New Redcar Arena would be a 'phenomenal asset'

Proposals for a new 5,000 seater arena costing up to £67million have stalled after Redcar and Cleveland Council rejected a business case put forward by developers and said land on which the old Coatham Bowl once stood was not suitable for the venture.

Jim Frayling, a consultant director with the company Mott MacDonald, an international engineering, management and development consultancy, said the arena could be a “phenomenal asset” and host events “brilliantly better” than other arenas.

Mr Frayling said modelling had been undertaken and shared with the council showing that in fact such a development would fit twice, debunking the local authority’s assertion that the building and associated infrastructure would not effectively physically fit on what it says is a “confined” site.

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About 120 people, many local residents, attended a public meeting in Redcar on Tuesday evening in which the plans were set out in detail with Mr Frayling giving a presentation to the audience comparing different types of arenas and quoting economic analysis as to their benefits.

In one example given during the video presentation – which was emblazoned with the words ‘Dream Big’ – he said property prices had risen by between 10 and 15 per cent after a new arena was built and there had been a 50 per cent rise in business growth in one location.

How the Redcar arena could look. Picture: LDR

Mr Frayling said: “Every single type of event that goes in an arena will work here.”
He suggested that the arena, as well as hosting sporting and music events, could be attractive for party political conferences which are frequently held in coastal locations.

Describing the prospect of the plans by Coatham Arena Limited being successful, he said: “It is going to be difficult, but it is possible.”

The meeting was told that the council had suggested an alternative site at South Bank currently occupied by a motorsports arena.

But Mr Frayling said: “It’s not a good place to have an arena, our analysis reflected that.
“It does not have a history or a functionality and it is not an alternative.”

He described the seafront area at Coatham as “needing a bit of love” and said those behind the project were still talking to the council about its regeneration plans, which include a hundred space car park, along with, on the opposite side of Majuba Road, an adventure mini golf course and children’s play area, a new £6m, 42-bed hotel and a watersports centre.

The council has said these projects have funding in place and are sustainable in the long term, and it is ready to start work on them in April.
Undeterred, Mr Frayling said: “All we want is a guaranteed option for the land.

“We cannot get the finance until we get the site – people are keen to do this, but we need to get the site.

“We are not asking for a massive handout, if they [the council] want to prime the pump a bit that would be helpful and it would be quicker, but we can do it without them.

“People want this to happen – operators want it to happen, residents want it to happen, it would be brilliant for the area and this is the best possible site.”

Following the council’s concerns about the impact on homes in Queen Street and Newcomen Terrace from a visual perspective, Mr Frayling conceded that the arena would “block the view” and have an impact, but suggested the bigger picture was the huge economic benefit for Redcar.

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The former Redcar Bowl closed in 2014. Picture: LDR (Image: LDR)Referring to car parking, an underground car at the arena was an option, but the majority of parking needs associated with visitors to any arena could be met by the existing provision in the town, he said.

Mr Frayling said up to a thousand spaces would be needed when the venue was at capacity, but there were already 930 existing spaces distributed throughout the town.

Relying on this distributed car parking, he said, could benefit town centre businesses with people perhaps choosing to stop on their way to the arena for a drink or meal.

There are concerns, however, as to whether existing car parks can effectively accommodate a thousand or more extra cars and the impact in terms of traffic congestion across the town centre.

One audience member said Redcar racecourse could be used as a park and ride facility for potential visitors to the arena.

Another worry of the council is that the land wanted by developers is a recognised floodplain.

But Mr Frayling said the council’s new Regent Cinema was included in the floodplain area and it overlooked the sea.

He said: “If it’s okay to put a cinema there, it’s okay to put the arena where we want, we can cope with that [potential flooding].”

Mr Frayling said there was not a lot of competition in the region when it came to arenas of the size being proposed with city-based arenas in Leeds and Newcastle being the nearest equivalents, which were both bigger than the Redcar proposal.

He also said the newly built Globe theatre in Stockton “was not a competitor for arena events”.

The meeting was told about a potential development programme for the arena with the “best case scenario” being it opened in August 2024.

“Win win”

Other concerns expressed by Redcar and Cleveland Council include the overall cost of delivering the arena, how it will be funded, whether it will prove value for money and the potential of public funding being needed to assist with delivery.

Philip Deighton, of Destination Developments, another firm involved in the plans, which provides consultancy services to the leisure and tourism sector, claimed the council would be “ring fenced” against the liability for any costs.

He said the council had suggested they did not want to lose ownership of the land where the arena would be built and a long-term lease was one option.

But again he reiterated that no progress could be made without the local authority allowing the developers to have an option for the land.

Mr Deighton said: “There are a number of financial institutions interested in financing the scheme.

“We are also in conversation with experienced operators who would bring money to the table.”

He added: “It’s a win, win.

“We have found it difficult to understand why the council would oppose the scheme where it is.”

Around 120 people attended the meeting on Tuesday (Image: STUART ARNOLD)

Residents spoke of their frustration over the Majuba Road site which was once previously earmarked for a cinema and was subject to a long-running legal battle over its ownership between the council and local campaigners several years ago.

One said the land had been deemed common land and the council was merely managing it on locals’ behalf.

Another member of the public said: “How many years do we have to wait [for something to be done with the land].

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“It is a derelict site that looks a mess.”

Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner, who is supporting the proposals and was present at the meeting, said it was not about criticising the council and indeed the council itself, along with many of its members, were in favour of a new arena.

He said every council member had been invited to the meeting, but in the event only one turned up – Mr Turner’s wife, Conservative Councillor Andrea Turner.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that, coming from Redcar, he knew the businessmen involved in the plans and while he could not be on the board because of potential conflicting interests, he had signed up as a non-executive director.

Mr Turner, who has suggested a new arena would cut crime in Coatham, said: “I am a Redcar lad and it is about regenerating the town.

“Even with my professional head on I can see the benefits.”

An online petition set up by Coatham Arena Limited to support the construction of the new arena has now gone over the 5,000 signature mark.

Meanwhile, there has been support from Redcar MP Jacob Young who said a privately funded area at Coatham would be a “fantastic compliment” to the Government’s Town Deal, which is investing £25m in improvements to Redcar.

He previously said: “In my view there is no obvious alternative site, so it’s clear the council and Coatham Arena Limited need to come together again and see if the problems the council has outlined can be mitigated against in order to keep the prospect of an area alive.”

The council’s cabinet member for economic development, Councillor Christopher Gallacher has stated it is happy to work with those behind the project to explore the potential of alternative sites and supports a viable arena in the borough.

A spokesman for the council confirmed another meeting had taken place this week involving representatives involved with the arena plans and council managing director John Sampson and leader Mary Lanigan, but it had nothing further to add at this stage.

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