Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Head of Democratic and Central Services outlining the deliberations of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) on progress of the Great Fen Masterplan.

Received the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel and agreed to explore with the Great Fen partners the possibility of land within the area currently in arable production and not yet sown to grass remaining in use for that purpose, pending a review a review being undertaken of the land that is already under restoration, the development proposals for the visitor facilities and the creation of associated employment opportunities.

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Democratic and Central Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered the deliberations of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) on progress in implementing the Great Fen Masterplan.

In so doing, Executive Councillors were advised that in discussing the timescales and targets dates that the Great Fen Steering Group were working towards the Panel had noted concerns locally about the pace of change from arable production which they thought was occurring more rapidly than had been envisaged.  Mention was made to the length of time that might ensue before some of the predicted peripheral benefits for local communities such as tourism and employment came to fruition. Whilst appreciating the overall aims and objectives of the Great Fen Project, as promoted by the Great Fen Partners and endorsed by Council, the Panel felt that it would be appropriate to review the pace of change envisaged by the project and, given the importance and value to the local and national economy of arable food production, to retain the land in the project area for that purpose whilst the review was undertaken.

The Cabinet were advised that there were contractual issues between the Wildlife Trust, on behalf of the partners, and the Heritage Lottery Fund concerning conditions attached to the major grant which had been received, in terms of land that was required to be brought into restoration.

Having considered the request by the Panel it was felt that the issues should be explored with the Great Fen partners, whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the report be received and the Director of Environment and Community Services requested to explore with the Great Fen Partners the possibility of land within the area currently in arable production and not yet sown to grass remaining in use for that purpose, pending a review being undertaken of the land that is already under restoration, the development proposals for the visitor facilities and the creation of associated employment opportunities.

To receive an update on the Great Fen Project by the Director of Environmental and Community Services.

(Councillor D Dew, Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy and Transport and Councillors P G Mitchell and P A Swales were in attendance for this item.)

The Panel was updated by way of a presentation, on progress toward the implementation of the Great Fen Masterplan and the preparation of an associated Action Plan.

The Panel was advised that the Masterplan for the project had been approved by the Great Fen Steering Committee (GFSC) and had recently won a Royal Town Planning Institute award for its integration with the planning system.  Members were acquainted with the timescales and target dates covered by the proposed new Action Plan 2011 – 2016 which it was expected would be available in the summer.

Members were informed that a phased approach would be taken toward the creation of visitor facilities and liaison between stakeholders involved in the project had resulted in the formation of both a Great Fen Councils Forum and a Great Fen Users Forum.  A friends group of the Great Fen had also been established.  Both Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council had accepted places on the GFSC as observers.

Members were advised that a funded study into the hydrology of the area had been completed by Atkins and a further report was due for completion by September 2011 and Members welcomed a suggestion that the Middle Level Commissioners be invited to the October meeting of the Panel on to discuss this matter on completion of the report.

Members were advised that negotiations were ongoing in order to secure access routes to the Great Fen area with the County Council currently mapping gaps in the footpath network to the south of the Great Fen.  Staff based at the Great Fen Centre in Ramsey Heights had been working on an events programme, school visits, marked trails and volunteering opportunities.

With regard to land restoration, the Panel was advised that 1,014 hectares of land currently were under restoration and 2,112 hectares remained in agricultural production.  Issues with regard to land ownership and tenancy arrangements were explained and Members were reminded that heritage lottery funding required that 740 hectares of the Holme Estate would need to be put into restoration by August 2013.

In discussing employment possibilities for the area, Members were informed that the majority of the 22 agricultural based positions that had existed within the Great Fen Project area in 2004 still continued and in addition the project employed 12 full time and 2 part time members of staff.

With the permission of the Chairman, Councillors Mitchell and Swales drew attention to concerns locally with the project and the pace of change from arable production which had been swifter than envisaged.  It had been expected that peripheral employment and visitor numbers would increase and replace agricultural income which had yet to be the case.  There were concerns that high quality agricultural land was being sown as meadow at a time when food production was of paramount importance both locally and nationally.  In response, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84