Semple welcomes Campbeltown waterfront project rethink

[Kintyre Forum News]

Councillor John Semple Argyll and Bute SNP

Media release 01/12/2011

Semple welcomes Campbeltown waterfront project rethink

For immediate release

South Kintyre SNP Councillor John Semple has welcomed yesterdays agreement of the Campbeltown CHORD Project board to postpone the decision on the final design of the Campbeltown Marina which is being funded through Argyll & Bute Councils CHORD Programme.

The CHORD programme is Argyll and Bute Councils capital investment programme designed to regenerate the town centres and waterfronts in the 5 main towns, from which Campbeltown has a £6.5m share.

Cllr. Semple, who chaired the project prior to the SNP leaving the coalition administration of Argyll and Bute Council said -

“I am pleased that the board did not decide to progress with the lowest cost option for the marina development at this stage, it is clear from the work of consultants that the more expensive option providing 45 finger berths is the one which will bring a significantly greater economic impact to the town centre making Campbeltown a yachting destination rather than an outpost. I hope when the board meets again later this month that it will be able to confirm this option to be fully funded.”

The project board will meet later this month to consider funding options for the marina and other elements of the Campbeltown CHORD and will prioritise the remaining funding of the project. The meeting will be held in private due to commercial considerations.

“I have reminded to the project board that the main outcome of the councils economic development action plan and the CHORD programme is economic development. I fully expect the prioritisation of the Campbeltown project to be based on the economic benefits each of its parts will have on the town, anything else in the present economic climate will be unacceptable.”

The Campbeltown CHORD project consists of three parts, the Townscape Heritage Initiative incorporating the town hall, The Campbeltown Marina project, and the Kinloch Road Regeneration project which includes a housing development and a development site which is being considered for a car park.

[Niander]

looks promising!

[John S]

I wouldn't be too sure, local councillors are not united on this, I hope that the papers which are brought forward to the meeting, which will now take place on the 11th Jan, will assist.

[Kintyre Forum News]

I wouldn't be too sure, local councillors are not united on this, I hope that the papers which are brought forward to the meeting, which will now take place on the 11th Jan, will assist.

So, who doesn't support the proposals?

[John S]

I don't think it is particularly fair to say that anyone is against the marina proposal, and the development will go ahead only at the minimum cost, (and lowest economic impact) but there is reasonable arguments to be made that the remaking CHORD funds should be spent on other aspects of the project.

I cannot say, for commercial reasons, how much remains unallocated of the Campbeltown CHORD funding, but the original proposal included the purchase of the remaining light industrial units on Kinloch Rd, these to be demolished and the site retained as a development site in the form of a rough car park, which could, at some point in the future be developed into a community space or housing.

This aspect of the project was mothballed last year because there was a lot of uncertainty about the costs of other bits of the project which might have cost a lot more than estimated - the decontamination of the ex roads department site, for example.

Now that these costs are known, there is a firmer idea of what the remaining budget will be. Therefore the development site is being looked at again. It has been suggested as a permanent car park this time, rather than a development site.

The problem is that the costs of acquiring and demolishing the existing buildings and building a car park will most likely use up the remaining budget.

The option for the marina development with the highest economic impact (marina max) and the Town Hall redevelopment have significant gaps in their budgets and I have suggested that these also need to be considered for use of the remaining CHORD funds.

Officers have been tasked with bringing forward a paper which looks at the merits of using the remaining Campbeltown CHORD funds in different ways and the risks and benefits of each. I am still of the opinion that the marina max option is the one that will bring the biggest economic impact.

Cllrs Kelly and Collvile also have a vote as does a senior economic development officer. I do not think they have a firm opinion as yet, hopefully the paper will assist the decision. in the event of a split decision Cllr. Colville, as chair, has a casting vote.

Essentially the likelihood is that there is only sufficient funding for one option; marina max, a car-park on Kinloch Road or the The funding gap in the Town hall.