Issue - meetings

Report of the Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth and Skills is attached.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth and Skills, presented the report which provided the full financial details.

Decision:

Cabinet:

1.    Approved the updated financial offer by the preferred developer of Hive Homes to enable disposal of land at School Street and Seedfields for housing development.

2.    Noted the imminent exchange of Green Street in Radcliffe with Watson Homes, approved for disposal in October 2021.

3.    Approved the commercial terms of the disposals of School Street and Seedfields as set out in this report.

4.    Delegated the finalised terms of the land sale agreements to the Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Communities, S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer.

Reasons for the decision:

As set out in the Part A report.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

As set out in the Part A report.

Report of the Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth is attached.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth and Skills, presented the report which provided an update on the disposal of three council owned sites on Brownfield land: Seedfields school site, School Street, and Green Street in Radcliffe.

It was noted that the proposed developments will deliver 309 new homes including 142 Affordable homes as well as recreational contributions via S.106 agreements and enable the council to deliver the aspirations of the Radcliffe SRF and the Councils Let’s Do It Housing strategy. The commercial terms for contracting with Hive Homes on the School St and Seedfield sites had been confirmed via independent Red Book valuations and the offer received from Watson Homes at Green St had also been verified by the same method. The off-market solution offered by Hive Homes and Watson Homes offered best value and accelerated housing delivery programmes, with the benefit of Brownfield Housing Funding on the School Street and Seedfield sites helping to unlock this brownfield site for the benefit of families, including those on lower incomes.

In response to some comments from opposition Councillors regarding availability of brownfield land, and crime and deprivation levels in the area, the Leader responded that if brownfield sites were not utilised then development would be needed on greenbelt land, which was not something the Council wanted to pursue. He advised of the high ambitions for Radcliffe, that it was a great place to live and therefore was a key site for development and regeneration. The Council were developing a new school, new housing sites (including affordable housing), new leisure facilities, and a new civic hub, as well as a People and Communities plan in addition to this physical regeneration. He acknowledged there were challenges but stated that the positives of the area should be recognised and improved, which is what the Council were doing with its current investment and development plans.

Other opposition Councillors voiced their support of the report, recognising that this addressed the need to regenerate the area, with the Council’s plans using its own investment as well as Government funding.

Decision:

Cabinet:

1.    Approved the updated financial offer by the preferred developer of Hive Homes to enable disposal of land at School Street and Seedfields for housing development.

2.    Noted the imminent exchange of Green Street in Radcliffe with Watson Homes, approved for disposal in October 2021.

3.    Approved the commercial terms of the disposals of School Street and Seedfields as set out in this report.

4.    Delegated the finalised terms of the land sale agreements to the Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Communities, S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer.

Reasons for the decision:

·         The revised offers on School St and Seedfield sites enables the acceleration of key Brownfield sites helping to deliver Bury’s Housing Strategy 2021, the Councils Strategic Regeneration Framework for Radcliffe

·         Retain GMCA BHF grant on the School Street site and secure GMCA BHF grant monies allocated to the Seedfield site.

·         Facilitate the Council’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71