Issue - meetings

The subject land comprises a disused former allotment that has been neglected for a number of years.  This report sets out proposals to bring the site back into use by splitting the site into two, recommending Executive approval to disposal proposals, comprising on one part a short-term lease arrangement in stages for allotment related use and on the other a longer-term freehold disposal for redevelopment.  As proposals comprise a loss of allotment land, the paper asks the Executive to note previously approved replacement site proposals at Gladstone Park including provisions for forward funding of works the cost of which will be recovered from the capital receipt generated.

That approval be given to the following:

(i)         that on the Northern half of the site detailed as stage 1 and 2 in the Appendix 1 plan.  A short term lease is entered into for less then 7 years to be contracted out of the security of tenure provisions of the 1954 Act, with the land to be used as an allotment / food growing community garden by the local Association or Trustees as the Council’s legal services may determine appropriate at peppercorn rent, allowing that the land be bought back into use;

(ii)        the freehold disposal of the Southern half of the site edged in green on the Appendix 1 plan with access from Elms Court for re-development, the capital receipt estimate is between £900k-£1m;

(iii)       that, as per the 15 November 2010 Executive report agree to the creation of a new replacement site at Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill subject to the appropriate legal procedure and forward funding of works up-to £250k, to create the new allotment, the cost of which will be recovered through the capital receipt generated under recommendation (ii) above.

The report from the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects set out proposals to bring back into use a disused former allotment that had been neglected for a number of years, by splitting the site into two. Two disposal proposals were suggested comprising on one part a short-term lease arrangement in stages for allotment related use and on the other a longer-term freehold disposal for redevelopment. As the proposals comprised a loss of allotment land, the report asked the Executive to note previously approved replacement site proposals at Gladstone Park including provisions for forward funding of works the cost of which would be recovered from the capital receipt generated.

Circulated in advance of the meeting was a revised Appendix 1 which related to a minor variance that had been agreed at the interface between the Stage 2 land and the land for disposal, which the Executive agreed.

Councillor Crane (Lead Member, Regeneration and Major Projects) stated that the proposals considered by the Executive in 2010 to dispose and re-use as housing could not be concluded. The proposals now involved leasing part of the site to Sudbury Elms Residents Association for a community garden originally in two phases. However, a site meeting indicated that work to clear the site had progressed significantly and the lease could comprise both Stage One and Stage Two sites indicated red and blue on the revised Appendix 1 to the report from the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects. The southern half of the site (edged in green in the Director’s report) would be brought to the open market for disposal.

Mr Bennett (representing Sudbury Elms Residents Association) addressed the Executive and thanked the Council and all who had contributed to the successful collaboration. The site had been cleared by hand by residents assisted with Ward Working funds and plots brought back into use in excess of expectations.

Councillor Lorber (Leader of the Opposition, Sudbury Ward councillor) endorsed the tributes paid to residents for their work in clearing the site. He also welcomed the proposed change to the recommendations for the lease to now comprise Stage One and Stage Two, an indication of the confidence placed in the residents. Councillor Lorber made reference to the funding earmarked for the replacement site at Gladstone Park and suggested that costs could be reduced were residents to follow the example of Sudbury Elms Residents Association and get involved in the creation of a new site. He also requested that the Sudbury area should benefit from the disposal of the land sale and that any housing development should be complementary and sensitive to the existing accommodation.

Councillor Crane responded that part of the Elms Gardens decommissioning arrangement was for the capital receipt to go towards the new site at Gladstone Park. Additionally, the capital receipt would be smaller as some of the land was used for the community garden. He agreed that any new development should be sensitive the existing accommodation and access restrictions but this would be dealt with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10

This report sets out proposals to bring the site back into use by splitting the site into two, recommending Executive approval to disposal proposals, comprising on one part a short-term lease arrangement in stages for allotment related use and on the other a longer-term freehold disposal for redevelopment.

Deferred to next meeting.

RESOLVED:

that consideration of this report be deferred to next meeting.