Agenda item

(Director of Neighbourhoods) To consider the attached report AMED-006-2015/16.

The Director of Neighbourhoods presented a report to the Cabinet Committee updating them on the progress to date on the St John’s Road development. He advised that concerns had been raised by Members and local residents, regarding the lack of progress on this scheme.

The Director advised that the St John’s Road site was in a key town centre location within Epping. The site was owned by Essex County Council, the majority landowner, Epping Town Council and Epping Forest District Council owning adjacent land. With the relocation of the junior school and closure of the Adult Education and Youth Centres on the site, it was recognised that any redevelopment of the area would need to be given careful consideration.

In conjunction with the County Council and the Town Council, the District Council commissioned a Design and Development Brief for the area, to provide planning guidance. The Design and Development Brief was intended to provide a vision for the future of the area and once agreed by the Councils’ Cabinet and Full Council, would represent non statutory planning guidance. The Development Brief had now been formally agreed by the District Council and had become a material consideration for any future planning application for the sites and forms part of the evidence base for the new Local Plan.

A joint marketing campaign was undertaken and a number of Expressions of Interest and bids were received which resulted in the appointment of Frontier Estates whose proposal was deemed to not be financially advantageous but to meet the designs and aspirations of the development brief. Their proposal contained a food store, a 3 screen cinema, shops and restaurants as well as some residential units.

At the time of discussions regarding the contract for sale of Essex County Council’s land at St John’s Road, a need for provision to meet the accommodation needs of vulnerable adults was identified in the locality. The Council was the freehold owner of Lindsay House in Lindsey Street, Epping, which had previously been leased to the Abbeyfields Society for housing the elderly. As demand for this type of bedsit accommodation reduced, the Charity did not wish to extend its occupancy.  Therefore, after negotiations with the Diocese around the extension of the covenants, Essex County Council expressed a desire to purchase the building and convert it for use for supported living for vulnerable adults. The purchase of Lindsay House, therefore, became part of the negotiations with the District Council acquiring the County Council land at St John’s Road. A sale price had now been agreed between the County and District Council. However, as Essex County Council were selling the land to another public body, i.e. EFDC, they have sought the Secretary of State’s approval, by means of a State Aid application. A concern that prompted the application was that the County Council had received a higher unsolicited offer from a residential care home provider. Whilst of higher value, a large care home would not be in accordance with the Design and Development brief prepared by the planning authority and would not deliver the wider community benefits.

Unfortunately, the extension of the Lindsay House covenant, the detailed negotiations around conditions of sale and the necessary State Aid application, have led to the delay. However, it was hoped that the sale can be concluded and the tripartite agreement entered into in the next few weeks. Going forward it would then be for the developer to submit the necessary Planning application anticipated early in the New Year.

Resolved:

That Members note the progress on the St John’s Road, Epping, Redevelopment Project.

Reasons for Decision:

To update Members on the progress of the St John’s Road Redevelopment Scheme, which was a major strategic site in Epping, with the potential to deliver significant community benefits.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

Not to provide an update at this point.