The Capital Programme Manager and the Capital Programme Officer were in attendance to give an update on the Sheerness Revival Project.

The projects were progressing in the construction phase and were on track with outputs and outcomes. The Quarter 3 2024-2025 report was being prepared for submission.

Beachfields Regeneration – the contractor had been appointed and planning permission granted. Partners had temporarily relocated now that pre-construction work had begun. The adventure golf facility was expected to be completed summer 2025 and the Beachfields project would be completed late spring 2026.

Sheppey College – East Kent College had appointed their contractor to deliver construction and the enablement works had commenced on site. Full works were expected to start in February 2025 with a completion expected in October 2025.

Masters House – the contractor was appointed in December 2024 with works due to start in February 2025. Completion was expected in late spring 2025.

Communications – a series of media communications had been planned to mark key milestones in the projects and various consultations events had been planned. Engagement was planned with schools and residents around the adventure golf facility to provide the opportunity to contribute to the design of the course.

The following comments were made:

·       Were the adventure golf costings included within the overall budget?

·       would it be more appropriate to include the new Sheppey Crossing instead of the Kingsferry Bridge in the adventure golf design?

·       how many holes would the golf course have?

·       would the ‘Welcome to Sheerness’ sign be moved?

·       if the café was located upstairs, it would allow lovely views of the sea;

·       could a large solid outdoor table tennis table be included?

·       could options suggested at the initial consultation be reconsidered if there was any spare funding in the budget?

·       Neptune Steps were the responsibility of the Environment Agency to improve/maintain;

·       the Sheppey Leisure Centre Pool was not fit for purpose and needed renovating;

·       were tennis courts included in the scheme? and

·       would the existing facility to provide refund vouchers for car parking continue?

Officers responded that adventure golf costings were included in the budget. The suggestion to include The Sheppey Crossing could be passed onto the course designer. The golf course had 15 holes. The entrance to Beachfields would be widened and the ‘Welcome to Sheerness’ sign would be moved slightly to make it fit centrally in the new opening. The feasibility to locate the café upstairs had been looked at during the design stage but unfortunately could not be accommodated. There was an area suitable to install a table tennis table so this could be looked at with the design team subject to available budget as the project progressed. Future phases of the project would look at improving and relocating the Sheppey Leisure Centre Pool. Existing tennis courts would be retained (one tennis court and one multi-use court) and the existing car park would remain where all payment machines had the facility to provide refund vouchers, however, it was for SBC Members to decide if refunds were to continue under the new leisure contract.