Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Built Environment

RESOLVED to :

1. appoint Augur Buchler Partners Limited as the preferred bidder to undertake the redevelopment of  the North Place and Portland Street sites (the Sites) having considered the recommendation of Council on 10 October 2011 and taking into account the advice of the Cheltenham Development Task Force

2. delegate authority to the Head of Property Services in consultation with the Borough Solicitor to:

i)                    conclude the documentation necessary to appoint Augur Buchler Partners Limited as the preferred bidder;

ii)                  conclude the documentation required to dispose of the Sites as necessary (noting that the Sites may be disposed of in parts by way of leasehold and freehold disposals and to more than one party);

iii)                enter into an agreement with Gloucestershire County Council for the purchase of land at Warwick Place. 

The Cabinet Member Built Environment referred to the Council recommendation of 10 October for Cabinet to appoint Augur Buchler Partners Limited as the preferred bidder to undertake the redevelopment of North Place and Portland Street sites. The Cheltenham Development Task Force also unanimously made the same recommendation at its meeting on 14 October. He explained that the recommendation was a result of a competitive tendering process based on the development brief. 9 formal bids had been received and on the basis of an objective scoring matrix 5 were invited to participate in a competitive dialogue process at which point 1 bidder withdrew. From the 4 bids received two schemes scored much higher than the others and were invited to submit a formal tender. The two schemes were from Salmon Harvester and Augur Buchler. Due to commercial reasons Salmon Harvester subsequently withdrew their bid. Augur Buchler and CBC agreed to continue the process with the Augur Buchler bid meeting both the design brief and financial requirements. The proposed scheme would deliver a broad mix of uses for the site including public parking, housing and environmental improvements. It would complete the masterplan for Cheltenham by providing a green route from Montpellier through to Pittville.

The Cabinet Member Built Environment made reference to the public consultation and Cabinet was well aware of the concerns that had been expressed concerning traffic, parking and land uses. The traffic impact would be measured and modelled and impact assessments would be undertaken on the proposed retail, hotel and parking provision via the planning process. There would be an opportunity for further consultation at the planning stage. The Council was obliged by law to achieve best consideration for its land and leading property valuers GVA had been engaged to certify that best consideration had been achieved.

Members welcomed the proposed high class development. The Leader explained that the process had followed an efficient timetable and had been years in preparation. The public had had an opportunity to comment on the development brief in 2010.It was a difficult balance to meet, what the landowner wished to see and what a developer would be prepared to build. Nothing else had been brought up at the design brief stage and Augur Buchler had a high quality design and was one bidder of an originally large field.

The Cabinet Member Built Environment wished to put on record his thanks to Members of the Development Task Force which included members of the business community and local amenity groups and its chair Mr Graham Garbutt.

RESOLVED to :

1. appoint Augur Buchler Partners Limited as the preferred bidder to undertake the redevelopment of  the North Place and Portland Street sites (the Sites) having considered the recommendation of Council on 10 October 2011 and taking into account the advice of the Cheltenham Development Task Force

2. delegate authority to the Head of Property Services in consultation with the Borough Solicitor to:

i)                    conclude the documentation necessary to appoint Augur Buchler Partners Limited as the preferred bidder;

ii)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6

Report of the Cabinet Member Built Environment (any discussion on the financial information will be taken in exempt session)

The Mayor invited Jeremy Williamson, the Managing Director of the Cheltenham Development Task Force to make his presentation.  

Jeremy Williamson advised that the presentation was in two halves, the first half would be open to the public but the second half would need to be taken in exempt session given the financial and commercially sensitive content.  The public would be permitted to return to the chamber for the debate. 

He apologised on behalf of Graham Garbutt, the Independent Chair of the Advisory Board, who had hoped to attend but was unable to for medical reasons. 

He introduced the presentation (see attached) and highlighted that the number of residential properties referred to in the presentation, 122, differed from the 130 referenced within the report that was circulated in advance of the meeting.  This was a consequence of the decision to create more houses and less apartments. 

The following responses were given by Jeremy Williamson to questions from members;

• Construction time would be 18 months.
• Diverts to alternative parking would be in place but there were no funds for an electronic signage system. 
• Cosmetic improvements could be made to the Grosvenor Terrace car park, though this would require funding.
• The revised development brief for this site was approved by Council in December 2010.  The brief allowed for uses including residential, commercial and/or leisure and therefore did not exclude a hotel or food store.
• It would be for the Planning Committee to undertake an Impact Assessment in determining whether there was a need for a hotel and ultimately the planning application.
• The level of response to the consultation (168 of a possible 120,000 residents) was an unfortunate reality of any such consultation.  Key issues had been identified as a result of the exercise which would be addressed by the applicant.  There would be further consultation at the appropriate time. 
• An option for underground/croft parking was included in the development brief but not stipulated.  The proposed scheme did include residential under-croft parking.
• An exact figure for those against the proposal for a food store would be made available to Councillor Godwin outside of the meeting.

The Mayor moved a resolution and it was;

RESOLVED that in accordance with Section 100A(4) Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the remaining agenda items as it is likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, if members of the public are present there will be disclosed to them exempt information as defined in paragraph 3, Part (1) Schedule (12A) Local Government Act 1972, namely:

Paragraph 3; Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Members of the public were ushered from the public gallery. 

Jeremy Williamson talked through the slides of the presentation which contained financial and commercially sensitive information and answered questions relating to this information. 

Once discussion had concluded, members of the public were welcomed back to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16