Issue - meetings

Councillor Dale Heenan, the Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, Culture, and Heritage; Councillor Gary Sumner, the Cabinet Member for Strategic Infrastructure, Transport and Planning; the Chief Executive and the Head of Property Assets submitted a joint report.

Councillor Heenan introduced the report, which set out the options that the Council could deploy to assist in securing the restoration of the Corn Exchange in the event that a suitable and relevant planning application had not been submitted by its private owner by summer 2021. He also advised Members that the report has been prepared in response to the Council motion (Council Minute 73, 21^st January 2021 refers). Councillor Sumner seconded the report and emphasised how it set out a way forward for the site.

Councillor Jane Milner-Barry asked a number of questions concerning the preparation of the conditions report, the confidence in the current owner to submit an application, and the feasibility of using compulsory purchase.  Councillor Heenan confirmed the private owner was responsible for the conditions survey and, while pre-application negotiations were confidential, he re-stated that the report confirmed how the Council would proceed.

Resolved: That the options available to the Council to assist in securing the restoration of the Corn Exchange in the event that inadequate progress has been made to submit a suitable and relevant full planning application by summer 2021 be noted; however, no formal decision was required at this time.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.