Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Property Services and Development

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Property Services and Development that sought approval for the disposal of land at Allard Way and the associated delegations to enable any subsequent variation in terms, negotiation, agreement, and completion all the necessary documentation for the freehold transfers of the site and any necessary or ancillary steps or decisions to bring into effect the recommendations set out in the report. An Appendix to the report provided a location plan of the site.

A corresponding private report was also submitted to the meeting setting out the commercially confidential matters of the proposals. (Minute 69 below refers.)

The Council owns the freehold of land located at Allard Way/London Road compromising approximately 11 acres and is shown red on the plan annexed to this report (“the Site”). The Site including the adjoining Whitley Pumping Station site owned by Homes England was allocated as a future housing site in the adopted Local Plan policy H2:9

The Coventry Local Plan was adopted by the Council on the 5th December 2017 and came into effect the following day.

To ensure that a comprehensive approach was taken to the allocations in the Local Plan as advised by the Planning Department, the Council and Homes England worked in collaboration in the promotion of their individual sites. This resulted with both planning applications being recommend for approval and determined by Planning Committee on the 2nd September 2021.

The Council secured an Outline Planning Approval by Planning Committee for up to 125 residential dwellings on the 2nd September 2021. Planning reference OUT/2020/2665

Following approval, the Site was marketed for residential development by tender with 18 tenders submitted. The highest bid received on an unconditional basis with completion by the end of the Councils financial year end i.e. 31st March 2022 and “Preferred Developer” status was confirmed with the highest bidder.

The offer for the Site has been approved by independent Chartered Surveyors LSH and by the Council’s Valuation Panel as representing “Best Consideration” and therefore satisfying the Council’s statutory responsibilities under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The capital receipt will contribute towards corporate resources.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

1)  Approves the disposal of the Site to the company set out in the report for the sum now indicated.

2)  Delegates authority to the Director of Property Services and Development, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change and the Director of Law and Governance, for any subsequent variation in terms.

3)  Delegates authority to the Director of Property Services and Development, following consultation with the Director of Law and Governance Services and the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, to:

•  negotiate, agree and complete all the necessary documentation for the freehold transfers of the Site and

•  take such necessary or ancillary steps or decisions to bring into effect the recommendations set out in this report.