Issue - meetings

That, subject to Planning permission, the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Finance, Town Centres and Growth be authorised to:

·      enter into a contract with Morgan Sindall for the construction of the Castle multi-storey car park for a sum of no more than £12m, to commence in August 2023

·      enter into a contract with Morgan Sindall to carry out enabling and infrastructure works across the car park and wider Ryecroft site for a sum of no more than £1m,

·      commence the associated process of Traffic Regulation Order consultation

·      note the car parks that will be closed and disposed of for housing in accordance with an updated Asset Management Plan Strategy to be published in the Autumn of 2023.

·      Complete all legal documentation to finalise land assembly.

The Leader introduced a report regarding the awarding of the main construction contract for the Castle Car Park to Morgan Sindall.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centre’s and Growth advised that this was the cornerstone of the Ryecroft development and would be a well lit and safe car park.  It was due to go to the Planning Committee in two weeks’ time and subject to approval, work would start in the summer.  This would then allow the Midway car park site to be redeveloped.

The Leader advised that this was a replacement car park for the Midway but it would also provide for the Ryecroft development – the hotel and other components.

Councillor Richard Gorton asked how many parking spaces would be available to the public, taking into account reserved spaces for tenants of York Place, staff and guests of the proposed hotel, Aspire employees and occupants of Aspire accommodation.  In addition, would the figure exceed or equal the number of spaces lost with the disposal of existing car parks, listed within paragraph 3.2 of the report.  The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Town Centres and Growth advised that York Place tenants would not have reserved spaces and hotel staff and guests would all have to pay.  Aspire may have permits but those would be on a limited basis.  There would be 455 spaces available to the public and, of the 939 spaces currently available on existing car parks, usage was around 350 spaces.  There was flexibility in that, if the car park was full every day disposal of one of the car parks, earmarked for disposal, would not go ahead.

The Leader confirmed that there was flexibility in that some of the surface car parks had been identified as brownfield sites which could be used for development.    

Resolved:       That, subject to Planning permission, the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Finance, Town Centres and Growth be authorised to:

·                     enter into a contract with Morgan Sindall for the construction of

the Castle multi-storey car park for a sum of no more than £12m, to commence in August 2023

·                    enter into a contract with Morgan Sindall to carry out enabling and infrastructure works across the car park and wider Ryecroft site for a sum of no more than £1m,

·                     commence the associated process of Traffic Regulation Order

consultation

·                     note the car parks that will be closed and disposed of for housing

in accordance with an updated Asset Management Plan Strategy to be published in the Autumn of 2023.

·                     Complete all legal documentation to finalise land assembly.

Watch the debate here