We have been instrumental in ensuring that over the next 5-11 years key local, regional and national policies support cultural infrastructure and the creative and cultural industries. We have fed into the South East Local Enterprise Partnership draft Local Industrial Strategy and the House of Lords Select Committee on Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities report The future of seaside towns.
Kent County Council You Said, We Did document at Page 12, para 2; Page 55; Page 102 and at Outcomes 1, 5 and 6 highlights and documents the key changes made with our significant input to the The Kent’s Future, Our Priority’ – Kent County Council’s 5 Year Plan.
The Inspector’s Report of Thanet District Council’s draft Local Plan to 2031 at Paragraph 260 supports, highlights and documents the amendments proposed by us to Specific Policy SP02 Economic Growth (now SP04) as follows:
“Cultural and Creative Industries
260. The supporting text to Policy SP02 refers to the opportunities to capitalise on cultural and creative industries, especially in Margate’s Old Town and across the Heritage Action Zone in Ramsgate. Due to the importance of cultural and creative industries to the regeneration of Thanet’s towns they should be explicitly supported in Policy SP02 by MM7. Consequential changes to the supporting text are also required by MM6“.
Amendments proposed and argued by us at the Examination were supported by the Inspectors to extend the Specific Policy – Economic Growth SP02 (now SP04) of Thanet District Council’s Local Plan to 2031 as follows in bold:
“…Thanet’s town centres are priority areas for regeneration and employment generating development, including tourism and the cultural and creative industries, which will be supported“
Amendments proposed and argued by us at the Examination were supported by the Inspectors to amend MM6/ Paragraph 1.12 of Thanet District Council’s Local to 2031 as follows in bold:
Paragraph 1.12 “In Thanet’s town centres there is opportunity to capitalise on heritage assets and cultural and creative industries, creating vibrant hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship. This is increasingly the trend in Margate, particularly the Old Town which is has a number of cultural and creative industries. The Heritage Action Zone in Ramsgate also looks to achieve economic growth by using the historic environment as a catalyst. Research from 2016 has found that creative businesses in Thanet have grown by 84% in four years. It is recognised that Thanet’s developing cultural and creative industry is an important component of the district’s economic and social profile. It is, therefore, also important that it is both supported and encouraged to grow“.
Further amendments were made at Paragraph 1,22, 1.24 and at 2.32. The Thanet District Council Local Plan to 2031 has now been adopted with these key amendments.
