OBJ/349/013 SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT PRESENTATION CORE DOCUMENTS OBJ/349/POE/10 Socio-economic Impact OBJ349/SEI/2 The Frodsham Post, March 2010 PREAMBLE Hello, I’m Tony Hinkins. I’ve lived in Frodsham for 45 years. I know nothing about economics apart from what I read in the papers and hear on the “Today” programme. My presentation follows the Proof of Evidence fairly closely. 1. THE END OF THE COMPANY TOWN Forty years ago Frodsham and Helsby were essentially “company towns”. The majority of residents worked for ICI, Shell or BICC. This had been the situation for decades. People were still moving into the area in fairly large numbers to work for these three major employers. I know. I was one of them. The place was thriving. Since then the situation has changed dramatically: • BICC has ceased to exist • Many of the ICI plants have shut down and what remains is being run on a “care and maintenance” basis by INEOS • What we call the “Shell” refinery, now owned by Essar Energy, is intact but is similarly being run on a “care and maintenance” basis Very few people in Frodsham and Helsby now work for what remains of these three major employers. 2. STAGNATION The loss of employment opportunities for local people was a severe blow for the local economy. A few years ago a national study placed Frodsham in the top ten “Non Clone Towns” in England. The study focussed on the individuality of places, measured by the variety of local businesses and lack of “clone” national brands on the high street. The nomination was meant as a compliment but it could also be taken as an indication of stagnation.
OBJ/349/013 3. REGENERATION About ten years ago the situation had deteriorated to the extent that Frodsham and Helsby became eligible for rural regeneration funding. One such project, “Frodsham Forward”, funded by the North West Development Agency, was very successful. Directly or indirectly this project: • Supported local businesses in various ways • Supported the introduction of the “Frodsham Life” newsletter. This was monthly, in colour, and more “modern” than the long-running Frodsham Post. • Initiated the restoration of Castle Park house. This now provides prestige office space on the top two floors, Cheshire West and Chester Council occupy the ground floor, and there is a public IT suite in the basement. • Initiated the painting of the railway bridges, removing prominent graffiti that had been there for years. • Initiated the restoration of Castle Park grounds via a £3.5m Heritage Lottery Fund grant. • Lobbied for the resurfacing of the M56 • Lobbied for the regeneration of Frodsham Railway Station The project had a major impact on the community and its manager, Anne Boyd, deservedly received regional awards for her achievements. In the last few years new businesses have opened such as a Costa Coffee shop and a branch of W H Smith in Frodsham, and a holiday cottage courtyard and a day spa in Helsby. To a community like ours these are very significant socio-economic events and evidence of a new future emerging. Economic measures can be a bit obscure but I would suggest that when Costa’s computer decides to give you a branch, you’ve crossed a very distinct socio-economic boundary. Costa and Smiths opened up here at a time when they were closing lots of branches elsewhere. The local branches appear to be doing very well. Lots of people smiled when the day spa opened - but it’s still there.
OBJ/349/013 4. WHERE ARE WE NOW? In the last few years it has become noticeable that the area is popular once again for young people and young families. Demand for local houses from this demographic is strong. The growth of this socio-economic group is allowing local businesses to develop, even during the current economic difficulties. These people often work a long way away and use the excellent rail, road and air links to go about their business. Although leading very busy lives, they are also increasingly taking part in local societies and local democracy, both areas which were in need of regeneration. This blossoming, yet fragile, regeneration primarily hangs on the perception of the Frodsham and Helsby area as being a good place to live: a semi-rural pocket and a special location in the midst of quite widespread industrialisation to both east and west. It is seen as a connection to the rural hinterland centred on an ancient market town. The undeveloped view across the marshes is key to that perception, not least because the topography with its large hills to the south directs attention to the north. On this basis it attracts both residents and visitors. Maintaining that character is central to the future of Frodsham and Helsby. 5. UNDERMINING REGENERATION A major part of Frodsham Forward’s contribution to regeneration was the restoration of heritage assets. The wind farm, on the evidence of the National Trust and English Heritage, would seriously undermine this excellent, award-winning work. The proposed wind farm would remove the essential openness to the River Mersey, turn the area into just another industrialised place and remove its perceived specialness. That would bring with it undesirable economic and social implications. A key effect is on those people whose choices have driven the socio-economic changes in this community during the past ten years. This local demographic is highly critical of the proposal and see it as undermining the socio-economic future of the community. A letter to The Frodsham Post and an extract from an Outline Statement by a group of residents provide eloquent criticism of the proposal. The letter was in the March 2010 issue of the Frodsham Post and I’d like to read it: I am originally from the area but have only just moved back to settle here with my wife after living in Manchester for a number of years. Although we will not be able to see the wind farm from our house (on Kingsley Road) I am concerned about the impact of the proposed wind farm not only environmentally but also on the local economy. I felt, before moving back, that the area was undergoing an element of regeneration, with
OBJ/349/013 new shops, bars and coffee shops popping up, and you only need to look at the train station in the morning to see how many Manchester commuters there now are compared to 10 years ago, indicating that the area is “up and coming” as it were. I think that the proposed wind farm would have a detrimental impact on the local economy and probably limit, even stop, the numbers of commuters leaving cities like Liverpool and Manchester for village life in the country. I would also be concerned about the long-term use of the site, as once the site loses Green Belt protection any planning applications for additional industrial development will be easier to pass. The letter was written by Stephen Bailey. I was hoping that he would be able to present it himself (and so was he) but he’s currently working abroad. I’ve also quoted an extract from an Outline Statement by Richard Knowles which makes a similar point. Richard will be presenting it on Local Residents’ Day 6. DISCUSSION Regeneration such as has occurred in Frodsham and Helsby is not easily achieved and has to be nurtured. Local people, local groups, and local Councils, assisted by regional organisations, have fought very hard to achieve the changes. The new residents who are a fuelling this regeneration have a wide choice over where they live and the imposition of a wind farm of such magnitude and so close to where they live is quite repugnant to them. It would have a very significant impact on their decision to stay and would be a major disincentive to similar people thinking of moving in. 7. CONCLUSION The proposed wind farm would bring only socio-economic disadvantage to Frodsham and Helsby with absolutely no compensating advantages. The inaptly named “community benefit fund” is no compensation for changing the socio-economic destiny of the area. TO SUMMARISE Frodsham and Helsby have had their ups and downs over the last 40 years but the area has recently established a sustainable socio-economic identity and a development path. That identity and way forward would be fundamentally threatened by the proposed wind farm.
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