Decision details

To consider a range of development options and uses for the Bridge Park site in Stonebridge and agree that the council enter into an agreement with the owners of the adjoining Unisys site to redevelop the Bridge Park Site by way of a joint development with Unisys that builds a new sports and community centre from the proceeds of residential and commercial development on the Unisys and on the Bridge Park sites.

(i)         that the council pursue the option of GMH (and its subsidiary company) developing the Unisys and Bridge Park sites for residential and commercial development to fund a new Bridge Park sports centre;

(ii)        that agreement be given to the draft Heads of Terms as set out in appendix 3 of the report from the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects to form the basis of the detailed sale agreement between the council and GMH and instruct the Director of Regeneration to complete terms for a land sale between GMH, its subsidiary company and the council as set out in Appendix 3 subject to suitable parent company guarantees to the satisfaction of the council;

(iii)       that agreement be given to the making of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to acquire the freehold interest and other relevant legal interests of the Car Breakers site which for identification purposes is shown edged on the plan attached to this report at Appendix 1(a) (“the CPO Land”) under Section 226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to facilitate the carrying out of the redevelopment scheme (“the Scheme”) and any new rights in the CPO Land which may be required under section 13 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976;

(iv)       that approval be given to the submission of the CPO, once made, to the Secretary of State for confirmation, whilst the Council at the same time seek to acquire the land by private negotiated treaty, funded through funding from GMH under a separate agreement with the council;

(v)        that agreement be given to the making of one or more general vesting declaration(s) or service of Notice to Treat and Notice of Entry (as appropriate) pursuant to the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 and the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 respectively, should the CPO be confirmed, if determined by the Director of Regeneration & Major Projects on the advice of the Director of Legal & Procurement Services, as necessary in order to implement the CPO;

(vi)       that authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects to undertake the following:

(1)       Enter into agreements and make undertakings on behalf of the Council with the holders of interests in the CPO Land or parties otherwise affected by the Scheme setting out the terms for the withdrawal of their objections to the confirmation of the CPO, where such agreements are appropriate; and

(2)       Service of all requisite notices on the holders of the CPO Land including rights in the CPO Land relating to the making and confirmation of the CPO; and

(3)       Remove from the CPO any plot (or interest therein) no longer required to be acquired compulsorily for the Scheme to proceed and to amend the interests scheduled in the CPO (if so advised); and

(4)       To acquire land and/or new rights by agreement either in advance of the confirmation of compulsory purchase powers, if so advised, or following the confirmation of compulsory powers by the Secretary of State; and

(5)       To seek to acquire for the Council by agreement any interest in land wholly or partly within the limits of the CPO Land for which a blight notice has been validly served; and

(vii)      To undertake public consultation on the development proposals with local residents, interest groups, users and tenants; and

(viii)     To procure an architectural practice to design the new sports and community centre and submit plans with Unisys; and

(ix)       that approval be given to the procurement of a design and build contractor to build the new sports centre through an appropriate contractor/developer Framework or by way of an OJEU advertisement, or by the use of a design, build and operate contract; and

(x)        that officers undertake public consultation on all four options for the sports centre.