Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/17) seeking approval for the construction of a community facilities building in Cranbrook Town Centre to provide flexible space for Council services, attached.

RESOLVED

(a) that the Cranbrook New Community Partners offer of a £3 million phased contribution towards the construction of a single building to provide flexible space for County Council services including children’s, youth, and libraries be accepted;

(b) that the offer of a single 0.4ha of serviced land in a town centre location at Cranbrook to construct the building also be accepted;

(c) that a reserved matter planning application be prepared and submitted for the provision of the building;

(d) that approval be given to use up to £2 million of funds recovered from the South West Exeter Housing Infrastructure Fund grant to make up any shortfall between the developer contribution and the cost of the building; and

(e) that in the event that all of the funding is not secured a further report be presented to Cabinet to consider the financial implications of providing the building.

(Councillors Connett, Gent, Hannaford and Randall-Johnson attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/22/17) which sought approval for the construction of a community facilities building in Cranbrook Town Centre to provide flexible space for Council services, such as children's, youth, and libraries. The report had been circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

At its meeting on 9 October 2019, Cabinet considered Report PTE/19/38 relating to a community facilities building - Construction of a community facilities building in Cranbrook Town Centre providing flexible space for County Council services including children's, youth and libraries

Members will note the key issues from the 2019 Report which highlighted the development and future expansion of Cranbrook. However, the provision of facilities within the town centre had stalled and it remained the case that the only building in the town centre is the public house.

The original plan for the town centre was based on a ‘traditional’ model with numerous retail units and food store with these being delivered by the private sector. The Cranbrook New Community Partners (NCP) was seeking to revise the approved town centre plans with a reduced commercial / retail element and provision of additional residential dwellings instead.

However, some progress had been made with the Council securing outline planning permission in July 2020 on a 0.4-hectare site in the town centre.

The NCP was proposing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which, if approved, would facilitate the revisions of the section 106 planning agreement. The MoU looked to agree the variation of the s106 in a number of areas and details of the offer letter from the NCP was attached as Appendix 1 to the Report. Other aspects included the agreement of the uses of parcels of land in the town centre; transfer of land for Town Council facilities; contribution to costs of the Town Council offices; provision of blue lights facility land; delivery of a town square; delivery of a supermarket; and offer of town centre land for East Devon District Council to purchase to deliver commercial uses in the town centre.

If Members accepted the NCP offer it was anticipated that work would restart on the preparation of a reserved matter planning application with a view to submitting the application in the autumn of 2022. It was envisaged that the building would be a well-designed two storey building facing into the town centre. As well as offering space for library, youth and children’s services there was an ambition to provide flexible space for other uses such as public health nursing, hall space, meeting rooms and external multi-use games area.

The estimated costs of the provision of the building and ancillary external works was in the region of £4.5 to £5 million. The offer from the NCP totalled £3 million leaving a funding gap of £1.5 to £2 million. Approval was therefore sought to use the funds recovered from the SW Exeter HIF grant to bridge the funding gap, subject to approval from Homes England.

Whilst there was a funding gap it was considered that the provision of a single multi-purpose building represented the optimum way forward. The provision of an integrated flexible building aligned with the priorities of the Devon County Council Plan 2021 – 2025 and would assist in improving health and wellbeing in Cranbrook, provide opportunities for children and young people and provide appropriate support for the community of Cranbrook.

Cabinet noted that following the relevant approvals to progress the scheme, an Impact Assessment would be undertaken alongside development of detailed scheme design.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability (including carbon impact), risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Head of Service’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Gilbert, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the Cranbrook New Community Partners offer of a £3 million phased contribution towards the construction of a single building to provide flexible space for County Council services including children’s, youth, and libraries be accepted;

(b) that the offer of a single 0.4ha of serviced land in a town centre location at Cranbrook to construct the building also be accepted;

(c) that a reserved matter planning application be prepared and submitted for the provision of the building;

(d) that approval be given to use up to £2 million of funds recovered from the South West Exeter Housing Infrastructure Fund grant to make up any shortfall between the developer contribution and the cost of the building; and

(e) that in the event that all of the funding is not secured a further report be presented to Cabinet to consider the financial implications of providing the building.