Agenda item

Councillor Mary Martin, the Cabinet Member for Communities and Place, and the Corporate Director Resources and Growth and Head of Property Assets submitted a joint report seeking approval to create a multi sports hub, ancillary retail, community related facilities, associated car parking and enabling residential development at the Moredon Recreation Ground, Swindon.

It was noted that the proposal afforded an opportunity for the Council to work with third parties to manage and maintain the multi sports hub, community related facilities and associated car parking as well as ring-fence any capital receipt from the disposal of the enabling residential land.

In the absence of Councillor Mary Martin, Councillor David Renard, the Leader of the Council, introduced the report.  Ward Councillors Jim Grant, Des Moffatt, and Peter Watts all spoke to the item to welcome and endorse the proposals. These members also put questions regarding the preservation of the existing green corridor within the scheme and access to and egress from the facility.  Officers responded to the questions at the meeting.

Resolved – (1) That the Head of Planning, Regulatory Services and Heritage and the Head of Property Assets be authorised to provide resources, to assist in the design and development of the multi sports hub, ancillary retail, community related facilities, associated car parking and enabling residential development (‘the Development’) at the Moredon Recreation Ground Swindon.

(2) That the Head of Property Assets be authorised to apply for planning consents for the proposed multi sports hub, ancillary retail, community related facilities, associated car parking and enabling residential development (‘the Development’) at the Moredon Recreation Ground Swindon.

(3) That the Head of Property Assets, in consultation with the Director of Law and Democratic Services and the Cabinet Member of Communities and Place, be authorised to identify potential occupiers and operators and to agree the terms for leasehold land transfers of the whole or part of the proposed sporting hub to third parties in exchange for taking responsibility for future management and maintenance and on such other terms and conditions that are considered appropriate in order to protect the Councils interests.

(4) That the Head of Property Assets be authorised to arrange for the enabling residential development land to be sold on the open market, conditional on the grant of full planning permission for development, on such detailed terms and conditions as are agreed with the Director of Law and Democratic Services in order to protect the Council’s interests.

(5) That the Head of Property Assets, in consultation with the Director of Finance, be authorised to agree all necessary documentation to support grant-funding bids for the proposed sporting hub at the Moredon Recreation Ground Swindon on such terms and conditions as are necessary to protect the Councils interests.

(6) That the Director of Finance be authorised to ring-fence any capital receipt from the disposal of any enabling residential development land to fund the proposed sports hub with community related facilities and associated car parking at the Moredon Recreation Ground Swindon.

(7) That a budget of up to £290K, funded from section 106 Planning Agreement income, be approved to meet the costs of working up and submitting a planning application for delivery of the multi sports hub, ancillary retail, community related facilities, associated car parking and enabling residential development (‘the Development’) at the Moredon Recreation Ground Swindon.

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