Issue - meetings

RECOMMENDED that having considered the responses received from the public notices Council: -

(a)        approve a resolution to appropriate for planning purposes, the south part of Beach Road Car Park (the site) shown outlined red in appendix 1, once it is formally closed and reaffirm the approval (given, in principle, on 27 February 2024) to proceed with disposal of the site pursuant to section 233 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990;

(b)        delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, to record by way of memorandum the appropriation at the required time, which can be placed with the deeds for future reference;

(c)        reaffirm approval to delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, in consultation with the Director of Finance, the Director of Law and Governance and the Portfolio Holder for Dynamic Places, to select the preferred offer and finalise the detailed terms of the disposal; and

(d)        note that, subject to Cabinet approval of its forthcoming business case, it is the council’s intention to make improvements to the retained rear public car parking area, including consideration of the scope to increase current capacity, provide more compliant spaces and improve accessibility and wayfinding, as well as consideration of a local traffic management scheme. The council and its consultant are now engaged in this process.

Councillor David Brown, the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing presented the report on behalf of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and outlined the recommendations as set out on the agenda.

Councillor Milie Earl seconded the motion.

RESOLVED: that having considered the responses received from the public notices, Council: -

a)    approve a resolution to appropriate for planning purposes, the south part of Beach Road Car Park (the site) shown outlined red in appendix 1, once it is formally closed and reaffirm the approval (given, in principle, on 27 February 2024) to proceed with disposal of the site pursuant to section 233 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990;

b)    delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, to record by way of memorandum the appropriation at the required time, which can be placed within the deeds for future reference;

c)    reaffirm approval to delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, in consultation with the Director of Finance, the Director of Law and Governance and the Portfolio Holder for Dynamic Places, to select the preferred offer and finalise the detailed terms of the disposal; and

d)    note that, subject to Cabinet approval of its forthcoming business case, it is the council’s intention to make improvements to the retained rear public car parking area, including consideration of the scope to increase current capacity, provide more compliant spaces and improve accessibility and wayfinding, as well as consideration of a local traffic management scheme. The council and its consultant are now engaged in this process.

Voting: F:56, A:13, (Abstentions: 0)

Councillor F Rice left the meeting at 8.32pm.

On 27 February 2024, Council approved the principle of disposal of the South Part of Beach Road Car Park on the open market, subject to a future Cabinet resolution to appropriate the site for planning purposes, once the South Car Park is formally closed. It also confirmed support for the reprovision of the car park and the development of a business case for the modernisation and improvement of the retained car parking area, based on the use of prudential borrowing. Where any part of the land being disposed of could comprise public open space, the statutory process governing these activities requires the proposal to be publicly advertised and for any objections to be duly considered. The purpose of this report is to set out the responses received to the public notices and provide an analysis of these responses for Members consideration.

[PLEASE NOTE: Should the Cabinet wish to discuss the detail of the exempt appendix at Appendix 2 it will be necessary to exclude the press and public and move into Confidential (Exempt) session]

RECOMMENDED that having considered the responses received from the public notices Council: -

(a)        approve a resolution to appropriate for planning purposes, the south part of Beach Road Car Park (the site) shown outlined red in appendix 1, once it is formally closed and reaffirm the approval (given, in principle, on 27 February 2024) to proceed with disposal of the site pursuant to section 233 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990;

(b)        delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, to record by way of memorandum the appropriation at the required time, which can be placed with the deeds for future reference;

(c)        reaffirm approval to delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, in consultation with the Director of Finance, the Director of Law and Governance and the Portfolio Holder for Dynamic Places, to select the preferred offer and finalise the detailed terms of the disposal; and

(d)        note that, subject to Cabinet approval of its forthcoming business case, it is the council’s intention to make improvements to the retained rear public car parking area, including consideration of the scope to increase current capacity, provide more compliant spaces and improve accessibility and wayfinding, as well as consideration of a local traffic management scheme. The council and its consultant are now engaged in this process.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance

Reasons

The council considers that the south section of the car park is no longer needed for the purpose for which it is currently held by the public in the locality and considers that the appropriation for planning purposes will:

·        facilitate the carrying out of re-development which is likely to contribute to the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the area, and is required in the interests of the proper planning of the area in which the land is situated.

Further the disposal will:

·        Contribute to the council’s corporate strategy priorities.

·        Optimise the use of a public land asset in accordance with its allocation in the Local Plan and ensure best value is achieved.

·        Encourage more sustainable forms of travel.

·        Generate a capital receipt to support the funding of the council’s Transformation Investment Programme.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'F' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that on 27 February 2024, Council approved the principle of disposal of the South Part of Beach Road Car Park on the open market, subject to a future Cabinet resolution to appropriate the site for planning purposes, once the South Car Park is formally closed, and that it also confirmed support for the reprovision of the car park and the development of a business case for the modernisation and improvement of the retained car parking area, based on the use of prudential borrowing.

Further to this Cabinet was informed that where any part of the land being disposed of could comprise public open space, the statutory process governing these activities requires the proposal to be publicly advertised and for any objections to be duly considered, and that the purpose of the report was to set out the responses received to the public notices and provide an analysis of these responses for Members consideration.

RECOMMENDED that having considered the responses received from the public notices Council: -

(a)        approve a resolution to appropriate for planning purposes, the south part of Beach Road Car Park (the site) shown outlined red in appendix 1, once it is formally closed and reaffirm the approval (given, in principle, on 27 February 2024) to proceed with disposal of the site pursuant to section 233 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990;

(b)        delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, to record by way of memorandum the appropriation at the required time, which can be placed with the deeds for future reference;

(c)        reaffirm approval to delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer, in consultation with the Director of Finance, the Director of Law and Governance and the Portfolio Holder for Dynamic Places, to select the preferred offer and finalise the detailed terms of the disposal; and

(d)        note that, subject to Cabinet approval of its forthcoming business case, it is the council’s intention to make improvements to the retained rear public car parking area, including consideration of the scope to increase current capacity, provide more compliant spaces and improve accessibility and wayfinding, as well as consideration of a local traffic management scheme. The council and its consultant are now engaged in this process.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance

Reasons

The council considers that the south section of the car park is no longer needed for the purpose for which it is currently held by the public in the locality and considers that the appropriation for planning purposes will:

·        facilitate the carrying out of re-development which is likely to contribute to the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the area, and is required in the interests of the proper planning of the area in which the land is situated.

Further the disposal will:

·        Contribute to the council’s corporate strategy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25