Issue details

Proposed retail-led redevelopment of land at Ryecroft comprising sites of the former Sainsbury's supermarket and the Civic Offices

 

 

The original and substantive decision to proceed with these proposals was made at the Council meeting on 28th July 2010. That decision was supplemented and reinforced by a further decision of Council made on 29th June 2011, at which time the County Council was engaged as a strategic funding partner.  The economic regeneration objectives of the Council provided the strategic context for those decisions, particularly to enable the introduction of modern/suitable retail floor space into the town centre to strengthen its economic viability including the creation of an estimated 700 new jobs.  Whilst with regard to the acquisition of the former Sainsbury’s store, the decisions were underpinned by a report prepared by specialist retail development advisors.

 

This report seeks approval for the necessary paving actions to progress with the implementation of the overall scheme based upon further detailed work undertaken over the past eighteen months.  Most importantly the report will contain new information such as an Outline Business Case for the relocation of Council office-based services and functions in order that the current Civic Offices site can be made available for redevelopment as part of the wider Ryecroft site (in accordance with the original in-principle decisions).


Altogether the report will contain new information that will enable decisions to be made in respect of the following matters:


1. To proceed with the formal marketing of the redevelopment opportunity of the

 overall Ryecroft site.

 

2. Subject to developer demand in respect of item 1, and based upon an Outline Business Case summarised in the report, to proceed to the next stage of commissioning for the relocation of Council office-based services and functions in order that the current Civic Offices site can be made available for redevelopment as part of the wider Ryecroft site.

 

3. To consider the merits of retaining or taking steps to demolish the existing buildings on the former Sainsbury's site in light of ongoing holding costs.

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Expenditure > £100,000 Revenue and £250,000 Capital Expenditure;

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Wards affected: Town;

Notice of proposed decision first published: 29/10/2013

Relevant Committee(s): Economy and Place;

Decision due: 27 Nov 2013 by Council

Lead member: Cabinet Portfolio Holder - Sustainable Environment

Lead director: Executive Director Regeneration and Planning

Contact: Phil Thompson Email: phil.thompson@newcastle-staffs.gov.uk.

Consultation process

Not applicable at this stage.

Making Representations: Representations on public agenda items can be made up to one working day before the meeting.

Reason No Public Access: Whilst there will be a substantive report on the public part of the agenda, it is likely that information of a commercially sensitive nature will need to be presented to Members in a confidential report under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A.

Spend required/saving generated: Summary level information and estimates will be contained in the report in the knowledge that more precise resourcing information will not be known until later stages of related disposal and procurement processes.

Likely Date of Decision: 27 November, 2013

Documents