Agenda item

Report DRR15/086

Transforming the Council into a Commissioning Authority would further reduce staff numbers and impact on future office requirements. With the Local Plan process underway it was also necessary to optimise development opportunities for  the Civic Centre and align the site’s planning designation with its potential development opportunities.

Consultancy firm  Montagu Evans LLP had produced a Development Strategy for the site, proposing three options for accommodating staff and the potential value of surplus land for disposal consequent upon each option. The Strategy identified potential uses and opportunities for the site and a number of planning and other constraints were taken into account.

Councillors and Chief Officers were consulted during the process with Option 3 identified for further investigation. This focused on remaining at the site in two or three buildings e.g. North Block, Stockwell Building and Adventure Kingdom. The remainder of the site would be sold with the multi-storey car park and park land retained.

Although disposing of part of the site would provide a lower capital receipt, significant costs and risks would be avoided in acquiring or constructing a new Civic Centre. The Council could reduce its costs (revenue savings in the region of £0.8m were estimated), stay on site, and have a greater element of control over redevelopment and flexibility for the future.

Additional work was needed during the next four to six months to produce a detailed Business Case for Option 3. A further report could then be brought to Executive in early 2016.

To review the site designation, it was recommended that the Council submit a formal representation as part of the Local Plan consultation process with approval of the representation being delegated to the Civic Centre Project Board in consultation with Ward Councillors.

Representations/decisions on the Local Plan policies and designations could form the basis of a landowner development brief, which would become part of the tender documentation for disposal. The Council could then potentially exercise control without complicating the disposal.

A document management work stream would also be necessary to reduce paper files and encourage electronic filing.

In principle, the Leader and Deputy Leader both supported Option 3 subject to further investigation and production of a detailed business case. However, the Leader felt that it was too early to be clear on buildings for disposal - supporting Option 3, the Portfolio Holder for Care Services agreed.

In developing a business case for Option 3, it was confirmed that a multi-use of buildings was being considered to increase revenue streams. The Leader also indicated that more certainty would be needed on planning constraints at decision taking in early 2016. It would also be necessary for the business case to cover all eventualities. 

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the additional work necessary to produce a business case for option 3, as outlined at paragraph 3.42 of Report DRR15/086, be approved;

(2)  Montagu Evans LLP be reappointed to provide further consultancy services in preparing work for the second stage of the business case and for preparing the planning representations – this in addition to a desktop archaeological survey and condition survey being required;

(3)  the planning representations are to show an area of land for proposed disposal and aspirations for the uses and development based on Option 3, and the representations be agreed by the Civic Centre Project Board in consultation with Ward Councillors prior to submission;

(4)  further work is to be undertaken to identify the buildings for disposal and all options should be considered;

(5)  a sum of £57,500 be approved for additional consultancy services;

(6)  comments regarding the multi-storey car park be noted; and

(7) a single development partner be selected.