Issue - meetings

(Legal & Estates Portfolio Holder) To consider a report – to follow(C-033-2009/10).

(1)        That the allocation of “Kickstart” funding for Epping Forest District and in particular for the proposed residential development on the Parade Ground Site at North Weald in the sum of £8.324million to provide an additional 46 affordable homes be noted;

(2)        That an additional area of land (Area B on the plan) be sold by the Council to Crest Nicholson (Eastern) Limited to provide off site public open space which would not be built on for any purpose and the surrounding hedge be maintained annually by the purchaser, for a purchase price of £10,000 and on terms to be agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Legal & Estates and the Director of Corporate Support Services;

(3)        That the grant of a lease to the appropriate electricity supply company for a new substation to serve the development on terms to be agreed by the Director of Corporate Support Services be approved; and

(4)        That an agreement with Essex County Council for the diversion ofpart of the Council’s high voltage electricity supply into the public highway on terms to be agreed by the Director of Corporate Support Services be approved.

In the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Legal & Estates, the Assistant Director (Facilities Management & Emergency Planning) presented a report regarding the sale to Crest Nicholson (Eastern) Limited of the former Parade Ground in Merlin Way, North Weald.

The Cabinet was informed that Crest Nicholson (Eastern) Ltd (Crest) had made two unsuccessful planning applications for the development of this site but, due to the density of the proposed development, the schemes could not accommodate the necessary public open space. They had now produced a scheme which, in the opinion of Officers, did meet this requirement but intended to purchase land for a sum of £10,000 to provide off street open space in order to improve the visual amenity of the area. The development had been stalled for some time and with the introduction of the “Kickstart” funding urgent action was required to secure this.

The Cabinet agreed to the sale of additional land, on terms to be agreed by both the Council’s Solicitor and the Portfolio Holder for Legal & Estates, to provide off street public open space but only on the condition that it would not be built upon and the surrounding hedge would be maintained annually by the purchaser. A new electricity substation would be required for the development, which in turn would require further land to be leased to an electricity supply company, on terms to be agreed by the Director of Corporate Support Services. In addition, it was felt that part of the high voltage cable should be diverted and an agreement would be needed with Essex County Council to re-route the supply into the highway.

Decision:

(1)        That the allocation of “Kickstart” funding for Epping Forest District and in particular for the proposed residential development on the Parade Ground Site at North Weald in the sum of £8.324million to provide an additional 46 affordable homes be noted;

(2)        That an additional area of land (Area B on the plan) be sold by the Council to Crest Nicholson (Eastern) Limited to provide off site public open space which would not be built on for any purpose and the surrounding hedge be maintained annually by the purchaser, for a purchase price of £10,000 and on terms to be agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Legal & Estates and the Director of Corporate Support Services;

(3)        That the grant of a lease to the appropriate electricity supply company for a new substation to serve the development on terms to be agreed by the Director of Corporate Support Services be approved; and

(4)        That an agreement with Essex County Council for the diversion ofpart of the Council’s high voltage electricity supply into the public highway on terms to be agreed by the Director of Corporate Support Services be approved.

Reasons for Decision:

To secure development of the site and obtain the benefits of “Kickstart” funding. 

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To take no action, however this would further delay development and risk the loss of the “Kickstart” funding because the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56