Decision details

To confirm that £696,491 capital budget allocated to the Former Power Station site located at Holes Bay, is transferred to the new Investment and Development directorate to fund:

a)       Essential health and safety investigations and measures.

b)       Ongoing and or necessary site management works.

c)       Timely ecological assessments.

d)       Environmental Impact Assessment.

e)       Rehabilitation, Remediation and Reclamation Strategy.

This will support necessary work to ensure that the site is compliant with health and safety regulations and that essential works are progressed in preparation for development.

In May 2020 the Council approved the acquisition of the former power station site located at Holes Bay.  A capital budget was approved, and £696,491 remains allocated to the scheme in the Council’s capital programme.

Grant funding was secured from DLEP to part fund the acquisition of the site by the Council.    There are several conditions relating to the funding award including delivery of 127 homes delivered to be completed by 2025.

Building on the work undertaken by FuturePlaces, this decision record seeks to transfer the remaining capital budget to the newly formed Investment and Development Directorate to progress the scheme to meet both DLEP funding conditions and the regeneration aspirations of the current administration.

In addition, recent investigations have identified significant risks and issues which require the Council’s immediate action. These include:

•     Disused buildings which are in disrepair and potentially unsafe.

•     Remnant structures from the former power station that are raised at ground level.

•     Loose Asbestos fibres recently identified during technical surveys.

•     Other contaminants in the ground that may post a health and safety risk.

•     Time critical ecological investigations or appraisals that need to commence or complete in 2024, in order to inform a subsequent planning application for the site.

The use of this funding will enable the new Investment and Development directorate to procure and instruct any necessary preliminary work and to undertake site maintenance and management, ensuring the appropriate health and safety measures are implemented for the benefit of council staff, contractors, future occupiers and visitors to the site.