Agenda item

Report DRR16/045

A Development Strategy Stage 2 report refined the option for the Civic Centre selected by Executive on 17th September 2015, the report confirming the Civic Centre redevelopment as an affordable and implementable strategy meeting Council objectives.

Members were recommended to approve the Option 2 scheme which included retention of North Block, Stockwell Building and Reception and the demolition and rebuilding of Adventure Kingdom to create a new Democratic Hub/ multi-purpose space. The Palace and Council Chamber were not recommended for retention and the boundaries of the proposed park land and developable site area shown at Appendix 3 to Report DRR16/045 were recommended for approval.

Approval was also sought to market the surplus site in accordance with the consultant’s recommendations and to include the project in the capital programme to be funded from capital receipts.

A developable site area took into account the proposed Civic buildings, the park land, site constraints, the setting of the Palace and other listed structures, and the surrounding area. Alternative masterplans indicated a variety of dwelling types and densities for the developable area, showing how the site could be redeveloped. The masterplans also enable an assessment to be made of potential capital receipts from differing types of redevelopment.

The Council as landowner had submitted a planning representation as part of the Local Plan process and an extract from the submitted landowner representation was appended to Report DRR16/045. An indicative programme for the project was also appended to the report, the consultant recommending two concurrent activities - marketing of the site and design development/ tender for construction work.

In discussion it was considered necessary for development to be in keeping with the site. There was a strong economic and planning case for the scheme.

Noting the option to demolish and rebuild the present site of Adventure Kingdom as a new Council Chamber/multi-purpose venue with café linked to an external garden, it was felt that the new Hub should retain an appropriate level of gravitas in keeping with the serious nature of a Council Chamber and democratic surroundings.

Concerning traffic to Rafford Way, the level of additional vehicle movements was considered small; with the preferred level of density it was thought that traffic movements could be managed to prevent congestion. Members and officers would need to be convinced on the acceptability of any future development.

At their meeting on 12^th May 2016 the Executive and Resources PDS Committee proposed an additional recommendation to authorise the Director of Corporate Services to seek expert legal advice. This was supported. 

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the Option 2 scheme which includes the retention of North Block, Stockwell Building and Reception and the demolition and rebuilding of the Adventure Kingdom to create a new Democratic Hub/ multi-purpose space be approved;

(2)  the Palace and Council Chamber should not be retained;

(3)  inclusion of the sum of £14.1m in the Capital Programme (Option 2), which will be funded from capital receipts, be approved subject to the approval of Full Council;

(4)  procurement of the Project Delivery Team at a cost of £365k as set out at paragraph 3.50 of Report DRR16/045 be approved;

(5)  the carry forward of general underspends totalling £200k be approved to meet the cost of document management (see paragraph 3.17 of Report DRR16/045);

(6)  the area of open space delineated at Appendix 3 to Report DRR16/045 be approved with officers instructed to appropriate it for use as a park in accordance with the requirements of Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972;

(7)  the boundary of the developable site area outlined at Appendix 3 to Report DRR16/045 be approved, with officers instructed to appropriate the area to planning at the appropriate time in accordance with the requirements of Section 237 of the Town and Country Planning Act;

(8)  a conditional, subject to planning, disposal of the developable site area be approved;

(9)  use of the consultancy services framework and contractor framework outlined in Report DRR16/045 be approved;

(10)  submissions and representations to the Development Plan (Local Plan) process continue to be made and followed up; and

(11)  the Director of Corporate Services be authorised to seek advice from suitably qualified and experienced counsel on the application of, and management of, the covenants relating to the land, should he deem it appropriate to do so - any such advice being funded from money allocated to the project costs.