South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

The Cowes Waterfront Initiative is a holistic regeneration project for the Medina Valley that will create jobs, attract investment and bring new facilities to the communities of Cowes, East Cowes and Newport Harbour, helping to ensure the Isle of Wight is a vibrant place to work, live and play.

The initiative is being promoted by a partnership of English Partnerships, the Isle of Wight Council, the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership and SEEDA.

The partners have agreed a Strategic Development Framework (SDF) to carry forward the Cowes Waterfront Initiative based on a comprehensive review of the area. This sets out recommendations to make the best use of the available land to give the greatest, most beneficial impact to the economy and the environment. It proposes five themed zones and identifies 25 key sites.

The Cowes Waterfront Initiative has four elements:

• Business – providing resources and infrastructure for businesses to grow and expand;
• Communities – creating job opportunities and enhancing community living with improved amenities;
• Environment – maintaining and enhancing the unique environmental resources of the Medina Valley;
• Infrastructure – bringing under-used and derelict sites and premises back into productive use.

Business
The main objective of the Cowes Waterfront Initiative is to drive forward the economy of the Isle of Wight. The Island is home to a number of world leading companies specialising in aerospace, radar, wind energy, communications and composites technologies. In addition, the Island has built a reputation for quality and innovation in the marine sector.

Cowes Waterfront will provide the infrastructure and facilities for businesses to maximise their potential, helping to construct new buildings, providing access to equipment and a skilled workforce. The initiative will help to optimise the use of waterfront sites for employment purposes.

An Enterprise Hub has also been established on the Island to support local businesses, and a marine cluster has been funded by the Agency to benefit business and economic growth.

Communities
The Cowes Waterfront Initiative aims to improve the quality of life for Island people and visitors. New job opportunities will be created by encouraging new businesses and supporting the growth of Island firms.

The regeneration of the town centres will provide improved amenities and facilities and will enhance the physical environment. The sympathetic development of town centres is essential and guidelines to ensure that proposals enhance the character of the local area are being developed.

The initiative will also provide better public access to the waterfront by opening up areas and providing waterside walks where appropriate.

Environment
The Medina Valley is an important environmental and nature conservation area. To ensure that proposed developments do not have a detrimental effect on adjoining environmentally sensitive areas, they will be the subject of Environmental Impact Assessments. The strategy also promotes proposals to enhance the existing environmental assets and to improve understanding and interpretation.

Areas of the waterfront will become more accessible to the public in East Cowes and Cowes, and new cycleways and footpaths that run along the river will be provided.

Infrastructure
A key objective of the initiative is to support the growth of successful businesses by providing the essential physical infrastructure, sites and premises.

The Cowes Waterfront initiative will help to bring under used and vacant brownfield sites and premises back into productive use. Some existing vacant buildings will be refurbished. Derelict sites will be reclaimed, serviced and marketed to private developers and occupiers.

The partners will also work with ferry operators to improve the ferry infrastructure on the Island.

East Cowes Project

SEEDA has invested in the region of £10 million pounds to begin the regeneration of the initiative with the acquisition of the 16 ha (40 acres) former GKN North Works at East Cowes.

The East Cowes Project is the flagship project for the Cowes Waterfront initiative and is a visionary plan to regenerate the town centre of East Cowes by improving employment prospects and creating a superb new waterfront for residents and visitors alike. The project presents a unique opportunity to improve East Cowes, secure new investment and provide an enhanced gateway to the Island.

Plans for the mixed-used development include a new revitalised town centre with shops, restaurants, community facilities, housing, village green and quality public spaces. The scheme will also accommodate a new marine business centre with waterfront access, events and berth space, and a Maritime Heritage Centre.

For further information on the East Cowes Project, click here.

Cowes Business Park

The Cowes Business Park in Cowes is being promoted by SEEDA as part of the Cowes Waterfront initiative. The development of this brownfield site will offer serviced sites for owner-occupiers and developers, supporting local business expansion and encouraging new companies to relocate to the Island.

For further information on Cowes Business Park, click here.

West Medina Mills

The site at West Medina Mills was identified by the Cowes Waterfront partners in the SDF as a key waterfront location for future marine industry uses. The Agency will consult with local stakeholders as to the optimum economic use and future development of the site to support the Isle of Wight economy.

LDA Design has been appointed as planners and masterplanners for the site. They are currently working to ensure that the development will meet the objectives for the site as set out by Isle of Wight Council in the Local Development Framework (LDF).

To facilitate development at the site, the access road – Stag Lane – will need to be widened and realigned. SEEDA is working closely with consultants to establish what land needs to be acquired to do this whilst ensuring there is minimal environmental impact.

Contact Details
Clare Chester, SEEDA +44 (0)1483 484 206 or visit the website www.coweswaterfront.co.uk.

The latest Development publications can be found here.