Agenda item

In May 2021 BCP Council was awarded £21.7m from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), now Department for Levelling Up Homes and Communities (DLUHC), to support the regeneration of Boscombe. The receipt of the grant is dependent on project business cases being submitted to and approved by DLUHC.

Cabinet has approved the content of the Towns Fund Investment plan detailing the key projects and expenditure in principle and has authorised the necessary support to progress the development of these business cases for consideration by DLUHC. It is appropriate that further approvals are sought once the business cases are finalised to confirm the allocation of the approved funds for the individual Towns Fund projects and seek approval for the Council’s match funding contributions.

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on Towns Fund activity to date and to seek approval for the four business cases listed below and to allocate the necessary grant funds towards these projects:

1.      Phase 1 Masterplan

2.      Royal Arcade

3.      Digital Connectivity

4.      Local Transport Projects.

The report also provides a progress update from BCP FuturePlaces on its work to date on the wider masterplan (Phase 2) and regeneration of Boscombe Town Centre.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)             Agrees to declare part of Hawkwood Road Car Park surplus to requirements and appropriate the land for planning purposes to facilitate the delivery of Phase 1 of the Masterplan;

(b)            Authorises officers to undertake work to prepare for the possible use of compulsory purchase powers for the acquisition of the third-party land and interests necessary to implement both the Masterplan and the Royal Arcade proposals as set out in paragraphs 12–32 and 42-55 of this report. These preparatory steps are set out in paragraphs 96 -100 of this report.

(c)             Instructs officers to bring a further report to Cabinet, requesting a decision to exercise Compulsory Purchase powers together with a proposed Statement of Reasons, setting out the justification for the use of these powers, if necessary should negotiations by private treaty not be possible;

(d)            Authorises officers to enter into a planning performance agreement and the submission of planning applications for Phase 1 Masterplan and the Royal Arcade projects;

(e)             Agrees that the Council will acquire a high street unit required for the Masterplan Phase 1 and delegates authority to the Chief Executive to conclude the transaction in consultation with the S151 Officer, Monitoring Officer and the Portfolio Holder for Development Growth and Regeneration;

(f)              Acknowledges that the Royal Arcade project is dependent on a successful bid to the Heritage Fund and should that be unsuccessful the project will be brought back to Cabinet for further consideration.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(g)            Accepts and approves the remaining allocation of £18.229m Towns Fund grant as outlined in Table 1 for the delivery of the following projects; the Town Centre Masterplan Phase 1, the Royal Arcade, Digital Connectivity and Local Transport projects, subject to the approval of the business cases by DLUHC;

(h)            Approves borrowing of £11.784m towards the Phase 1 Masterplan and Royal Arcade project and adjusts the MTFP to reflect the £420k pressure between 2024/25-2028/29;

(i)               9. Acknowledges the allocation of £2.25m of grant from the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme. This funding is profiled to be utilised over the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: The Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration

Reason

The production of an annual report is a statutory responsibility and therefore the endorsement of the four statutory partners (Dorset Council, BCP Council, NHS Dorset, Dorset Police) of the safeguarding partnership is required prior to publication.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that in May 2021 BCP Council was awarded £21.7m from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), now Department for Levelling Up Homes and Communities (DLUHC), to support the regeneration of Boscombe, and that the receipt of the grant is dependent on project business cases being submitted to and approved by DLUHC.

Cabinet was reminded that they had approved the content of the Towns Fund Investment plan detailing the key projects and expenditure in principle and had authorised the necessary support to progress the development of these business cases for consideration by DLUHC, and that it was appropriate that further approvals are sought once the business cases are finalised to confirm the allocation of the approved funds for the individual Towns Fund projects and seek approval for the Council’s match funding contributions.

Cabinet was advised that the purpose of this report is to provide an update on Towns Fund activity to date and to seek approval for the four business cases listed below and to allocate the necessary grant funds towards these projects:

1.     Phase 1 Masterplan

2.     Royal Arcade

3.     Digital Connectivity

4.     Local Transport Projects.

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that the report also provided a progress update from BCP FuturePlaces on its work to date on the wider masterplan (Phase 2) and regeneration of Boscombe Town Centre.

Councillor Hilliard addressed the Cabinet requesting that a members briefing be held prior to the report being brought to Council.

In addition, Councillor Hilliard raised the matter of the Kings Park Bowls club and highlighted that there was no mention of the club within the report, and questioned whether the council should be paying for the refurbishment of the Royal Arcade when it is not owned by the Council.

The Lead Member for High Street Renaissance addressed the Cabinet endorsing the paper and in particular the work at the Royal Arcade. In addition, the Lead Member urged members to equate themselves with the whole report which explains the project in detail.

The Portfolio Holder in summing up stressed the importance of there being a community led approach to this project and advised that ward members have been closely involved. Further to this the Portfolio Holder advised that he would look to arranging a drop in session to answer any questions members may have.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)             Agrees to declare part of Hawkwood Road Car Park surplus to requirements and appropriate the land for planning purposes to facilitate the delivery of Phase 1 of the Masterplan;

(b)            Authorises officers to undertake work to prepare for the possible use of compulsory purchase powers for the acquisition of the third-party land and interests necessary to implement both the Masterplan and the Royal Arcade proposals as set out in paragraphs 12–32 and 42-55 of this report. These preparatory steps are set out in paragraphs 96 -100 of this report.

(c)             Instructs officers to bring a further report to Cabinet, requesting a decision to exercise Compulsory Purchase powers together with a proposed Statement of Reasons, setting out the justification for the use of these powers, if necessary should negotiations by private treaty not be possible;

(d)            Authorises officers to enter into a planning performance agreement and the submission of planning applications for Phase 1 Masterplan and the Royal Arcade projects;

(e)             Agrees that the Council will acquire a high street unit required for the Masterplan Phase 1 and delegates authority to the Chief Executive to conclude the transaction in consultation with the S151 Officer, Monitoring Officer and the Portfolio Holder for Development Growth and Regeneration;

(f)              Acknowledges that the Royal Arcade project is dependent on a successful bid to the Heritage Fund and should that be unsuccessful the project will be brought back to Cabinet for further consideration.

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(g)            Accepts and approves the remaining allocation of £18.229m Towns Fund grant as outlined in Table 1 for the delivery of the following projects; the Town Centre Masterplan Phase 1, the Royal Arcade, Digital Connectivity and Local Transport projects, subject to the approval of the business cases by DLUHC;

(h)            Approves borrowing of £11.784m towards the Phase 1 Masterplan and Royal Arcade project and adjusts the MTFP to reflect the £420k pressure between 2024/25-2028/29;

(i)               9. Acknowledges the allocation of £2.25m of grant from the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme. This funding is profiled to be utilised over the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: The Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration