Decision details

The Cabinet Member with the Economy Portfolio introduced the report of the Chief Executive (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the release of feasibility funding to engage the services of Esh Homes Limited to help facilitate an early planning application for the Council owned land at Burtree Garden Village, as shown on the plan appended to the submitted report, and to incur the associated costs.

The submitted report stated that at the meeting of Cabinet held on 11 July 2017, the Council’s land, circa 27 hectares (67 acres), as shown on the plan appended to the submitted report, was declared surplus to requirements; work was ongoing to bring this site forward for development; it was envisaged that a detailed report would be prepared for Cabinet once the feasibility work had been completed; the Council land formed part of the Burtree Garden Village; since July 2017, several actions had been completed including the development of a Masterplan Visioning Document and the agreement of a Design Code for the overall development; and that the Burtree Garden Village formed an important part of the Council’s Local Plan which was currently progressing through Examination in Public.

It was reported that it was the intended that a Joint Venture company be formed to develop the Council owned land, as shown on the plan as shown at Appendix 2 of the submitted report; further proposals about this would be brought to Cabinet in due course; to facilitate this development there were several surveys and pieces of feasibility work that would be required to be carried out on the land; and that the feasibility works would be procured by Esh Homes Limited and the Council in compliance with the Council’s procurement procedures.

Particular reference was made at the meeting to the amount of information contained within the submitted report on the carbon footprint of the development.  The Cabinet Member with the Economy Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – (a)  That the costs identified in Appendix 3 of the submitted report, be approved,  and the release of the funding necessary to appoint Esh Homes Ltd and for the Council to undertake the feasibility work required to submit a planning application, as detailed in the submitted report, be authorised, the costs to be funded from the Council’s Investment Fund.

(b)  That the Assistant Director – Law and Governance be authorised to execute the necessary documents to facilitate future development.

REASONS – (a)  To provide a site capable of contributing to the delivery of new Housing and other affordable/social homes to satisfy the Borough’s housing need.

(b)  To achieve a capital receipt for the Council and increased Council Tax receipts from new homes.