Agenda item

Report attached.

The Cabinet considered a report of Councillor Kath Pratt, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regeneration, seeingapproval for the disposal of the Council’s interest in the land at Charter Street.

Councillor Pratt highlighted some key points within the report

Councillor Younis welcomed this proposal, which he believed would help to solve the problem of rubbish and fly tipping on the site and would also meet the need for additional homes in the area.  Councillor Dad commented that the land had been earmarked for housing for a long time.  He noted the interest from a reputable house builder (who also had ties to another local housing development) and hoped that their homes would deliver both affordability and quality.

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

In 1980 the Council had acquired 14 acres, or thereabouts, of land at Charter Street, Accrington from British Railways Board.  A number of disposals had taken place over the years predominantly to Housing Associations for the residential developments known as Howard Close and The Copse.

Since 2019 the Council had considered the disposal of the land at Charter Street for residential development and had undertaken initial discussions with a number of developers.  In September 2019 Cabinet had approved the disposal of land at the western end of Howard Close to a developer and a further report in September 2022 had confirmed the terms of that disposal.

An offer had been received from a reputable house builder to acquire the site with the intention to develop in the region of 58 units on the land shown edged red on the plan set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Subject to the necessary planning consent being obtained, it was currently anticipated that the accommodation would be 100% affordable housing.

The developable area of the site was 1.55 acres and had been valued by the Council at £217,000 (two hundred and seventeen thousand pounds); market value for unrestricted residential development.  The prospective purchaser had accepted this valuation and wished to proceed on that basis.

The site could be considered public open space and therefore the Council would follow the requirements of Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972, by advertising its intention to sell the land, and, before making a decision to proceed with the proposed sale, would consider any objections to the proposed disposal which might be made.

Alternative Options considered and Reasons for Rejection

The Council could choose at this stage not to agree in principle to the disposal of the site, however, this could mean forgoing an opportunity to provide affordable new housing

It should be further noted that the site had suffered from fly grazing in the past and therefore a decision not to proceed with the disposal could lead to future unauthorised occupation.

Resolved                                 -      That Cabinet:

(1)   Considers and gives in principle approval to the disposal of the land at Charter Street shown edged red on the plan set out at Appendix 1 of the report at open market value of £217,000 (two hundred and seventeen thousand pounds), subject to the outcome of the Council’s advertisement of its intention to dispose of public open space in accordance with Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 and consideration of any responses received.

(2)   Delegates authority to the Head of Regeneration and Housing to consider any responses received following the advertisement of the intention to dispose of public open space in accordance with Resolution (1) above and, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regeneration, to decide whether to proceed with the disposal in light of those responses, if any.

(3)   Subject to a decision being made to proceed with the proposed sale in accordance with Resolution (2) above, delegates authority to the Head of Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Executive Director (Legal and Democratic Services) to agree and finalise detailed terms in relation to the disposal recommended in Resolution (1) above and to instruct Legal Services to dispose of the land in accordance with those terms.