Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member Built Environment

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)                  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.