fishing harbour for the mooringof yacht:s: “The fishing fleet is still there, but the sightand sound of the yachts have brought a new quality andvibrancy to the Sandside area.”

26 YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

Key Lessons

• Partnership working, through a Town Teamthat draws together key individuals andinterest groups

• Setting clear priorities for action • Using the media and internet to sustain

local interest and political commitment• Investing in quality • Demonstrating value for money; £2.7m for

the upgrading of the historic Spa complexin Scarborough has triggered around £6mof investment in nearby hotels.

27YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

Restored shop fronts on Eastborough, Scarborough

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28

A Victorian seaside town

Great Yarmouth is a historic seaside resort with a finebeach and a medieval core with an intact town walland narrow lanes, known as ‘the Rows’, as well as anumber of beautifully restored merchants’ houses.Great Yarmouth originally began as a pre-Normanfishing settlement and grew to become one of themost important seventeenth century towns in England,based on its strength as a market town and fishing andnaval port.

Great Yarmouth became one of the top seasidedestinations on the east coast for Victorian andEdwardian holidaymakers and this is reflected in someof the key entertainment landmarks which havesurvived such as the former Empire cinema, theHippodrome, the Windmill theatre and the WinterGardens. However, the town experienced intensebomb damage during the Second World War and the1950s saw the decline of first the herring industry, andthen the tourist economy. This economic decline wasreflected in the poor state of the town centre’s builtheritage which suffered through neglect and poorlevels of maintenance. Today, Great Yarmouth hassome of the most deprived communities in the regionwith high levels of unemployment, drug use, domesticviolence and teenage pregnancies.

Protecting and enhancing heritage

In 1990, prior to the introduction of the TownScheme, a third of Great Yarmouth’s listed buildingswere empty or neglected, and they became a symbolof the town’s socio-economic decline. The restorationof these redundant and neglected buildings wastherefore vital in order to communicate a positivemessage of renewal, but the high levels of deprivation

and low levels of private sector confidence meant thatgrant assistance was considered essential to helpregenerate the town’s historic fabric.

Of the 155 buildings listed under the Town Scheme,work on 50 buildings has since been completedthrough the Town Scheme and a Conservation AreaPartnership Scheme. 54 further grants were awardedfor 37 buildings under the Heritage EconomicRegeneration Scheme, with £140,000 of fundinglevering over £3million of private investment. UnderStage 1 of the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI),£4.6million has been awarded by the ERDF Objective2, East of England Development Agency and SingleRegeneration Budget and this in turn has generated£18million of new investment. The THI programmehas also ensured that:

6.Great Yarmouth:working in partnershipto meet local and community needsIn Great Yarmouth, an entrepreneurial approach to conservation and restoration financekeeps several projects on-line at a time. Several buildings have been temporarily saved fromdereliction, while others have been brought back into use to serve community needs.

EAST OF ENGLAND

The Empire, Great Yarmouth

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· Of the 232 listed buildings in the urban area, thenumber of ‘at risk’ buildings has been reduced from77 to just 8 within the THI area;

· 80 new units have been created and 42 unitsbrought back into use; and

· 16 buildings have been brought back into use.

One of the most important ways that Great YarmouthBorough Council has been able to protect its builtheritage is to use a technique that the principalconservation officer calls ‘mothballing’. The Boultonsscheme, numbers 55 and 56 North Quay, is a Grade IIlisted building in a prominent position within theconservation area and its condition is serious withsevere, accelerated deterioration. It is on the Buildingsat Risk register at risk level 1 and has been‘mothballed’ for 17 years meaning that its structurehas been protected at a basic level using a variety ofmeasures including, at present, a temporary corrugatediron roof. This process has protected the historicasset whilst work was undertaken to secure fundingfor its comprehensive restoration. Over £700,000 ofTHI funding will now be used to help convert thebuilding into 19 affordable housing units which havealready been leased to a housing association with thesupport of the Housing Corporation.

Working in partnership to promote and saveheritage In 1995, a heritage strategy for Great Yarmouth wasdeveloped through a unique partnership between theNorfolk Museums Service, the National Trust, EnglishHeritage, Great Yarmouth Borough Council andNorfolk County Council. This strategy has helped toregenerate the historic core of the seaport which wassuffering from the decline of the fishing industry andhas helped to change the perception of GreatYarmouth by informing local people and visitors aboutthe town’s historic environment. The partnershiprecognised the importance of reaching a critical massof museums to thrive as a tourist destination and as aresult, the numbers of visitors to South Quays hasincreased from 1,400 per year in 1990 to over 7,000in 2005.

In 2003 the InteGREAT Partnership was establishedwith funding from the European RegionalDevelopment Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, EEDA andGreat Yarmouth Borough Council, to bring forwardthe further regeneration of the town centre, seafront

and heritage areas. Membership of the InteGREATPartnership comprises Great Yarmouth TouristAuthority, Great Yarmouth Heritage Partnership, GreatYarmouth Town Centre Partnership, Great YarmouthCommunity Partnership, Seachange, Great YarmouthBorough Council and Norfolk County Council. Thispartnership aims to create a safe, quality-led,integrated destination through a series of public realmand marketing improvements and has also providedsubstantial grants for the refurbishment of the builtheritage including the refurbishment of WellingtonPier.

The Borough Council has an excellent track record ofpositive intervention through Repairs Notices,compulsory and negotiated purchase and back-to-backarrangements with the local Building PreservationTrust, of which the Council’s Principal ConservationOfficer is also chair. This dual role enables him toprotect, enhance and save buildings at risk in the town,using the Trust as an ‘entrepreneurial wing’ to gainownership of key sites. Three notable successesinclude:

· 32-33 Baker Street, Gorleston, the first example of aBuilding Trust working successfully with a housingassociation to deliver new affordable residentialaccommodation;

EAST OF ENGLAND

Old Merchant’s House and Middlegate Gardens,Great Yarmouth

30

· Middlegate Gardens, a community garden on aformer bomb site located between two EnglishHeritage historic houses on South Quay which hasbeen transformed through active communityparticipation, including young offenders; and

· The Time & Tide Museum opened in 2004 in arestored historic kipper factory to celebrate GreatYarmouth’s maritime and fishing heritage, followingcommunity consultation which revealed continuedenthusiasm for the local heritage. The developmentof this museum was funded by grants totalling over£4.5million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (over£2million), East of England Development Agency,ERDF: Objective 2, Single Regeneration Budget,Great Yarmouth Borough Council and EnglishHeritage. The museum now attracts approximately40,000 visitors per year and helps make GreatYarmouth a year-round destination.

Re-using historic buildings to meet communityneeds

Great Yarmouth is exemplary in its pursuit ofregeneration through conservation, but also inensuring that regeneration directly addresses theneeds of the local community. As with 32-33 BakerStreet, there are a number of other projects wherethe conservation team has sought public sectorfunding for the structural repairs to buildings andturned to housing associations to fund the fit-out ofthe upper storeys in return for leasing them the units.Where possible, the Council, housing associations andthe Housing Corporation have returned previouslyconverted properties into traditional two or threestorey family homes.

One key project under way is the Bretts scheme at 2Howard Street North which is a Georgian, Grade IIlisted building in a prominent position within the

Conservation Area. This collection of buildings, whichincludes two derelict cottages to the rear of thecourtyard, is currently being converted into a resourcefor young homeless people in the town centre withfourteen trainer flats, staff accommodation and officesfor healthcare, welfare and child services as well as acafé on the ground floor.

Key Lessons

· Public sector leadership and passion isessential

· Partnership working between differentpublic sector bodies, as well as betweenprivate and public sectors, can deliverimpressive results

· The public sector sometimes needs to beempowered to take risks, particularlyfinancial risks

· Ownership of sites is important – “thepeople who control the capital, control thepolicy”

· The historic environment can meetpressing local needs, as well as providespace to accommodate visitor attractionsand facilities

· A critical mass of attractions is necessary torejuvenate a visitor economy.

“Everyone has the right to live in a high qualityenvironment”

Stephen Earl MBE, Principal Conservation Officer, GreatYarmouth Borough Council and Chairman, GreatYarmouth Preservation Trust

EAST OF ENGLAND

31

Time and Tide Museum, Great Yarmouth

EAST OF ENGLAND

32 EAST OF ENGLAND

Making the connections

The town of Lowestoft was expanded in thenineteenth century by Sir Samuel Morton Peto toinclude a prosperous port with good rail and sea linksand it soon became a flourishing seaside resort withlarge seaside houses and a growing retail core. Thetown continued to prosper until the First World Warand was also later affected by flooding, the decline offishing and closure of a number of the heavy industriesbetween the 1950s and 1970s. There are now threedistinct character areas, North, Central and SouthLowestoft; each which have been the subjects ofHERS,THI and CAPS schemes respectively and havebenefited from continuous public sector investmentover the last ten to twelve years.

All three schemes have produced a number ofimprovements to the town’s historic builtenvironment. In North Lowestoft, the oldest survivingpart of the town with its historic High Street andsteep lanes known as ‘the Scores’ has benefited fromHERS funding. This has helped to reinforce the area’stourist potential whilst assisting small businesses byenhancing the visual quality of the buildings and spacesbetween them. Central Lowestoft’s THI projectencompasses commercial, industrial and tourismactivities alongside other initiatives such as the SouthQuay development and Lowestoft town centreproject. In South Lowestoft, CAPS funding hasenabled Waveney District Council to work withprivate residential and commercial property owners to

enhance individual properties as well as upgradingpublic areas such as the Wellington EsplanadeGardens. The CAP scheme was supported by theKirkley Single Regeneration Budget, European UnionRegional Development fund Objective 5b, anddelivered in partnership with Suffolk County Counciland Waveney District Council and has had asubstantial impact on the visual quality of the areawith property owners in the area continuing theprinciples which were established under the scheme.

Until recently, the approach to heritage andregeneration across the three distinct areas has beensomewhat disjointed but some positive changes arebeginning to take place. In 2005, an UrbanRegeneration Company for Lowestoft and GreatYarmouth, 1st East, was established. The company hasundertaken extensive community consultation andproduced two statutory planning documents (AreaAction Plans) which set out visions and overarchingdevelopment strategies for both towns. The proposalsinclude reconnecting the town centre to thewaterfront via the Scores and building upon theLowestoft’s historic connections with Europe via anew East of England Park on the coast. In addition tothis,Waveney District Council has recently completeddetailed Conservation Area Appraisals for North,Central and South Lowestoft which it hopes will helpplace historic buildings at the core of any futureproposals for the area, as well as enhancing thedialogue between conservation and regenerationpartners.

7.Vignette:Lowestoft

33SOUTH EAST

Placing the historic environment

Southend-on-Sea provides an interesting example ofhow the historic environment can be celebrated andintegrated within the Masterplanning process.Renaissance Southend Ltd is currently preparing aMasterplan for the Central Area of Southend-on-Sea.The overall objective is to support Southend as asustainable sub-regional centre, realising its fullpotential as a hub for retail, culture and education.Emerging proposals have illustrated the potential for arange of physical interventions to create theconditions to achieve a step change, and a number ofthese proposals have placed historic environment atthe heart of the design.

Southend is most famously associated with its iconicPier, which at a mile and a quarter is the longest in theworld. The Pier and Golden Mile are emblematic ofboth the rapid expansion of the East London workingclass day-tripper market in the mid to late NineteenthCentury, and the declining fortunes of the traditionalEnglish Seaside resort in the late Twentieth Century.However, the original catalyst for Southend's growthas a seaside destination and its wider transformationfrom fishing hamlet (Prittlewell South End) to townare rooted in a Royal visit at the turn of theNineteenth Century to the Clifftown, an area situatedin the south-western quadrant of the current towncentre. In 1809, the Prince Regent (who later becameGeorge IV) encouraged his wife, Princess Caroline tovisit Prittlewell to take advantage of the health benefitsof the seaside environment. This visit incorporated astay at the Grand Hotel on the Terrace and gave birthto 'The Royal Terrace' and 'Royal Hotel' which stillexist at the top of Pier Hill. Clifftown continuedexpand in a series of phases and now plays a majorrole in defining a unique historic character to centralSouthend - a counterpoint to the more mainstreamHigh Street and the brasher Golden Mile.

The parts of Clifftown closest to the High Street haveexperienced a process of organic renewal with thegrowth of a number of independent shops, bars andrestaurants in the grid of streets focused on AlexandraStreet. The Masterplan proposes to support theevolution of the Clifftown area as a Boutique Quarterwith a strong food, drink and retail offer.The mainfocus for this will be infill development opportunitieson the Council-owned Alexandra and Clarence carparks.This quarter will also have a strong culturalidentity, capitalising on the fine grain historic streetform, attractive historic character and links to RoyalTerrace and Cliffs Gardens. Another example of thecentral role of the historic environment in theMasterplan is the proposal to create a major newmixed use quarter to the south east of the HighStreet. A new open space based around the historicSt John's church forms the strategic hub of the newquarter, joining Tylers to the north to Seaways in thesouth-east.

8.Vignette:Southend-on-Sea

Royal Terrace, Southend-on-Sea

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34

9.Whistable:historic industry,newtourism offerWhitstable is a classic case of heritage-led regeneration. Once a run-down fishing port,Whitstable is now synonymous with oysters, and offers a vibrant local artistic scene set in acharming townscape.

A historic shell fishing industry

Whitstable functioned as a small coal port, fishing portand seaside resort from the mid 19th century until the1970s, but has a much longer history of Oystercollection stretching back to Roman times. Thecurrent Whitstable Oyster Company can trace itsorigins back to a charter signed by Queen Elizabeth Iin 1574.The town has an intimate High Street formedof a continuous frontage of narrow plots and variedfacades providing an east-west spine set back from thebeach. Vernacular styles and local materials such asflat-topped gables and weatherboarding create adistinctive local character and a strong sense of place.

Decline of fishing and coal industries

During the 1970s and 1980s the decline of the fishingand coal industries left Whitstable without aneconomic base and saw the gradual deterioration ofits historic fabric. By 1990, when Whitstable wasidentified by Kent County Council as an area ofdeprivation, the unemployment rate was 9.6%. Much ofthe seafront was in a poor state of repair, and severalbuildings were at serious risk from fire.

Restoration of the historic streetscape

Between 1990 and 2005 Whitstable received a numberof grants:Whitstable Town Scheme (1989 – 1996),Whitstable Building Enhancement Scheme (1989 –1996), Conservation Area Partnership scheme (1996 –1999), Heritage Grant Scheme (1996 – 2001) andTownscape Heritage Initiative (1999 – 2005). In all,Canterbury City Council estimates that totalinvestment of around £907,500 has levered at least£4,356,000 of match funding from partner private and

public agencies (Canterbury City Council, 2005).Targeting Whitstable’s historic streetscape, they havefunded the restoration of 352 individual buildings, bothmajor structural repairs and façade renovation.

Public realm initiatives have restored the seafront andcreated new links between the High Street and thebeach. Of the various grants, the THI, which was set at66%, had by far the largest uptake.This level offinancial commitment by the public sector was crucialin restoring confidence in Whitstable for investors,residents and visitors alike.

Harbour Street,Whitstable

SOUTH EAST

35

Local entrepreneurialism

Motivated by a desire to save its physical and culturalheritage, the Green family successfully re-startedOyster production from Whitstable using traditionaltechniques and converted the Royal Native OysterStores, which had fallen into considerable disrepair,into a fish restaurant in the late 1980s.As freeholders,they were able to put heritage first, rather than take astrictly commercial approach, prioritising sensitiverestoration and authenticity.The Greens subsequentlyrenovated the Hotel Continental a high quality hotelon the seafront, converted a group of Fishermen’s hutsalong the beach into self-catering accommodation, andset up a micro-brewery and bar. A single family whowere able to take initial risks in Whitstable havecontributed hugely to the town’s regeneration, andnow operate some of the key powerhouses of thelocal economy. The Greens have been particularlyinfluential, through the Royal Oyster Stores restaurant,in fostering a market of high-spending visitors fromLondon, who come to eat at the restaurant and thenenjoy the shops, galleries and seafront in the rest ofthe town.

A local artistic scene

Local artists, drawn to Whitstable in the 1970s partlyas a result of its attractive townscape, have stayed onin Whitstable and form a key component of the localcommunity. Fisherman’s huts have been convertedinto artists studios, and local artists have found outletsin a number of galleries around the town.Theculmination of this was the construction of theHorsebridge Centre in 2004, a brand new arts andcommunity space.This was built on a brownfield site,and made financially viable by THI gap funding of£200,000.

An all-round experience

Specialist retail – clothes shops, cafes anddelicatessens, have thrived and the Whitstable yachtclub is now oversubscribed.Whitstable’s proximity toLondon offers a large market for its new gastro andartistic offer, and enables the town to captureweekend tourism, as well as acting as a base for one-day trips around the southeast.A new leisure offer hasgrown off the back of this, capitalising on the prevailingoff-shore wind which creates stable and reliable sailingand windsurfing conditions.The recently diversifiedlocal economy brings all-year round tourism, ensuringa more stable economy and better job security forlocal residents. Looking to the future, there are plansfor further diversification - a mixed-use redevelopmentof the South Quay, which has attracted medium –large retailers, complementing the specialist retail offeralong the High Street.

Royal Native Oyster Stores,Whitstable

The Sailing Club,Whitstable

‘I was influenced by what I saw growing up as ateenager.We saw a lovely town, a lovely company –one of the oldest in the world, and saw potentialthere’

Richard Green,Whitstable Oyster Company

SOUTH EAST

Heritage-led regeneration

Whitstable offers the visitor an all-round experienceextending to arts and culture, retail, out-dooractivities, high quality food and sustainable lifestyleaspirations, all in an attractive historic environment.The restoration of Whitstable’s historic environmenthas been integral to its regeneration, providing flexiblebuildings, an inherently appealing environment, and theinfrastructure of Oyster fishing, which is the centraltenet of the local economy once again. Whitstable’srestaurants offer sustainably farmed, fresh, localproduce, the quality of which is reflected andadvocated in Whitstable’s fine architecture andtownscape.The use of original dredgers and traditionalfarming techniques creates a direct and visible linkwith Whitstable’s past, reinforcing its sense of uniqueidentity, and projecting sustainable ideals toconsumers.

Key Lessons

· People need big reasons to go to a place –local traditional food can have significantappeal

· It is important to understand the visitormarket, and ensure that they are cateredfor

· Support and encourage local entrepreneurswho are prepared to take a risk to deliverresults

· Key successes can be achieved where publicand private sectors work together, to investin public realm and the built environment

· People value high quality and character,which can often be delivered through therestoration of historic buildings

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Harbour Street,Whitstable

‘Heritage investment has laid the groundwork andthe town’s economy has taken off as a result.Whitstable is now capable of self-regeneration.There is enough vitality in the local economy –leisure, retail and food, to ensure a thriving town’

David Kincaid, Conservation Officer, Canterbury CityCouncil

SOUTH EAST

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Whitstable Harbour

SOUTH EAST

10.Margate:contemporary art in aseaside resort

Seaside Pioneer

Margate was one of the earliest seaside resorts, anduntil the 1960s, sat at the cutting edge of the seasideleisure industry. During the 18th century it attractedthe aristocracy from London by boat as a place toenjoy the perceived health benefits associated with seawater and sea air, particularly as a cure fortuberculosis.The Royal Sea Bathing Hospital was builtfor this purpose in 1791, so that patients could beconveyed down a ramp into the sea within theirbathing machines. Margate’s Georgian town centrecontains two formal residential squares surrounded bya network of winding streets.

The accumulation of sand in front of the harbour pierin the 1820s and the construction of the railwayprompted Margate’s further expansion as Victorianseaside resort, including the development of theseafront. Critical to this development, and occupying alarge site in the centre of Margate was Dreamland, anamusement park which originated as a site occupiedby travelling showpeople in the 1850s. Margate wasthe first resort to offer donkey rides, in 1890, and toprovide deckchairs, in 1898. During the inter-waryears, no fewer than three large cinemas were builthere, along with a large lido, and, on the Dreamlandsite, a large wooden rollercoaster, the Scenic Railway,the oldest surviving rollercoaster which is now GradeII listed.

Margate has been the home and inspiration to anumber of literary and artistic figures.T S Eliot spenttime here before writing The Wasteland and JMWTurner, who was a regular visitor in the 1830s, is saidto have remarked to the writer John Ruskin ‘the skiesover Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe’. Tracy Emingrew up in Margate, and has produced two films setthere.

Decay and decline

Despite record visitor numbers after the SecondWorld War, economic decline set in from the 1960sonwards. Margate Central is currently the 357th mostdeprived ‘super output area’ in the United Kingdom(out of 32,482). It has a high level of transience amongits resident population, both as a destination forseasonal tourists, and as a place which accommodateshigh numbers of refugees and asylum seekers.According to the 2004 Indices of Multiple Deprivation,Margate Central is the most deprived Super OutputArea of 1047 in Kent, and 357th of 32,482 in England.There are high levels of decay and dereliction amongseafront properties. The Lido has been closed for 20years, the pool filled with concrete and the lowerfloors used as a rubbish dump.

In Margate long-term socio-economic problems are being tackled with an ambitiousregeneration scheme incorporating a high profile art gallery, the Turner Contemporary, andan arts hub utlising the fine historic fabric of the Old Town. Improved rail links to Londonand entrepeneurial restoration of the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital and Lido add impetus tothe overall vision.

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Dreamland Cinema, Margate

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Disrepair and dereliction

Depressed house prices and low incomes translateinto disrepair and dereliction. Poor trade in Margatetown centre is exacerbated by a recently built out-of-town shopping centre and flood risk, which precludesresidential uses at ground floor level in some parts oftown. As a result, restoration isn’t financially viable forfreeholders, and gap funding requirements cannot bemet in many cases.There is no culture of maintenance,or reinstatement of historic materials. Multipleoccupancy is very widespread, with its correspondingloss of layout, fabric and detail.

In the absence of local stone, the use of stucco inGeorgian structures has left Margate’s historic fabricparticularly susceptible to the local salt-laden air.Thisis also true of later ferro-concrete structures such asthe Lido and Winter Gardens.

Repair and restoration

A Thanet Grant Scheme (1972), Conservation AreaPartnership Scheme (CAPS) (ended 1997) andTownscape Heritage Initiative (THI) (2002) haveenabled major structural repairs and renovationamong properties within the Old Town and along theparade.The CAPS targeted the transformation of a carpark into a public space, and successfully established ahealthy café culture along the seafront. House pricesin the area have doubled over the last 3 years,

encouraging freeholders to invest in their properties.Part of the THI funding has been allocated to estateagent reorientation programmes which demonstratethe value of regular maintenance and use ofappropriate materials.

Cultural heritage – the Turner Contemporary

Despite initial problems with the architectural designof the building, proposals have been put forward for anew permanent gallery in Margate, the TurnerContemporary, designed by David ChipperfieldArchitects, and due for completion in 2010. Fundedlargely by Kent County Council,The Arts CouncilEngland and SEEDA, the gallery will exhibit works byTurner alongside contemporary pieces, celebratingTurner’s association with Margate, and continuing hiswork as a pro-active supporter of young artists.

‘We aim to draw parallels with Turner’s life – he wasn’taccepted as a contemporary artist and was verysupportive of young artists at the time.The TurnerPrize aims to do this, and similarly, we are sustainingTurner’s approach to art.’ John Haywood – MarketingDirector,Turner Contemporary

The Turner Contemporary aims to be of national andinternational significance, modelled on examples suchas the Tate St Ives and the Baltic. It will be marketedto the region in partnership with Tourism South EastThe Old Town, Margate

The Parade, Margate

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Margate Beach

and the Kent Tourism Alliance. It is expected toattract an additional 135,000 visitors per annum, andto broaden the range of visitors to Margate, withsignificant increases in spend and overnight stays,which will have a knock-on effect on retail andrestaurants in the area.

Margate’s new offer will add to the existing mix ofcoastal and in-land attractions across the wide localityand region to create a stronger visitor package whichappeals to the weekender as well as the day-tripper.

A new quarter in the Old Town

The Turner Contemporary will be the centre-piece ofa new cultural and artistic hub located in the OldTown.This architecturally distinct quarter of Margatewill give a high quality physical character and uniqueambience to a new economic sector.The fine historicfabric will attract and accommodate specialist retailalong with creative and cultural businesses, showcasing

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the work of the artistic community within a stunningsetting.The Old Town creative economy and TurnerContemporary will have a symbiotic relationship, beingreliant on each other for customers.

Transport improvements

The improved rail link to Ashford, planned for 2009, isa key regeneration driver and provides a uniqueregeneration opportunity for Margate. It will reducejourney times between Margate and London from 101to just 65 minutes, making Margate immediately moreattractive to visitors and to commuters looking torelocate out of London for a better quality of life.Entrepreneurial regeneration

Local entrepreneur Jane de Bliek bought the derelictRoyal Sea Bathing Hospital in March 2005, intending toconvert the hospital into luxury apartments. Motivatedlargely by the desire to save a beautiful building, shebegan with the restoration of the hospital, rather thanthe construction of new flats on a site nearby whichwould meet the restoration costs.The renovationprocess is near completion and many of the 250 flatshave already been sold.

De Bliek’s confidence in Margate is embedded in herappreciation of its natural and historic assets, and afirm belief in the recovery of the seaside market. AsDavid Seaton of Paige Properties notes,“The newlyrestored façade of the hospital has given Margate apsychological leg-up and created a mood of optimism inthe town’.

De Bliek now has ambitious new plans for furtherdevelopment in Margate, including the restoration andredevelopment of the Lido and Winter Gardens into492 flats, a 200 bedroom hotel and swimming pool.She has ambitions to re-establish the old tramway tolink the development with the town centre.

‘People are attracted to Margate because of the seaside holiday – so long as the access is good, there’s lesshassle, particularly if you have a family, airfares are going up and if there’s nice weather here, so there’s no needto go anywhere else. Margate’s got the seafront, the golden beach, fish n’ chips, deckchairs, punch and Judy, pot oftea, bread and butter – everything you can remember from your holidays as a kid.’

Jane De Bliek, Managing Director, Paigle Properties

The Royal Sea Bathing Hospital, Margate

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Key Lessons

· The idea of Turner Contemporary was bornlocally has been taken up regionally andnationally.Tate were very receptive to the idea,and the project fills a regional gap in visual artsprovision to the benefit of the locality

· In recognising and addressing its problems,Margate has a head start on other coastal townsseeking to regenerate even the proposalsthemselves have raised Margate’s profilenationally, and broadened the horizons withinMargate

· The historic environment has proved to be aflexible resource, able to respond tocontemporary needs

· Investment in the historic environment can reapdisproportionate benefits in presenting apositive new image

The restoration of the Royal Sea Bathing Hospital hasrestored investor confidence in Margate for residents,investors and regeneration professionals.

The developer has been supported by Thanet DistrictCouncil’s Conservation Department who have workedwith her to ensure minimal loss to the historic fabric,helping to find solutions to planning and conservationrestrictions.

The Dreamland site

A fire on the Dreamland site in 2003 has left a largespace at the heart of Margate, with direct access tothe seafront.This presents an excellent opportunity toprovide new uses which support Margate’s otherregeneration projects.The project is being guided bythe Margate Renewal Partnership, set up in 2006 andfunded by SEEDA. It draws together the variousprojects going on in Margate in order to integratetheir strategic aims. It is currently producing a parking

The Scenic Railway and Dreamland Site, Margate

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‘We’re trying to create a visitor destination for people – using the fantastic set of natural resources, and restoringthe town’s exquisite architecture to its original condition.The package will include the opportunity to buy art fromlocal artists’

John Haywood, Marketing Director,Turner Contemporary

and movement plan to improve connectivity within thetown. As Derek Harding, Programme Director,Margate Renewal Partnership David Seaton, PaigleProperties notes “The [Dreamland] site is critical to thefuture of the town, its function and economic success. Itsimportance can’t be underestimated. It is synonymous withMargate, and when it closed, it ripped the heart and soulout of Margate.”

Development of the Dreamland site is being guided bya planning brief due for publication in August 2007.The Scenic railway and Dreamland Cinema will be atthe heart of the new development, which will offer aleisure attraction which celebrates Margate’s heritage,but appeals to contemporary visitors.

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Regenerating the historic Old Town as acreative quarter

Folkestone became a fashionable seaside resort in thelate Victorian and Edwardian period at a time whenmuch of its infrastructure was built such as the elegantcliff top promenade known as the Leas and themonumental Metropole and Grand hotels. In thesecond half of the twentieth century, Folkestone, likemany other coastal towns, experienced decline due toincreased competition from cheaper package holidaysabroad, poor rail connections to London and thecollapse of coal mining and fishing in East Kent as awhole. It was dealt a further blow in the 1990s whenthe Channel Tunnel opened, eventually leading to theclosure of the ferry industry. Low property values andsome of the most deprived wards in the country havedominated the town in recent decades but recently, anumber of regeneration initiatives have begun to injectconfidence back into Folkestone.

Folkestone originated as a small fishing village before itbecame part of the Cinque Ports in the Middle Ages.Its oldest buildings are situated close to the harbourand this area is now known as the historic Old Townwith the cobbled Old High Street and Tontine Street,once the town’s main shopping street, both runningfrom the harbour. This area of empty and dilapidatedproperties has been identified as having the potential

11.Vignette:Folkestoneto become a diverse and exciting area, providingartists’ studios, high quality offices for a range ofcreative businesses, shops, galleries, cafés, restaurants,visitor attractions and homes in a new CreativeQuarter. The driving force behind this project is TheCreative Foundation, a registered charity supported bylocal philanthropist Roger de Haan (former Sagachairman), the Channel Corridor AIF, Kent CountyCouncil and Arts Council England, and which controlsin excess of 60 properties in the Old Town.Theorganisation focuses on purchasing, refurbishing andmanaging property in the Creative Quarter and by theend of 2008, 1,000 jobs in the creative industries andancillary services will have been created and sustained,directly through the Creative Quarter.

Whilst the establishment of the Creative Quarter isan integral part of the overall strategy to regenerateFolkestone, there are a number of other keydevelopment projects in the pipeline which will alsohave a positive impact on the town, including thearrival of the high speed rail services by 2009 whichwill link Folkestone Central to St Pancras in under anhour; the completion of a new 200,000 sq ft shoppingcentre at Bouverie Place (currently underconstruction); and a £40million state-of-the-art school,the Folkestone Academy sponsored by Roger de Haanand Kings School Canterbury, due to open inSeptember 2007.

12.Hastings:addressing structuraleconomic change

Three historic neighbourhoods

Hastings is unique in being internationally famous forits association with the most well-known date inEnglish History, 1066. Hastings has three distincthistoric neighbourhoods: the Old Town, the Georgianplanned resort of St Leonards and the Victorianseafront and town centre.Nestled in between two cliffs, the Old Town grew as amedieval fishing settlement, and was the Senior CinquePort during the middle ages and early-modern period.It has a nationally important medieval townscapewhich retains the character of an isolated fishingvillage, and a surviving traditional beach-launchedinshore fishing fleet and associated historic net shops.

St Leonards was the product of the post-Napoleonicbuilding boom, built to accommodate long-stay visitsamong the upper-classes. It contains Joseph Kaye’sPelham Crescent and formal squares and terraces byJames Burton.The town centre and seafrontdeveloped from the 1840s with the arrival of therailway via two rail routes, bringing visitors fromLondon and the southeast for weekend and week-longstays. Until the First World War Hastings was one ofthe most important seaside resorts in the country,with a resident population of 60,000 in 1914. Itspopularity continued into the 1930s, when thereinforced concrete two-tier promenade, the ArtDeco Marine Court and Marina Pavilion were built bylocal engineer Sydney Little.The town centre and OldTown are over looked by the landmark ruins ofHastings Castle,William the Conqueror’s first castle inEngland.

Decline

The collapse of seaside tourism in the 1970s hitHastings particularly hard because of the town’s singlereliance on the tourist industry.This was compoundedby a lack of retail or public realm investment since the1930s, a problem which was not addressed until the1990s. Hastings continues to be a centre of multipledeprivation: the Castle (Town Centre) and Central StLeonards wards both lie within the worst 10%nationally, earnings are 68% of the south east averageand 31.7% of residents between 16 and 74 have noqualifications. Benefit dependency is a particular issue,with £14 million passing through the Council’s booksevery year in the form of DSS-originating housingbenefit payments to residential landlords.

In response to the long-term decline of its tourist industry, Hastings aims to expand itshealth, further education and business sectors. Employers, employees and students are to beattracted by the town’s key assets: stunning architectural set pieces, historic residentialneighbourhoods and an exceptional townscape.

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The Seafront, Hastings

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The regeneration of Hastings is focusing ondiversifying the local economy and ensuring that newvisitor offers are created, jobs are provided for localresidents, and the physical environment is preservedand enhanced. Funding from English Heritage and theHeritage Lottery Fund has played a key role inHastings in addressing market failure to deliverrestoration and redevelopment, and in pump-primingareas for further public and private sector funding.

Heritage-led regeneration

Hastings has benefited from a number of fundingprogrammes, which are beginning to address a long-term lack of investment.The Old Town has received anEnglish Heritage Conservation Area PartnershipScheme and a Heritage Economic RegenerationScheme and Heritage Lottery Fund TownscapeHeritage Initiative, with additional Single RegenerationBudget and EU Objective 2 contributions.These havetargeted the Old Town, Hastings town centre, theseafront and St Leonards, financing building repairs,reinstatement of original materials and features, andsome public realm improvements.

The Old Town has seen substantial physicalregeneration as a result of these programmes, andthere are now signs of market-led regeneration. In

particular, the historic net shops, which contributesignificantly to the character of the Old Town, havesuccessfully been retained.

The Conservation Area Partnership scheme, which ranfrom 1995 to 2001, funded public realm improvementsand façade restoration around the Trinity Triangle, theretail core of the town centre, kick-starting thedevelopment of a café and restaurant economy.Asuccessful café culture has grown up, complementing a1997 retail-led regeneration project, the MeadowPriory which brought new retailers to Hastings andintegrated a new public space with the town centre.The town centre now has a more robust economy,and a retail offer which helps to attract additionalvisitors to Hastings.

A number of hotels have been brought back into useas residences.The Queens Hotel in Hastings towncentre, which has been empty since 1987, has beenconverted into leasehold apartments; the derelictRegent Court Hotel on the seafront has beenconverted into residential flats with private investment

Hastings Old Town

Warrior Gardens, St Leonards

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‘The town centre now accompanies the Old Town asa restaurant location in Hastings.’ Paul Adams, Seaspace

and a historic buildings grant.The Marlborough Hotelat Warrior Square, St Leonards, has been redevelopedby a leading housing association with additional SRBfunding.

St Leonards received SRB6 and AIF funding in the1990s, which targeted housing renewal and buildingrepairs.This work is being continued through aHousing Renewal Area, which commenced in 2003.The project has received £4m for housing renovation,THI worth £2.8m, and a number of individual packagesaimed at specific sites such as St Leonards Gardens(£1m, funded by HLF), and the Marina Pavilion(£1.9m). The project will address a 26% retail vacancyrate, tackle substandard housing and implement crimereduction measures throughout the area. Guided bythe Burton St Leonards Society, the restoration of StLeonards Gardens will bring them back into publicuse, and the South Lodge will provide a new exhibitionand community space at the heart of theneighbourhood. The Greenway Project will createnew links between St Leonards and the seafront.

A niche tourism sector

Hastings’ proximity to the Channel Tunnel makes iteasily accessible to school trips from Europe. Thetown also attracts visitors from further afield to learnEnglish and second homes are a significant factor inboth the local tourism economy and the housingmarket, particularly in the Old Town. Yet Hastings islooking to attract a broader range of visitors, byoffering a higher quality of cultural tourism. A largeproportion of visitors remain day visitors, who tend tobe low spenders. Provision of high qualityaccommodation will be crucial in expanding thenumber of weekend visits - there is a lack of bedspaces and no major hotels have survived. Lastsummer saw a very successful seafood festival whichattracted a lot of weekenders and could become anannual event.

Further education and employment

The local authority recognises that cultural tourismwill not be sufficient to regenerate Hastings. Aregeneration strategy was prepared in 2002, whichsees heritage as a driver for growth in education,office-based businesses and the health sector. To thisend, Hastings has had priority funding in 2002/03through SEEDA and central government, including an£80m package for further education which is financingthe creation of the University Centre, a furthereducation facility where students can study forqualifications awarded by partner institutions includingthe Universities of Brighton, Greenwich, Sussex orChichester.

A regeneration delivery agency, Seaspace, has alsocreated a business plan to address the employmentshortfall (unemployment at 3.7% in April 2007,compared with 2.5% nationally, according to EastSussex County Council) and lack of commercial office

‘The Seafront is Hastings’ key asset and is un-welcoming and under utilised.There is scope for new opportunities,so we have divided it into character zones, and are looking at where it would be appropriate to look for public orprivate sector led development.We are trying to maximise the economic benefit of the seafront, to make it amore animated, vibrant place to go.’

Helena Magelhoj, Destination Development Manager, Seaspace

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Hastings Pier

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employment in Hastings. It has commissioned aMasterplan for the area around the station, including alarge new public space.

Enhancing key assets with good quality design

Seaspace aims to market Hastings’ built and naturalassets as a package which includes history,entertainment, landscape, access to the wider regionand high quality housing. Hastings’ elegant Georgianand Victorian residential neighbourhoods, onceequipped to modern standards, can offer a high qualityof life. Other historic buildings will offer high qualityleisure facilities: the Marina Pavilion, for example, willprovide a multi-functional community space, a restaurant and a nightclub, acting as a catalyst forregeneration of the wider area. As Paul Adams,Seaspace, says:“‘Built in the 1930s it hasn’t been used tofull capacity for a long time. It will provide vibrancy to theseafront and a public facility, and act as a beacon for theSt Leonards Area. Central St Leonards has a transientpopulation – the project is about revitalising the district.’

It is recognised that new buildings for Hastings’ futurefurther education and business functions will need toenhance, rather than damage Hastings’ specialtownscape.

The Creative Media Centre in the town centre, whichopened in September 2005, was built by BBMsustainable design to a contemporary design, and wasshortlisted for a RIBA award in2006. An innovativeEU-wide INTERREG project called Coastal Treasureshas established an architectural audit of Hastings andSt Leonards, which aims to use architecture toencourage cultural tourism and to act as a tool forplanners, conservation officers and local amenitysocieties when considering new development.

In order to enhance another of Hastings’ key assets,the seafront, a seafront strategy and design guide isbeing produced by Hastings Borough Council,

Key Lessons

· Where major structural economic decline hastaken place, a strategy of economicdiversification will be required

· The revival of a visitor economy will requiremultiple visitor offers to be development,including retail and cultural offers, as well as thetraditional seaside

· A strategic approach to heritage assets canidentify both their historic and economic valueand ensure that they are sensitively managed fora sustainable future.

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Seaspace and Tourism South East in partnership withCABE to identify opportunities for development. Inaddition, the Greenway project will seek to addressthe marginal position of businesses in St Leonards bycreating an attractive link between St Leonards andthe town centre, increasing pedestrian footfall in thearea.

Conservation issues

There are two main conservation issues whichHastings is currently facing. Firstly, the sheer scale ofthe problem is a major concern with its large Victorianhousing stock which is widely un-listed andexperiences little continuity of tenure. In addition,36% of houses in Hastings have been converted intoflats compared with 20% nationally. Secondly, thepromenade by the seafront is a major heritagechallenge; the lower tier of this two-tier building is notcovered by CCTV, and conversion for re-use presentssignificant design challenges. As James Risbridger,project manager of the Hastings Greenway projectssays, “The challenge is how to ensure that a structurewhich worked in the 1930s can work in the twentiethcentury.”

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13.Weymouth:marine leisure in aGeorgian resort

Military port and Georgian resort

For nearly 500 years,Weymouth has been one ofBritain’s most important commercial and militaryports and an emigration gateway to the Americas.Captain Cook’s voyage to Newfoundland left fromWeymouth in 1583, and during the 18th century,Weymouth was the departure point for those headingto Weymouth, Massachusetts, and Weymouth, NovaScotia. The Spanish Armada was defeated by a fleetlaunched from Weymouth in 1588, and in 1944,Weymouth staged part of the Allied D-Day assault onNormandy.

Weymouth town centre is formed of a Georgianseaside resort, and features an impressive esplanade ofGeorgian and early Victorian terraces stretching alongWeymouth Bay, built largely of locally quarriedPortland Stone. From 1789 to 1805 George III tookhis summer holidays in Weymouth, making the townvery popular with the aristocracy who employedleading architects such as James Hamilton to constructtheir houses.The town centre has around 1300 listedbuildings, more than 30 of which are listed Grade II*and is designated a Conservation Area.

Visitor numbers fell during the 1970s and 1980s as aresult of changes in the wider tourism market.Weymouth’s economy was further weakened by thedecline of the port at the same time, and loss of thenaval base from Portland to Winfrith in the mid 1990s,amounting to a loss of £40m per annum into the localeconomy.

Restoration

Between the 1980s and end of the 1990s,Weymouthand Portland Borough Council invested £1.5m in theproperties it owns along the Esplanade, assisted byfunding from English Heritage.

A partnership between the Council, Dorset CountyCouncil and English Heritage funded a Town SchemeGrant between 1984 and 1994, investingapproximately £50,000 per annum within theConservation Area. An English Heritage Conservation

Historically a military port and Georgian seaside resort,Weymouth is preparing itself forthe 2012 Olympic sailing events by investing into its historic built environment and leisurefacilities, transforming the town into a regional centre of marine leisure activities.

The Clock Tower,The Esplanade, Weymouth

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The Harbour Entrance,Weymouth

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Area Partnership scheme which ran between 1994 and1997 focussed on the Esplanade and the areaimmediately behind it. The grants financed repair ofBath Stone architrave and cornice detailing andwrought iron balustrading, both of which weatherquickly in Weymouth’s salt-laden air.

The Melcombe Regis Townscape Renewal TownscapeHeritage Initiative has funded public realmimprovements in the Conservation Area, and restoredthe Victorian shelters and important statues on theEsplanade.A character assessment has been prepared,identifying notable buildings, and those which detractfrom the character of the area.

A new leisure role

Weymouth is finding new leisure roles based aroundits traditional seaside functions, such as sailing,windsurfing, kite surfing, volleyball and handball. Theseaside leisure offer is also supporting a wideroutdoor activities offer, including in-land pursuits suchas hiking and motocross.Weymouth’s advantageousposition on the Dorset coastline is being exploited asa base to explore the surrounding ‘Jurassic coast’,Britain’s first World Heritage site, designated in 2001for its internationally significant geological andarchaeological features. Weymouth also has excellentdiving facilities, and over 1000 charted wrecks withinits waters.

A revival of retail and commerce

High-end restaurants are surviving in Weymouth, andnew ones are moving in.The development ofWeymouth’s new retail heart, finished in 1999 andanchored by multiple retailer Debenhams, hasprompted further investment by the private sectorinto the town centre, with buildings better maintainedand repaired, including listed buildings.Weymouth hastraditionally struggled to attract retail investment dueto its 180 degree catchment area and Debenhams’decision to locate here was undoubtedly influenced byWeymouth’s high quality historic built environment inrelatively good condition which provides distinctivecharacter that adds to the overall retail ‘experience’.

A partnership of the Devenish Weymouth Brewery,Dorset County Council and the Borough Council hasseen the regeneration of the brewery area aroundHope Square, following the closure of the brewery.This included semi-pedestrianisation of the areaincluding Trinity Road, and the conversion of thebrewery to leisure and retail street uses, including anew town museum. The listed malthouses around thebrewery were converted to flats. All of this hasprovided an alternative visitor attraction south ofWeymouth harbour in a previous deserted industrialarea. A thriving pub, café and restaurant cultureincluding outside seating areas has developed in HopeSquare and Trinity Road, as a direct result of thisinvestment.

Weymouth is also attracting companies associatedwith the leisure industry, such as yachting clothingdesigners Henri-Lloyd, the Laser Sailing School, andyacht builders. In addition, Reddyhoff are planning tobuild a new 570 berth marina in Portland.

The 2012 Olympics - a catalyst for change

The decision to hold the 2012 Olympic andParalympic sailing events at Weymouth has addedimpetus to regeneration delivery. Weymouth wasselected by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) as

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The Esplanade,Weymouth

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Key Lessons

· Traditional seaside activities can provide a baseto promote coastal leisure industries

· A proactive approach to the tourism sector issometimes required in order to deliverappropriate visitor accommodation and facilitiesfor new markets

· Heritage assets can be managed to meetchanging tourist market needs

· Strong cross-departmental partnerships canwork through conservation challenges, but awillingness to compromise is necessary

· Major investment through national andinternational events can be a catalyst for majoreconomic change

‘We aim to increase spend in Weymouth. It has a first class beach and offers the classic seaside holiday, but weneed accommodation which is geared up for out outdoor activities – we are looking at the wants and needs ofthat particular market.We need to offer high-end accommodation.We have evidence that people are willing tospend on quality.’

Jacqui Gisbourne, Communications Officer,Weymouth Borough Council

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the location for sailing events as its waters are classedas the best in northern Europe by the Royal YachtingAssociation. The South West Regional DevelopmentAgency (SWRDA) is building a £7.85m state-of-the-artracing facility at former Royal Naval Air Station andupgrading existing facilities at the National SailingAcademy to accommodate the Olympic andParalympic Games.

Prior to the Olympics, the 2011 sailing test events willbe held in Weymouth, and the town will also hostteams practising for these events. A series of culturalevents are planned in Weymouth from 2008 to 2012,and during the events themselves, the SWRDAexpects 10,000 additional visitors per day (The 2012Olympic and Paralympic Games:An Opportunity forBusiness, SWRDA, 2006).

The announcement of Weymouth’s selection for the2012 events has already led to investment.The formerRoyal Naval accommodation blocks, which hadpreviously proven unattractive to developers, receivedproposals within two months of the Olympic bid.Similarly, the Pavilion Peninsula received eightexpressions of interest immediately after theannouncement. The site, which features a theatre,ballroom and ferry terminal, will be converted toprovide a 120 – 140 bed hotel, up to 345 residentialapartments and a new 350 berth marina and is due forcompletion in 2011.The theatre will be stripped backto its footprint, and equipped as a modern theatrewith accessible dressing rooms, a heritage centre,shops and underground parking.

In addition, a Masterplan for the esplanade will createa revitalised and pedestrian-friendly space along thesea front, and a World Heritage centre is planned tosit next to the ferry terminal.

Preparing for the leisure economy

Weymouth Borough Council is taking the opportunitypresented by the 2012 Olympics to work towardsstructural change in Weymouth’s tourism offer. Highquality accommodation and facilities for those involvedin outdoor activities are key priorities.

By increasing standards, it is hoped that Weymouthwill attract a more skilled workforce, supportinggrowth in the marine leisure industry.This, in turn, willhelp to balance Weymouth’s demographic profile.TheCouncil has insisted that the new hotel at the PavilionPeninsula has to be 4* or higher, and hopes that bybringing in higher spending visitors, increased profitswill encourage investment in other seafrontproperties. Hotels which do invest and upgrade aremeeting with success.The Portland Heights Hotel,which has been re-branded, refurbished with a newbar and restaurant, now has plans for furtherexpansion.The successful Chandlers Hotel, refurbishedin 2001, offers spa facilities and wireless internetfacilities, but actively markets its ‘intimate Victoriancharacter’.

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14.Falmouth:maritime leisure andtourism

Historic and working port

Falmouth town centre is structured around anelongated High street and parallel residential streets.Its townscape has a strong, historic character, mostlycomposed of nineteenth century buildings and some18th and 17th century structures, but with fewprominent additions from the later twentieth century.A large proportion of houses are rendered with palecolour-washed stucco, which comprises the ‘dominantand defining feature of Falmouth’s Architecture’ (CSUSreport, 2005, p.47). Falmouth has around 200 listedbuildings and a large Conservation Area.Thesurrounding Cornish coastline provides a stunningnatural setting for the town, and is a Special Area ofConservation.

As the third deepest natural harbour in the world, andprotected from the prevailing wind by the PendennisPromontory the Fal Estury provided a sheltered deepwater anchorage for Henry VIII and later expanded tobecome a military and commercial port. PendennisCastle, built at the head of the promontory in 1540,continued to be strategically important in the defenceof the port during the following centuries when it wasduly expanded.

The Town of Falmouth itself was founded in 1613 bySir John Killigrew to provide accommodation and foodfor ships and crews, and is reported as comprisingabout 50 – 70 houses by the 1630s (Cornwall andScilly Urban Survey report, 2005, p.19). Falmouthdeveloped as an important communications link,through the Falmouth packet service, which ranbetween Falmouth and London between 1689 and1851 and was an important communication linkbetween London and the rest of the British Empire,particularly the Americas.The arrival of the railway in

1863, which increased the speed and capacity of goodstransport from the port, consolidated Falmouth’s roleas a Victorian port.The Falmouth Docks still contain acargo port, and are becoming popular with cruiseships, which will benefit the town.

The decline of Falmouth’s docks in the 1970s and1980s saw 2,000 jobs lost to the local economy,leaving Falmouth one of the most deprived areas inthe country; the historic town centre was notmaintained, and levels of disrepair began to rise;Average income levels are still low in Falmouth, onaverage at 25% less than averages for England andWales.

Renewal and restoration

A regeneration strategy for Falmouth Town Centre,produced by Carrick District Council in the mid-1990s, directed investment towards increasing thequality of Falmouth’s retail offer.The strategy identifiedthe opportunity to build on Falmouth’s distinct andattractive maritime character, and one of its keyelements was improved accessibility to the waterfront,and the creation of a high quality retail setting, as wellas recommending the building of a National MaritimeMuseum.

The National Maritime Museum

Also capitalising on Falmouth’s maritime heritage andcharacter, the National Maritime Museum is a big drawto visitors. Opened in December 2002, this venturewas the product of a national/local heritagecollaboration between the National Maritime Museum,Greenwich, and the Cornish Maritime Museum, fundedby SWRDA, the National Lottery and ERDF. Locatedon a former docks in a brand new building designedby architects Long and Kentish, the Museum combines

Historically an important military and commercial port, Falmouth is capitalising on its strongmaritime heritage and character to strengthen its retail offer and position itself as anattractive gateway to Cornwall, capturing a growing market in cruise-based tourism.A newfurther education campus is diversifying the local economy, increasing employment andvitality in the town.

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National Maritime Museum, Falmouth

a collection of 120 small crafts of historical significancefrom Britain and abroad, previously located atGreenwich, and a local collection highlightingCornwall’s historic and cultural evolution as acollection of coastal communities.The Museum hoststhe Bartlett library containing reference books,periodicals and archives and over 13,000 volumes, alecture theatre, and exhibitions showcasing maritimeskills, from nineteenth century exploration to medal-winning Olympic racing. The museum demonstratesthe importance of Maritime heritage to the nation andthe locality.

Public realm grants

Between 2000 and 2005 an English Heritage ‘HeritageEconomic Regeneration Scheme’ invested £930,405 fromthe public sector, with contributions coming fromERDF, English Heritage, SRB, Carrick District Counciland Cornwall County Council. Including private sectorinput, a total of £1,475,213 has been spent, plus anadditional £127,750 on concurrent private projects. 20buildings have been repaired, 13 of which are listed. 10partially/fully vacant buildings have been brought backinto use as well as 8 buildings at risk.

The Gyllyngdune Gardens were restored in 2005,along with an Edwardian bandstand and EdwardianPavilion, built in 1910, and a new link was built from

the gardens to the seafront.The Pavilion has a 400seat theatre, a new building is to provide improvedcatering facilities on the site. As Roger Radcliffe,Economic Regeneration Officer at Carrick DistrictCouncil notes, “We are trying to improve the profile ofthe building; the Pavilion has a 400 seat theatre, and isgradually attracting a higher standard of entertainer.”

Maritime leisure

Falmouth is positioning itself to capture a worldwideresurgence in cruise holidays.There are extensiveproposals for the expansion of the Falmouth Docks,including a new dedicated cruise ship terminal. WhileCruise ship visitors sleep on board their vessels, theyuse Falmouth as a doorstep for day trips intoCornwall, attracted by its beaches, natural landscapeand large attractions such as the Eden Project and theNational Maritime Museum. Falmouth’s fine historicbuilt environment makes it a very attractive gateway,and marketable embarkation port.

Maritime leisure also offers employment in thegrowing leisure-boat building and water sportsindustries.The owners of water sports facilities inFalmouth are working together to promote Falmouthas a training location during the Olympics, and inSeptember 2008, Falmouth will be the rendez-vouspoint for the annual Tall Ships race.

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High Street, Falmouth Pendennis Castle

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The tourism sector

The tourist industry is very important to Falmouth.Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurantsaccounts for 40% of all employment in Falmouth andPenryn, and retailing is an important sub-sector of this.Carrick District Council is consolidating links betweenthe town and the surrounding Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty with a new ferry service and it is usingits built and cultural assets to target the short breakmarket, publicising big events such as the OysterFestival and Tall Ships race, and offering spa/cultural/weekend packages to couples. Heritage is very muchpart of a drive towards sustainable tourism inFalmouth and the new ferry service aims to relievecongestion between Falmouth and Truro, and visitorsare encouraged to eat and buy local produce.Thishelps support Falmouth’s specialist retail base, whichprovides a characterful shopping experience in thetown centre.The quality of restaurants and cafes thereis now improving.

Combined University

Falmouth’s further Education sector is growing.A newcampus is being created on the edge of Penryn, a£96.3m joint project led by the Universities of Exeterand Plymouth and combining Falmouth College of Art,Open University, College of St Mark and St John,Peninsula Medical School and Cornwall FurtherEducation Colleges. Student numbers at the campusare expected to reach around 3000 and will provide amajor boost to the local economy.The project willprovide 1000 net jobs and add £32m to the nationalgross domestic product by 2010. This level of studentand job numbers represents an important opportunityfor Falmouth and is an immensely valuable boost toeconomic development which can further underpinthe town’s revival.

Specific conservation issues

Falmouth has an acute lack of affordable housing,which puts development pressure on the historicenvironment. Of 1,400 households on CarrickDistrict’s housing register, over 800 are identified asbeing in serious need, as well as an annual shortfall of334 affordable homes identified by the previous needssurvey (Carrick Local Development Framework, BalancingHousing Markets Development Plan Document, Draft,

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Key Lessons

· Economic diversification into further education,retail and maritime leisure has reducedFalmouth’s dependency on its traditional docksand naval industries

· Falmouth’s maritime character has beenrecognised as an asset, and is protected andenhanced as a buttress of the town’s retailstrategy

· Good links between Falmouth and itssurrounding natural environment makes it astrong ‘gateway’ into Cornwall

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April 2005, p.9) This demands sensitive management ofhousing design and location within the existingtownscape, and efforts to resist HMOs, as in othercoastal towns.

Fort Pendennis and marina

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15.Hayle:revealing a town at the heartof industrial innovation

An estuarine town with a rivalry

Hayle is a linear coastal town focused around the edgeof an estuary. The mining of tin and copper in westCornwall had a major influence on the town’sdevelopment from 18th century. Hayle developedaround two competitive companies – Harvey’sFoundry and the Copper Company – which werelocated at either end of the town. Major andimportant engineering feats were achieved in Haylesuch as introducing steam powered engines to exploitever deeper mines and making the world's' largestpumps to drain the Dutch polders. It is this legacywhich has resulted in the town receiving WorldHeritage status.

Hayle became one of the largest industrial ports ofearly Victorian England due to the significance of thelocal mining. This led to growth in the number ofsteam engines and increasingly sophisticatedtechnological improvements, which inspired famousengineers such as Richard Trevithick working atHarvey's Foundry. This technology and expertise wasexported all over the world and were principal driversof the industrial revolution

Hayle's surviving network of formal quays around theestuary was started in the 1740s - much of it builtwith recycled Georgian smelter waste (scoria) castinto blocks. The intricate and impressive arrangementof quays, pools, sluices, canal and dock was developedto meet the needs of the port's mining hinterland inthe 18th and 19th centuries.

During 19th and early-mid 20th centuries Hayleattracted many residents and visitors. Its high qualitybeaches, estuarine environment and proximity to St.Ives was a major draw during summer months andmany people descended on Hayle from the rest of thecountry for their annual holiday.

Hayle has an internationally significant mining and copper heritage which the localcommunity are keen to embrace and promote as part of its approach to sustainableeconomic regeneration.

Hayle Estuary

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Harvey’s Foundry, Hayle

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Today, Hayle is one of the most deprived areas in theSouth West. The collapse of the mining industries inthe first half of the 20th century was compounded bythe disappearance of much of the tourism trade in thelatter half of the century with little recovery evidentsince. Poor economic performance and generaldeprivation has resulted in little inward investmentbeyond the purchase of second homes.

Community-led change

Amidst the dramatic change and planning happeningelsewhere in Cornwall such as the Eden Project,National Maritime Museum at Falmouth, Rick Stein’sinvestment in Padstow and Tate St Ives across theestuary, the community of Hayle began to feelneglected. This resulted in a strong bottom-up drivefor revival in the town. Over the past ten years localcommunity groups have come together to plan anddrive forward change in Hayle.

A significant period of intensive work during 2003 to2006 emerged in the production of the Hayle AreaPlan 2005 – 2025. This plan was the result of workundertaken by a team initiated by the Hayle AreaForum, known as Revitalise! Hayle Coast and Country,funded by the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative toundertake the research and consultations necessary toinform a community-led plan for the next twentyyears. This Plan includes the identification of priorityareas and goals under themes including “heritage,culture and environment”. Under this theme thefollowing objectives are outlined:

• Preserve and enhance the unique water-frontenvironment;

• Re-establish Hayle’s heritage;• Preserve and protect the towans and the coastline;

and• Access to the harbour and beaches.

Above all, the Plan seeks to give Hayle a clear identity,and a shared sense of purpose for the future that canbe understood and owned by everyone.

Despite Hayle’s significant history of mining andinnovation, it is not a history that is at all apparent tothe general visitor. AppreciatingHayle’s historicenvironment requires significant information andinterpretation as the surviving elements do notobviously communicate their importance. All thoseinvolved in Hayle’s regeneration appreciate that asignificant awareness raising and educational task willbe required to ensure visitors understand the town’simportance and its reason for World Heritage status.

White Hart, Foundry Square, Hayle

“One of the strongest messages to come across during the consultation process for Hayle was the need for Hayleto gain a clear identity; to become a distinctive town, with a clear sense of identity and purpose. It became clearthat Hayle’s history, Hayle’s geographic environment, and the relationship with the sea were very important to thecommunity, and were seen as essential to the future regeneration of the area.”

Hayle Area Forum, taken from the Hayle Area Plan 2005-2025.

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Dowren House, Harvey’s Foundry

Recent revival

The seeds of change and renaissance are evident inHayle and the appetite for change is tangible. TheHayle Townscape Initiative is a heritage-led sustainableeconomic regeneration initiative set up in 2005. It is athree year project funded by Penwith District Council,Hayle Town Council and Cornwall County Council,English Heritage, the South West of England RegionalDevelopment Agency, European Regional DevelopmentFund (Objective One) and the Heritage Lottery Fund,and is focused on bringing historic buildings back intocommercial use. A principal aspiration is to createhigh-quality work space for long-term employmentand the development of local skills and capacity in bestconservation practice.

The primary example of achievement to date is that ofFoundry Farm. Phase 1 of the project (totaling £1.98million) is complete and has seen the successful repairof important historic and listed buildings associatedwith Harvey’s Foundry, and their conversion intoattractive and much sought-after workshops and live-work units. Current improvements are beingundertaken in the public realm adjacent to FoundryFarm to enhance the existing Foundry Square(totalling £390,000).

The most exciting plans for Hayle focus around thehistoric harbour which has lain vacant for many years.The past 25 years have seen a series of proposals forredevelopment of the harbour but none have come tofruition. However, plans are now well in train for asignificant £190 million mixed use developmentencompassing the entire harbour and adjacent land.The ING Real Estate plans include RDA fundedemployment space with a view to restablishing theharbour as a focus for employment and new industriessuch as renewable technologies. Importantly the plansseek to revive the estuarine and harbour environmentthrough the restoration of the original sluice gatesystem (implemented by the visionary engineersassociated with the two mining firms.

It is fair to say that Hayle still suffers from an imageproblem, as reported by respondents to the 2006/07Penwith District Council annual business survey, whofeel that image is impeding their business growth. Forexample in certain parts of the town there are emptyunits and certain frontages to successful regeneration

Key Lessons

· Community-led action and planning has realstrength in place shaping, but needs to besupported by action

· Refurbishment of historic industrial buildings foremployment use can have an important impactin fostering local creative industries withattractive spin offs

· Large scale redevelopment projects in historicenvironments take a long time to nurture, butthis is rewarded by high quality design facilitatedthrough good dialogue and strong relationships

· Industrial heritage can play a powerful role inattracting visitors, but it sometimes needscareful, creative interpretation

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such as Foundry Farm could benefit from short termlandscaping or wrap around advertising hoardings toenable greater visible impact of schemes. Respondentsalso reported that the business environment of Haylewas one prevailing factor which would stop a businessrelocating to Hayle. In other parts of the towncommercial premises are attracting higher valueoutlets, possibly in anticipation of the harbourdevelopment by ING Real Estate.

5.1 Drivers for success

The coastal towns reviewed in this document alldemonstrate excellence in regeneration, some for theway in which the local economy has been diversified,and others because of a transformation in their imageand identity which has helped to attract newinvestment. A key characteristic running through all ofthe case studies is the important role that the historicenvironment is playing in bringing about regeneration.They have either managed to re-invent themselves anddiversify their economic bases, or are in the process ofmoving towards renewal in a variety of ways whichbuild upon their tourist resort, industrial, maritime orcultural heritage and assets.A number of key driversfor success may be identified in the currentregeneration strategies adopted by the coastal townsand which are set out below.

1. Improved transport linksAccess is clearly vital if coastal towns are tocompete with in-land towns for the emergingmarkets in weekend and short-break tourism.Domestic and sustainable travel choices require fastand direct links to major population centres,particularly rail links. In Margate, the prospect of animproved rail link has raised confidence and addedmomentum to regeneration initiatives which mightotherwise have remained on the drawing board, andthis is also beginning to be seen in Folkestone withits proposed high speed rail link to London StPancras.The opportunities such enhanced transportlinks present may act as significant catalysts for large-scale change and future, sustainable growth ofcoastal towns.

2.Investment in a high quality public realmThe importance of a high quality, well maintainedpublic realm is particularly important in coastaltowns, where the corrosive environment can quicklyresult in a place looking down-at-heel. Public sectorinvestment in the public realm has helped toencourage successful café cultures in Hastings andMargate, despite a wider context of significantdeprivation. In Weymouth it has led to furtherprivate investment into the historic environment andimproved the town’s viability as a retail centre and inSt Anne’s-on-Sea, an urban design-led strategy hasrestored the retail vibrancy of the town centre.

3.Dynamic visitor offerA high profile or niche tourist role has been the keyto success in several places – for example,Whitstable’s oysters and gastronomic food offer orfor art at Tate St Ives. Margate is following thismodel with the Turner Contemporary and Seaham isbuilding upon the success of Seaham Hall with itsMichelin starred restaurant and luxury hotel and spa.However, all of these places are also acutely awarethat over-dependency on one particular sector is atrap to avoid and as such, have tried to build uponthese assets or attractions in conjunction with otherapproaches to economic and social regeneration.

4. Clear target marketsThe identification of clear target markets and astrategic approach towards them is crucial for theregeneration of coastal towns. A good workingrelationship between tourism, economicregeneration and heritage departments can identifysuitable markets, and establish how they can bebetter served in terms of accommodation,attractions, cafés and restaurants, shops and services,

A number of key drivers for the successful physical, social and economic regeneration ofcoastal towns have been identified through the identification of the case studies andvignettes covered in this document.

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5.Coastal regeneration:drivers forsuccess

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The refurbished Shrimp Shop, Poulton Square, Morecambe

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and the public realm. In Weymouth, the tourism andconservation departments work together toencourage hotel upgrades which will cater to theoutdoor activities market, whilst in Morecambe, theconservation, forward planning and housing teamswork closely together to identify opportunities forfunding and restoring properties to affordable familyhomes.

5. Economic diversificationMany of the case study towns have recognised theneed to attract new economic sectors, in order toreduce seasonality within the local economy and tosupplement industrial and economic sectors.Falmouth and Hastings are both expanding theirFurther Education sectors, promoting their historictownscapes to students and businesses. Margate islooking to win creative businesses with a high profileart gallery and attractive historic townscape, as isFolkestone.

6.New coastal leisure activitiesTraditional seaside activities provide a base fromwhich to develop other coastal leisure activities. InWeymouth, the traditional bucket-and-spade holidayhas been reinvented to incorporate a growingvariety of seaside sports; the town now promotesitself as a centre of handball, volleyball, sailing, kite-surfing and surfboarding. If encouraged andpublicised where local geographical conditionssupport them, these activities can provide asignificant contribution to the local economy,attracting overnight stays. In Seaham, the VictorianSpa has been re-invented in the Seaham Hall, whichattracts high profile guests to the area.

7.The surrounding natural environmentMany coastal towns are surrounded by some of themost outstanding natural environments Britain hasto offer. For visitors who have who have come toenjoy the beauty of the coast, but need a base tostay overnight, a built environment which matchesthe quality of the natural environment is essential.Well publicised, well maintained and clearly routedlinks are vital to competition in this market. InWeymouth, the tourism and conservationdepartments are working together to promote thetown as a base to explore the ‘Jurassic Coast’, whileCarrick District Council are consolidatingFalmouth’s role as a gateway to Cornwall and inWhitehaven, there are plans to enhance theWhitehaven Coast. In addition, the regeneration ofHayle has been a significant factor in the designationof the surrounding mining landscape as a WorldHeritage Site in 2006, and outdoor tourism isgrowing in the area as a result.

8.High quality developmentHigh quality facilities are vital to new functions, bethey sports or health, retail, entertainment orimproved residences. In successful retail centres, ahigh quality historic environment can accommodatesan excellent range and of shops, restaurants, cafésand bars. A high quality visitor experience is the keyto maximising visitor spend, and attracting a skilledworkforce to live and work in the area. Theregeneration of Hastings is built on the premise thatheritage means quality and in Morecambe, therestoration of the Midland Hotel by Urban Splash isexpected to set new standards which will be met inthe proposed mixed use development adjacent to it.

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9. LeadershipStrong, visionary leadership, whether public orprivate, is crucial in turning around places whereeconomic decline is entrenched. The role of localchampions is vital, whether they are entrepreneurssuch as Seaham Hall owner Tom Maxfield or theGreen family in Whitstable; local philanthropists suchas Roger de Haan in Folkestone; senior Councilofficers, members or dedicated officers working todeliver funding streams and initiatives, such as GreatYarmouth’s conservation team.

Such leaders may be driven by a passion for abuilding or town, rather than purely financialmotives, and be willing to prioritise conservation andcommunity interests.They may bring considerableamounts of capital and business expertise to theirprojects, and often have a strong track record ofdelivery, aided by the freedom to take risks or makepolitically sensitive decisions quickly.The restorationof Seaham Hall and the creation of a new culturalquarter in Folkestone have been driven by privatesector leaders, whilst in Great Yarmouth, theintegration of the conservation and regenerationdepartments and the local building preservationtrust has facilitated an entrepreneurial approach toconservation-led renewal.

10. Strategic directionRe-invention and economic diversification demand astrategic vision in which existing assets are adaptedto new roles and new development responds to thebigger picture. Masterplans and visioning documentsdemonstrate ambition, set high quality standards,keep local stakeholders informed, create confidenceamong private investors and ensure real community

participation in the process. New developmentneeds to be managed such that it complements andresponds sensitively to the historic environment. InMargate, for example, development pressureresulting from improved transport connections isbeing guided to support the town’s future as an artshub and Area Action Plans have been produced topull together otherwise disjointed restoration andregeneration initiatives into an overarchingdevelopment strategy for the town. For GreatYarmouth and Lowestoft, the establishment of theUrban Regeneration Company, 1st East, has alsoenabled the production of Area Action Plans to helpdirect and co-ordinate the development of bothtowns.

Abbey visitor centre, Whitby

6.1 Flexible buildings

Historic buildings can meet contemporary marketneeds. In Whitstable, fishermen’s huts have beenconverted into excellent self-catering chalets; in GreatYarmouth, a herring smoking house has provided anew museum and historic houses will provideresources for young homeless people, key communityservices and affordable housing for those who mostneed it; in Scarborough, the Rotunda and Wood Endare being reused as a museum and studio/workshopspaces. Whilst the re-use of historic buildings canprovide certain challenges, the effective adaptation ofsuch buildings has proved extremely successful inplaces such as Morecambe,Whitby and Seaham.

6.2 Cultural tourism

In towns which have historically performed anindustrial, rather than leisure function, the historicfabric has been used as the basis for developingcultural tourism.Whitehaven has made an attractionout of its coal mining and shipping industries, andcreated a marina out of an industrial harbour and theindustrial town of Hartlepool has used its maritimeheritage to develop a visitor economy.

6.3 ‘Heritage cool’

The historic environment can provide the qualitydemanded by the emerging short-break market and itsaffluent customers. Historic buildings are the idealsetting for boutique hotels and restaurants, and canpromote sustainable ideals. In Weymouth, hotels arebeing upgraded to meet the requirements of themodern consumer with en-suite facilities and wirelessinternet facilities, whilst promoting their Victorian

interiors as a selling point and Seaham Hall is now asuccessful luxury spa complex attracting high profilecelebrity guests. It is also anticipated that the re-opening of the restored Midland Hotel will alsorestore Morecambe’s former glamour.

6.4 A home for the creative economy

There is a clear and distinct synergy between thehistoric environment and arts and cultural uses.Thehistoric environment is attractive to the creativeworkforce and has become an asset in regenerationstrategies which aim to promote the UK’s fastestgrowing economic sector.The presence of a richhistory and culture provides inspiration for artists andcan convey a sense of quality to their work.Artstudios and galleries are often more amenable tohistoric spaces which may be unsuited to other usesas is seen clearly in Folkestone’s historic Old Town.

6.5 Architectural distinctiveness

Vernacular styles provide coastal towns with a uniqueappeal to visitors, residents and businesses.Thehistoric environment in general can offer a depth ofcharacter and quality of townscape which can bedifficult to replicate in modern developments, withstreets full of character such as those lined withcolourful Georgian buildings in Whitehaven or ‘theRows’ in Great Yarmouth. Historic landmarks andtownscapes have substantial marketing potential; theMidland Hotel in Morecambe, Margate’s Scenic Railwayand Whitby Abbey are all instantly memorable iconswhich can be used to publicise and re-brand towns.This is true of regionally and locally famous buildings,as well as at a national level.

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6.Heritage:a dynamic resource forregenerationThis document has shown how heritage can be a dynamic resource for regenerating coastaltowns and how it can contribute to many different aspects of these towns’s identities,communities and economies. This section provides an overview of these aspects.

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Foreshore Road, Scarborough

6.6 Character and identity

Heritage can be at the heart of a new identity and adriver for re-invention. Margate’s new identity as anartistic centre is founded on the town’s link with JMWTurner and the natural qualities which inspired him.Brighton’s historic rough edge and association withsmuggling and gangsters seems to be visibly embodiedin its narrow, winding streets.This ambience hasattracted a vibrant alternative scene, supported by ayoung student population, and brings an element ofexcitement to a thriving evening economy. InWhitstable, by contrast, the charm of a small, peacefuland pretty fishing port seems synonymous with thedelicate tastes of local seafood. In Hastings, it is hopedthat the Marina Pavilion will bring vitality and vibrancyto a struggling residential area, and help communicatea new image of St Leonards to a younger age group.

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6.7 Community regeneration

Heritage is an excellent medium for communityregeneration and skills development. In Weymouth,restoration projects are publicised with educationalleaflets which inform and educate local stakeholders,and partnerships with the local Conservation andStone Masonry Course keeps local skills alive, andcreate pride in the public realm. In Whitehaven and inSeaham, there are plans to provide workspace for newboat-building or marine-related industries and inMorecambe, the conversion (and restoration) of StLawrence’s Church is being considered for ashowroom for a recycling, re-use and training charity.In Great Yarmouth, the Bretts scheme currentlyunderway will provide training flats for younghomeless people and other schemes have provided,and will provide, affordable housing to meet localdemand.

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National Maritime Museum, Falmouth