Decision:
RESOLVED that the Executive supported the following recommendations and recommended them to the Full Council to consider:
(i) That the broad principle of the conceptual block plan design is progressed to Framework Masterplan and that indicative designs for all of the blocks are developed. In-particular Blocks 1, 2, and 5 be progressed to detailed business case and to provide authority to appoint a design team following due process.
(ii) To endorse the approach that the Council further considers the business case to act as the lead commercial and masterplan developer and to delegate authority to the Head of Commercial Investment in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to enter into relevant transactions. This will include hard market testing of Blocks 1,2 and 5 to inform completion of business cases.
(iii) To endorse the principle that the Council may also be the developer of some of the plots each being considered on a case by case basis and subject to a detailed business case and further Council approval.
(iv) To note the review of the Hotel development project, to cease the current Council investment plans and cancel the existing budget approval and instead to seek a development partner/investor to deliver this scheme as an alternative to the previously approved Council development, and on a different part of the site. A specialist property adviser will be appointed to undertake a thorough hard marketing exercise.
(v) To commission a suitable performance venue expert to establish the business case and conduct soft market testing with suitable operators for such a facility on site.
(vi) To report back with progress as and when required and set up a project governance Board to oversee the direction of the project.
(vii) Approval of a total budget of £275,000 to progress these work streams and this to be funded from New Homes Bonus funds.
Minutes:
Councillor Habib Farbahi introduced the circulated report which was considered the next key step to progress delivery of the Firepool site. The report set out a programme of activity to deliver the outline planning consent. The report outlined a little of the history of the site, some lessons learned and the steps undertaken in the past three months to identify the likely most deliverable form of development in a relatively short programme. Appendix 1 consisted of the indicative conceptual block plan for the site which both built on the outline planning approval and accorded with current planning policy. This was not a prescriptive solution but it was a work in progress. The site was to be divided into bite size blocks to assist greater flexibility and certainty of delivery. The intention was that the Council would act as the masterplan developer to deliver the public realm and infrastructure to remove the obvious barriers to progress the site and act as a catalyst to delivery.
During the discussion of this item, Members made comments and asked questions which included:-
· Questions were raised from the Executive around the Block plan scale details and the timing of delivering of the venue being pushed to the back-end and the separate delivery of a cinema?
· The size was very indicative and the next process would be to fill in that detail but the scale would be adequate for the size of performance venue. The positive around using the Block 4 allocated for the Venue is that other activity is not dependent. The time would be allowed to prove the business case for a venue which was considered the most challenging without holding back the regeneration of the scheme. The Cinema could move ahead more quicker and there would be no conflict in terms of acoustics with the Venue.
· There were concerns raised around the delivery programme risk and the Housing being easily developed and the rest not following on.
· Design was considered important and this was an opportunity to do something unique and environmentally friendly.
· It was accepted that the mixed use aspect ensured its deliverability but that the non-Housing aspects needed to be delivered.
· Other Members asked questions relating to the earliest deliverability date of the Firepool Site, that the Project Management was adequately resourced, the Brewhouse project considerations, an update on the Design Standards work.
· In relation to the Brewhouse, all of the considerations were being taken in regard to the site and conversations would continue to maintain that theatre provision.
· In relation to Programme Management, to keep up pace and momentum some activities were being twin-tracked creating eighteen potential work streams and the right resources would be in place.
· Design standards will sit alongside the Framework Masterplan which will evolve, but developers will be given clear expectations of what is acceptable. The Portfolio Holder would take the point made and pursue this with the Planning team.
· Further concerns were raised around Social Value being built into the process and the small businesses in and round the site on Station Road and Bridge Street being supported.
· The Portfolio Holder reassured Councillors that the local businesses would be interacted with via a forum.
RESOLVED that the Executive supported the following recommendations and recommended them to the Full Council to consider:
(i) That the broad principle of the conceptual block plan design is progressed to Framework Masterplan and that indicative designs for all of the blocks are developed. In-particular Blocks 1, 2, and 5 be progressed to detailed business case and to provide authority to appoint a design team following due process.
(ii) To endorse the approach that the Council further considers the business case to act as the lead commercial and masterplan developer and to delegate authority to the Head of Commercial Investment in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to enter into relevant transactions. This will include hard market testing of Blocks 1,2 and 5 to inform completion of business cases.
(iii) To endorse the principle that the Council may also be the developer of some of the plots each being considered on a case by case basis and subject to a detailed business case and further Council approval.
(iv) To note the review of the Hotel development project, to cease the current Council investment plans and cancel the existing budget approval and instead to seek a development partner/investor to deliver this scheme as an alternative to the previously approved Council development, and on a different part of the site. A specialist property adviser will be appointed to undertake a thorough hard marketing exercise.
(v) To commission a suitable performance venue expert to establish the business case and conduct soft market testing with suitable operators for such a facility on site.
(vi) To report back with progress as and when required and set up a project governance Board to oversee the direction of the project.
(vii) Approval of a total budget of £275,000 to progress these work streams and this to be funded from New Homes Bonus funds.