Agenda item

Councillor Pike presented a report to Cabinet seeking approval for the progression of the Civic Plaza Car Park development project up to the submission of a planning application.

In the context of the emerging Regeneration Strategy considered under the previous item, this report presented the first of a number of specific projects that would come back for formal approval in due course.  The present recommendation sought a delegation to the Chief Finance Officer to agree the award of funding from Homes England and to authorise the officers to proceed with the procurement of a Development Partner to progress a business case and planning permission for redevelopment of the Civic Plaza car park, a final decision to be brought back for Cabinet consideration in due course.

The Chairman had agreed to the addition of this matter as a late item in view of the need to secure the funding and progress the project.

RESOLVED that

(1)          Power be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer to agree the Funding Agreement from Homes England (HE) relating to the award of a £3.36M grant from the Accelerated Construction fund; including the agreement of project milestones and the setting up of financial mechanisms required to enable the spending of the funds;

(2)          The Executive Director for Operations and Place Shaping and the Head of Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Property, Finance and Regeneration, be instructed to proceed with the project for the redevelopment of the Civic Plaza car park;

(i)            to write the brief for the development parameters of the site to include reference to the PACE[i] of development and the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC[ii])

(ii)          to write the brief for the procurement of a Development Partner

(iii)         to undertake the procurement of a Development Partner which could include a Joint Venture Partnership (or other appropriate) Agreement or Development Agreement,

(iv)         alongside the procurement process, to draft a business case that sets out the procurement options for a development partner and the draft of a Joint Venture Partnership (or other appropriate) Agreement or Development Agreement to implement the development. The implementation of development will include securing a design and preparing a Planning application in accordance with a detailed project plan to be approved by the Executive Board.

(v)          that the detailed business case is recommended for Cabinet decision at the earliest opportunity and an option to move forward is determined.