Issue - meetings

An exempt report of the Cabinet Member Development and Safety

The Cabinet Member Development and Safety introduced the report regarding the West Cheltenham Urban Extension and the request for the authority to commit £250,000 to establish a programme office and undertake the necessary work streams and actions to maximise the economic outcomes and secure the financial interests of the council. He highlighted the importance of the Cyber Park and the strong government support expressed for the scheme. He also highlighted the benefits to Cheltenham for jobs and housing and the increased income from business rates and council tax which would be a major input to the council finances going forward.

The scheme provided a massive opportunity but there were risks involved which were set out in the report. The biggest risk was that the developers would fail to take forward the scheme. It was important for the council to demonstrate to Government departments that the council were serious about the scheme and would deliver it. Essentially the town was in charge of its own destiny and this council should be driving the agenda to achieve what was best for the people of Cheltenham. It was also important for the council to retain control and ensure it was not taken over by the county council or the BID.

The Leader of the Conservative group expressed his party's full support for the scheme and he felt it was a golden opportunity for Cheltenham and the risk factor of not supporting the recommendations was far greater. The Leader of the PAB group also offered his support and said it was important that the council took charge of the programme in order to avoid fragmentation as the developers would always act in their own interests.

In the debate that followed Members supported the recommendations and the Cabinet Member made the following responses to questions. 

The £250k was needed to get the scheme to the planning application stage and without this intervention it was unlikely that the developers would take any action before January 2019 and this would potentially risk losing government funding and the whole scheme could unravel.

Asked what return on investment the council could expect, the Cabinet Member advised that technically the council’s money was at risk if the application failed to get approval through planning but this was a very unlikely outcome. Depending on the counci’ls approach and how much it was prepared to invest, it could potentially provide some very good returns but no promises could be made.

He advised that the £22 million of government funding for infrastructure work would be focused on junction 11 of the M5 and improving access to the site but all the infrastructure work was not necessarily needed all in one go. Whilst acknowledging the current traffic problems at the Arle Court roundabout he could not support the suggestion of a more drastic solution such as an A40 flyover.

A Member shared the enthusiasm for the benefits the scheme would bring to Cheltenham in terms of jobs and housing but it was a considerable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17