Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

RESOLVED THAT

1.    the Head of Property & Asset Management (in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance) be authorised to dispose of the land for best consideration and upon such other terms as are deemed appropriate.

2.    the Borough Solicitor be authorised to prepare and conclude the necessary documentation.

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the report and explained that the strip of land highlighted in red of the plan formed part of King George V Playing Field which was designated as ‘public open space’. The strip of land contained overgrown vegetation and did not form part of the main recreational area.

She reported that the developer New Dawn Homes had acquired the land adjacent to the strip and had recently submitted a planning application for 18 residential homes. The site was likely to be developed in the near future and would significantly limit access to the strip of land in our ownership. She explained that the planning team had advised that selling the land would not impact the planning decision.

The Cabinet Member added that in the past the land was retained by the Council as a pedestrian access route, this was now no longer usable due to the surrounding land having been developed. She explained that to have such a narrow strip of land bordered on both sides by private housing would make it very difficult to manage, and the land would soon become even more derelict with tree management and surgery very difficult to achieve. Therefore it would be preferable to incorporate this strip of land into rear gardens of the proposed plots thereby giving more generous plot sizes as well as negating CBC's responsibilities. The Cabinet Member explained that the land also carried a risk of becoming a sheltered, enclosed area that may encourage anti-social behaviour.

As the property was public open space the Council must advertise the proposed disposal for 2 consecutive weeks in a local newspaper and consider relevant objections. It had been agreed that the purchaser would be liable for these costs.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    the Head of Property & Asset Management (in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance) be authorised to dispose of the land for best consideration and upon such other terms as are deemed appropriate.

2.    the Borough Solicitor be authorised to prepare and conclude the necessary documentation.