Decision

To enter into S106 Side Agreement with and commute the sum of £11,000 to Westbury Town Council to deliver a community Public Art Scheme in accordance with Wiltshire Council’s Public Art guidance and overseen by Wiltshire Council’s Public Art Officer.

Reasons for the decision

Where we undertake to collaborate with a Town or Parish Council to deliver a Public Art Scheme within their town/parish boundary, we may seek to commute [to the Town/Parish Council] some or part of a S106 contribution from an appropriate local development. This is so the Town/Parish Council may deliver the scheme ‘on the ground’ and take responsibility for its administration and any future maintenance and/or decommissioning.

As Planning Authority, Wiltshire Council secured a public art contribution for a development in Westbury (Sandhole Lane)

Through discussions with the Developer, Wain Homes and Wiltshire Council’s Public Art Officer, a sum of £11K has been committed to a community-led public art scheme in the vicinity of the development and within an area of deprivation. It will be ‘developed’ by:
- Public Art Officer (Wiltshire Council)
- Community Conversations Lead for Westbury (Wiltshire Council)
- Penleigh Park resident’s group
- Westbury Town Council (Engagement and Development Officer + Council’s Lead Ranger
The scheme will be ‘delivered’ by:
- Westbury Town Council in partnership with the above stakeholders which form a local steering group. Wider community engagement will take place before the final artwork is approved.

The other part of the Developer contribution will deliver a piece of artist-designed public seating within the footprint of the development on Sandhole Lane. This will be developed and delivered by Wiltshire Council’s Public Art Officer.

Reason for decision

Penleigh Park is one of Westbury’s key recreational green spaces. It sits within an area of deprivation and therefore comes under Wiltshire Council’s Public Health remit (Vulnerable Communities - Building Resilience) and has a designated Community Conversations Lead attached to the area.

The remit of Community Conversations is to take a fully community-led approach.

Local residents report that Penleigh Park has lost its community feel and is now a space where anti-social behaviour takes place e.g. drug taking/dealing. They seek to claim the area back by creating a well-being, wildlife and public art space for the wider community and local children.

Through a collaborative internal relationship with Community Conversations, our Public Art Officer advised Westbury’s CC Lead and Westbury Town Council on ways that Public Art can be used to support cultural well-being, social cohesion, place-shaping and the regeneration of the area, inc. culture-led approaches to anti-social behaviour.

The resulting project focuses on community wellbeing, public art and environmental enhancement/biodiversity to create a lasting cultural and ecological asset for the community and town of Westbury.

The Developer, Wain Homes have confirmed they are happy to support a project that mitigates impact on the wider community (i.e. existing residents) and is free to use by new residents to the development.

See the attached document for considerations in line with Wiltshire Council’s Constitution.

Alternative options considered

Not applicable