Memorandum submitted by Greenwich Council
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 This memorandum is submitted by Greenwich
Council at the invitation of the House of Commons Committee Office
in respect of a further inquiry by the Culture, Media and Sport
Select Committee into the Millennium Dome.
1.2 The Council has submitted evidence on
four previous occasions; November 1997, July 1998, December 1998
and October 1999. This memorandum should be considered as supplementary
to those submitted on previous occasions and focuses upon relevant
changes and developments occurring since the previous submissions.
The views and information contained herein should therefore be
considered as additional to those already expressed and repetition
has been avoided.
1.3 This memorandum relates to five specific
areas:
(i) Content and operations of the Millennium
Dome.
(ii) Transport to the Millennium Dome.
(iii) Progress of the competition to determine
the future use of the Dome.
(iv) The economic and community impact of
the Dome.
(v) Lessons of the project for the management
of major events and similar projects within the public sector.
2. CONTENT AND
OPERATIONS OF
THE MILLENNIUM
DOME
2.1 The content of the Dome has been the
sole responsibility of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC).
Throughout the development of the Dome project the Council has
liaised closely with the NMEC to ensure adequate provision for
public safety. This aspect of the operation of the Dome site is
controlled by Greenwich Council through the provision relating
to Entertainment Licensing contained in the London Local Authorities
Act 1963, Theatres Act 1968 and Cinemas Act 1985.
2.2 The aims of the licensing arrangements
are two fold. First they ensure that standards of public safety
are maintained both through the design and construction of the
site and management of all aspects or operation, including liaison
with outside bodies. Secondly they regulate the environmental
impact of the operation of the Dome particularly potential nuisance
to immediate neighbours.
2.3 There has been regular liaison between
Council staff, NMEC and statutory agencies since 1996. Detailed
advice and approval on all aspects of the construction and operation
of the site were given by the Council prior to the opening of
the site to the public. With ever changing proposals and tight
construction time-scales, close liaison was required to ensure
that NMEC aspirations were successfully met within the parameters
of licensing requirements.
2.4 The New Year's Eve event at the Dome
on 31 December 1999 presented unique challenges. As the first
public event, Council staff worked with NMEC to ensure that the
temporary arrangements of the one-off show, Royal protection and
world wide media requirements, were integrated safely within the
new site. 12,000 people attended the Royal performance and saw
in the new Millennium without incident.
2.5 The unique of both the Dome and its
contents presented significant challenges for both the Council
and NMEC with regard to the discharge of regulatory duties. Due
to high levels of innovation and the inherent complexity of many
aspects of the Dome's operation, it became apparent that some
operational experience would be necessary before procedures could
be finalised. In order to address this issue and to enable the
Dome to open to the public on 1 January 2000, in issuing the Entertainment
Licence to operate, the Council sanctioned the implementation
of some short-term management procedures. Arrangements were then
to be finalised, including the completion of any necessary works,
within defined time-scales. The monitoring of ongoing works and
documentation of procedures in these early stages ensured the
smooth operation of the site whilst works were finalised.
2.6 It was always a likelihood that once
underway, everyday operating procedures would require further
amendment and "fine tuning". Since January NMEC have
identified a need to adapt operational procedures in order to
improve and enhance the visitor experience. Such changes have
included the introduction of "on the door" sale of tickets,
the extension of opening hours, the termination of proposals for
"double session" days, changes governing the use of
the Woolwich Park and Ride site and amendments to various internal
operating procedures. The Council has done all that it can to
work with NMEC and other relevant organisations and agencies,
such as the Metropolitan Police and London Transport, to accommodate
these changes as swiftly as possible whilst ensuring safety and
environmental standards were maintained.
2.7 Routine, planned inspections of the
site continue and contingency planning, testing and exercising
are programmed throughout the operating year. Liaison continues,
in order to consider further options and changes identified by
NMEC as further commercial opportunities are explored and in order
to accommodate their subsequent regulatory implications. Future
development on site is anticipated to include specialist evening
events at various locations including Skyscape, Dome Central Arena
and "Starship Pavilion". Discussions are currently underway
to accommodate these activities within mutually acceptable parameters
and so enhance the use of the site.
3. TRANSPORT
TO THE
MILLENNIUM DOME
3.1 Transport issues have been fundamental
to the Dome project since its conception and have been pivotal
in both the development of the project and its continuing success.
The Council has made previous detailed submissions to this Committee
regarding transport infrastructure and services. These provide
the context for the following additional comments.
3.2 The Dome transport strategy was developed
by NMEC in consultation with the Council. It was vital that a
transport strategy was developed that would fully service the
Dome's requirements during the Exhibition year whilst offering
a synergy with existing transport provision and a platform from
which to move forward in the future.
3.3 After five months of full Dome operation,
including the New Year, Easter and May bank holidays, it is evident
that transport infrastructure and services are working well within
capacity. Whilst specific traffic counts are not yet available,
it would also appear that the highways network and traffic flows
are not being adversely affected by car borne trips to the Dome.
From an operational perspective therefore, the strategy can thus
far be considered a success. Any problems that have occurred have
been of a minor nature and have not significantly affected infrastructure
capacity or the effective accommodation of visitors to the Dome.
3.4 Greenwich Council and its partners have
worked hard to ensure the successful execution of the Dome Transport
Strategy. Its successful development and implementation demonstrates
that major developments and attractions need neither be car oriented
nor generate considerable volumes of traffic to the detriment
of local amenity and sustainability objectives. The Council believes
this approach and principle can, and should, be continued when
considering proposals for the future development and use of the
Dome.
3.5 In order to ensure adequate ongoing
transport provision for the future use of the Dome it is vital
that the achievements to date are built upon and momentum continued.
It is essential that any break in service at the end of 2000 should
be kept to an absolute minimum. The Council is deeply concerned
about transport legacy and consider it imperative that the following
transport elements be retained and enhanced beyond the conclusion
of the Millennium Experience:
(i) River services—including retention
of the Millennium Pier—with further extension to Woolwich
and integration into the "Travelcard" scheme.
(ii) Bus services—with extension to
areas in the South of the Borough such as Kidbrooke and Eltham.
This would further extend the North Greenwich Station catchment
and complement regeneration and anti poverty/social exclusion
initiatives being undertaken in the Kidbrooke area (SRB 5).
(iii) Millennium Transit—as a precursor
to the Waterfront Transit. This would facilitate good access to
North Greenwich Station and along with the Waterfront Transit
would complement the Council's regeneration initiatives for Woolwich
and Thamesmead. The Waterfront Transit is a potential tram system
which the Council intends to commend to the London Mayor for serious
and early consideration. In the long term there is considerable
potential arising from its connection to similar networks under
examination in east London via the Thames Gateway Bridge.
(iv) Rail services—the retention, expansion
of time-table and adequate promotion of the Connex service from
Victoria to Charlton/Woolwich. This would considerably enhance
orbital travel opportunities in South London. It would also be
entirely congruent with the development of metro-like overland
rail services (turn up and go) currently under examination.
(v) DLR—Further extension of the existing
service to Woolwich.
(vi) Riverside Walk—Open up free public
access to the footpath around the peninsula which has been temporarily
closed for the duration of the Millennium Experience.
3.6 The Council has done, and will continue
to do, all that it can to ensure that transport arrangements for
the duration of the Millennium year adequately meet the demands
placed upon them so ensuring maximum convenience for visitors
to the Dome and minimum inconvenience for local residents. The
Council now seeks the support of Central Government in its bid
to secure long-term benefit and enhancement of the current transport
provision as illustrated above.
4. PROGRESS OF
THE COMPETITION
TO DETERMINE
THE FUTURE
USE OF
THE DOME
4.1 Greenwich Council's general views regarding
a range of legacy issues were presented in its submission of December
1998 and more specific views relating to the Competition to determine
the Dome's future use were submitted in October 1999. These representations
remain relevant to the current discussions and provide a context
for this submission.
4.2 The Council has been closely involved
in the Competition process from the outset and has sought through
its involvement to advise and guide those managing and involved
in the process. This it has done in its capacity as the responsible
Statutory Planning Authority and in its role as promoter of local
interests. To reiterate what has been said in previous submissions
to this Committee, Greenwich Council considers this to be an opportunity
to create a major legacy of national and international significance.
The local perspective and importance of creating a sustainable
synergy with local initiatives, policies and strategies will play
a key role in the realisation of this opportunity. As host Borough
and key stakeholder, the value of Greenwich Council's contribution
to the competition process is both considerable and unique.
4.3 It is essential that the momentum generated
by the Dome project is not lost and that the achievements to date
serve to stimulate further positive change. It is vital, when
developing proposals for the future use of the Dome to ensure
integration with Greenwich and the wider East London economies.
It is essential that proposals are commercially sustainable and
strongly address the Council's concerns, aspirations and requirements
with regard to both transport provision and development of the
local economy. The detailed views of the Council with regard to
these areas of legacy interest are illustrated in sections 3 and
5 of this report respectively.
4.4 All five of the second stage bidders
developed their proposals following detailed consultation with
the Council's Directorate of Strategic Planning and as a consequence
the development concept of each submitted proposal would have
been broadly acceptable, in principle, to the Council as Planning
Authority. The Council submitted to English Partnerships its detailed
observations regarding the degree to which each of the five bids
met the requirements of local policy and planning parameters in
respect of the following:
— Environmental Sustainability
— Attractiveness of Proposal
— Impact on the Economic Base of the
Borough.
4.5 The Council has requested that the planning
application for the future use of the Dome and surrounding area
be submitted as a detailed application. The Council have required
of English Partnerships that a new Masterplan be submitted in
the form of an outline planning application. This is to be submitted
in parallel with the detailed application. The Council are expecting
the above applications to be submitted in July 2000.
4.6 The Council will require submissions
of the highest quality and will be using its powers to ensure
this through appropriate deeds of planning obligation and planning
conditions. The Council will continue to do all that it can to
accommodate the necessary processes within the time scales identified
for the development of the project. The Council will process the
applications expeditiously.
4.7 The Council will also continue to assist
and advise English Partnerships in the development of an appropriate
programme of local consultation. Since the Competition process
began there have been a number of consultations with both senior
members and officers of the Council and two partnership organisations
positioned to deliver a local perspective; the Millennium Trust
Forum and Greenwich Waterfront Development Partnership. The Council
believes that a thorough programme of consultation is fundamental
to the competition process and welcomes the proposal of English
Partnerships to facilitate further public consultation regarding
the two remaining proposals; "Dome Europe" and "Legacy".
4.8 Greenwich Council has been pro-actively
working to identify Millennium related opportunity and to develop
and implement programmes and projects that will secure benefits
for the communities of Greenwich and beyond. The "Millennium
Experience" has been a catalyst for change. The Council very
much views its investment in this project as the beginning of
a process rather than its conclusion. The development of an appropriate
future use of the Dome is central to unlocking the full legacy
potential of this unique opportunity.
5. THE ECONOMIC
AND COMMUNITY
IMPACT OF
THE DOME
5.1 The Dome project and the wider redevelopment
of the Greenwich Peninsula have undoubtedly had, and will continue
to have, a significant positive impact on the local communities
and economy. From a local perspective this represents a major
economic success. Greenwich is currently enjoying a period of
substantial economic growth, which must be sustainable. Over the
past five years we have seen more contracts for local companies
and more jobs for local people. Unemployment in the Borough is
now at the lowest level for the past eight years and the number
of jobs in the Borough is predicted to increase by 50 per cent
over the next five years with an estimated 30,000 new jobs being
created from the development sites across the Borough.
5.2 The transformation of the Greenwich
economy is now underway. In order to establish the nature and
scale of these impacts an economic impact study of the 10 main
developments taking place on the Greenwich Peninsula was commissioned
in 1999 by Greenwich Council, the New Millennium Experience Company
(NMEC), and English Partnerships (EP). The study was carried out
by independent consultants, the UK Research Partnership. The final
report is expected in June and the findings released approximately
one month later. The assessment tracks and forecasts the economic
effects of all the developments until 2010, including construction
and operations. In addition, ongoing research will assess the
impact of increased tourist activity and new inward investments
through to 2001.
5.3 The key objective of the study was to
"identify and quantify the current and anticipated economic
effects and benefits of the developments on the Peninsula".
In operational terms, the study had four main objectives:
(i) To enable Greenwich Council, NMEC and
EP to quantify, have a greater understanding of and anticipate
the economic impact of the regeneration of the Peninsula on Greenwich
and the Thames Gateway London Partnership area.
(ii) To forecast the economic impact—employment,
business growth and business sectors—of the developments
on the Peninsula in the immediate and medium terms.
(iii) To assist in a review of the mechanisms
put in place to secure benefits for local people.
(iv) To inform the development of economic
development policy in Greenwich.
5.4 The consultants conclude that, in terms
of jobs and business contracts won, there have been substantial
benefits to people and companies both in Greenwich and the wider
Thames Gateway London Partnership area[6].
Preliminary findings suggest that:
(i) approximately 9 per cent of construction
jobs on the Peninsula were filled by Greenwich residents and 30
per cent by Thames Gateway London residents.
(ii) in terms of operational employment,
37 per cent was taken by Greenwich residents and 51 per cent by
Thames Gateway London residents.
5.5 Much of this economic success is attributed
to the efforts of local organisations to promote and develop the
skills of residents and the competitiveness of local businesses.
Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLaB), part of Greenwich
Council, has been significant in securing work for local people.
GLLaB also acts as a focal point and conduit for a range of other
agencies working to improve employment and business prospects
for local people.
5.6 Greenwich Council formed GLLaB in 1996
to assist local people and businesses to benefit from the employment
opportunities and the new contracts on the Peninsula and other
major developments in Greenwich. GLLaB help contractors and operators
recruit local people and find local suppliers, as well as assisting
in vocational skills and business management training. In conjunction
with NMEC, they developed and delivered a Pre-Employment Training
Scheme (PET) to prepare people for employment at the Dome. The
800 trainees who have completed the course were all given a guaranteed
interview by NMEC. Of the 800 people that NMEC have recruited
to jobs as hosts at the Dome, 260 (33 per cent) have been recruited
through GLLaB.
5.7 The wider impact of the Dome in terms
of inward investment and development across the Borough is yet
to be quantified. The Dome has been a flagship project in the
renaissance of the Greenwich Waterfront and has been responsible
for raising the profile and stature of the area as a development
opportunity as well as a place to visit. The Council will continue
to capitalise upon opportunities available to encourage inwardinvestment
and will continue to work with future employers to enable local
residents and businesses to benefit from these new job opportunities.
5.8 Legacy issues and securing long term
benefit for the communities of Greenwich are now priority considerations
for the Council. Key among those considerations is the closure
of the Dome at the end of the year and the implications this has
for staff currently employed at the Dome. Greenwich Council views
this period of transition extremely seriously. It is of paramount
importance that Dome staff are appropriately redeployed and supported
throughout this process. The Council is currently working closely
with NMEC to develop an adequate and appropriate programme of
training and redeployment to meet this need.
5.9 In a broader sense however, the impact
of the Dome on the local communities is, and will be, far more
pervasive and far reaching than the economic effects illustrated
above. The presence of the Dome has generated significant and
positive change in relation to a number of key issues and factors
that directly effect the quality of life for people who live and
work in Greenwich and the Thames Gateway area:
(i) Improvements to transport infrastructure
and services have improved local residents' access to Central
London and beyond. It has also increased transport capacity lessening
the impact and allowing adequate accommodation of increased visitor
numbers (see 3).
(ii) Local tourism, tourist attractions and
businesses dependent on tourist trade are predicted to benefit
from increased visitor numbers.
(iii) Schools have benefited from unique
and innovative educational opportunities.
(iv) The Borough's cultural sector and industries
have been bolstered by the implementation of the "Cultural
Plan" and the financial contributions from NMEC and the Council
which accompanied it. Local communities and visitors have also
benefited from the year long programme of celebratory events and
festivals.
(v) The Dome and other Peninsula developments
such as the Millennium Village and the Sainsbury's superstore,
have pioneered and showcased the latest in environmentally friendly
design.
(vi) The Dome has provided an impetus for
local regeneration and development. Greenwich's unique role as
"host borough" and the opportunities that this presents
have been instrumental in enabling the Council and its partners
to secure substantial Government, European and agency funding
for a variety of significant regeneration initiatives throughout
the Borough over the past 10 years.
6. LESSONS OF
THE PROJECT
FOR THE
MANAGEMENT OF
MAJOR EVENTS
AND SIMILAR
PROJECTS WITHIN
THE PUBLIC
SECTOR.
6.1 The Council's role in helping bring
the Dome to Greenwich and its part in securing its successful
development and operation has been considerable. The Council was
involved in the very earliest discussions regarding the development
of ideas for the staging of a National Millennium Festival, long
before the creation of the National Lottery and Millennium Commission,
and will continue to be involved in the legacy of the Dome long
after direct Government involvement has ended.
6.2 As a Local Authority, the Council's
involvement in Millennium related activity generally and the Dome
project specifically, has been varied and far reaching. The nature
of the work undertaken by the Council has tended to change over
time, responding to the changing demands and priorities placed
upon it by the various phases of Millennium related activity.
Some of this work has naturally been reactive and associated with
the discharge of its statutory duties. To illustrate, below are
listed a number of regulatory functions and services for which
the Council has had responsibility:
— Planning and Development control
(including the securing of Section 106 agreements)
— Cultural/arts development
— Legal (including land ownership,
compulsory purchase issues)
— Parking and Parking Control
6.3 Greenwich Council has also been proactively
working to identify Millennium related opportunity and develop
and implement programmes and projects that will secure benefits
for the communities of Greenwich.
6.4 The development and operation of the
Dome project is the first time that such an undertaking has been
accommodated within a modern regulatory and regenerative environment.
The successful discharge of those duties listed above has required
the development of unique working methods and processes. It has
also required the development and maintenance of a special relationship
with both the developers and other stakeholders. The Council believes
that it has effectively combined innovation and flexibility with
its duties of probity and public interest.
6.5 The Council believes that it has consistently
worked to high standards under difficult circumstances and tight
time scales. It has had a key role to play in achieving what many
thought unachievable. The Council is satisfied that where difficulties
have arisen with various aspects of the Dome project, none have
been attributable to delay in Council processes. As such, the
Council considers there to be much justification in using the
skills, experiences and lessons learnt from this unique project
for the benefit of other major events and similar projects within
the public sector. To this end Greenwich Council offers itself
as a case study and consultee in respect of the development of
any relevant, large scale future projects or events.
7. CONCLUSION
7.1 Over the past 10 years Greenwich Council
and its partners have worked hard to help ensure the successful
completion and delivery of the Millennium project. Now that the
Dome is open to the public Greenwich Council will continue to
do all that it can to assist NMEC in its bid to refine operating
procedures so as to maximise both visitor numbers and the quality
of the visitor experience.
7.2 The impact of the Dome project on the
local economy and communities has been significant and positive.
It is now a priority of Greenwich Council to capitalise upon the
opportunities this project offers and to continue the momentum
it has generated to secure maximum long-term benefit for those
who live, work in and visit the local area. The progress of the
Competition to identify a future use for the Dome and the extent
to which it merges with local policies and need will be key to
this process.
7.3 The Council would welcome any assistance
central government could offer with regard to securing maximum
long-term benefit and particularly in the Council's bid to secure
and enhance existing transport infrastructure and further reinforce
the local economy and employment base.
May 2000
6 Thames Gateway London area includes the Boroughs
of: Greenwich, Bexley, Lewisham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Havering,
Thurrock, Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Dartford, Barking and Dagenham. Back
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