Agenda item

The Head of Planning and Regeneration and the Head of Economic Development and Regeneration – North Worcestershire presented the One Public Estate (OPE) Exercise report.  During the presentation of this report the following matters were highlighted for Members’ consideration:

·                The Town Centre Regeneration Prospectus was a high-level, aspirational document designed to promote Redditch town centre as an ideal location for a mix of retail, residential and office developments.

·                The prospectus advertised the benefits associated with being located in Redditch as well as potential sites suitable for redevelopment.

·                The OPE exercise had focused on public sector assets and how these could be better used to promote the town.

·                A range of partners had been engaged in the OPE exercise including Worcestershire County Council, West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service various branches of the NHS and Redditch Borough Council.

·                A key finding in the OPE report was a proposal for different public sector organisations to co-locate in a hub in the centre of Redditch.

·                In the report it was suggested that this hub could be located on Church Road as this was a location where low footfall had been identified.

·                At this stage the suggestions featured in the OPE were aspirational and no decisions had been taken.

·                Additional work was required to investigate the feasibility of the OPE proposals, to determine whether any of the suggestions should be pursued further.

Following presentation of the report the recommendations as printed in the report were proposed by Councillor Hartnett.  In proposing these recommendations Councillor Hartnett commented that this formed part of the Council’s 10 point plan for economic development in the Borough.  The process had involved significant consultation with partner organisations, though had been largely officer-led to date.  Further consultation would need to be undertaken in respect of this matter over time and financial support would be required from both public and private sector organisations to bring any plans to fruition.  Redditch Borough Council should lead this initiative to the benefit of the local economy.

The recommendations detailed in the report were seconded by Councillor Greg Chance.  In seconding the proposals Councillor Chance explained that the report detailed ambitious options available for the regeneration of the town centre, though no decisions had yet been taken.  The Council’s bid to the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) for £5 million had been accepted as an A graded bid.  This funding would help to support progression with the proposals detailed in the documentation.

Early in the debate on this item Councillor Juliet Brunner proposed an amendment to the recommendations.  This amendment was seconded by Councillor Brandon Clayton.

The amendment read as follows:

“Recommendation 1

The sum of £50,000 be allocated to further explore the concepts proposed and develop a range of fully costed proposals to also include those in the Regeneration Prospectus to enable members and the public to consider the proposed options for regeneration. 

Authority to be delegated to the Chief Executive to manage this budget in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Regeneration, Economy and Transport and the Leader of the Opposition.

Recommendation 2 

The council provides in principal support for the one public estate review report. To include the option of using the Town hall and other areas in town centre as possible sites. Final decision to be taken by executive committee following the consideration of a detailed business case setting out strategic commercial, economic, commercial, financial and management case for the council to:

a)        lead on negotiation of acquisition of land to facilitate the development of new public services hub; and

b)        lead on negotiations with partner organisations regarding their commitment to transferring services.

Recommendation 3

further work in respect of the Town Centre Regeneration Prospectus and the One Public Estate Review be postponed to allow time for an Overview and Scrutiny Task and Finish exercise to be undertaken to investigate this matter in more detail.”

In proposing the amendment Councillor Brunner explained that she was concerned that the recommendations in the report appeared to be a fait accompli.  The amended proposals would provide an opportunity to explore all available options for the redevelopment of the town centre further, including those detailed in the Town Centre Redevelopment Prospectus.  The second recommendation would enable a decision to be made based on an informed business case.  Finally an Overview and Scrutiny review, as detailed in the third recommendation, would provide elected Members with a chance to investigate this matter further.

In seconding the amendment Councillor Brandon Clayton expressed concerns about the speed with which work on the Town Centre Regeneration Prospectus and OPE was proceeding.  Members were also asked to note that the Council’s Planning Advisory Panel (PAP) had not been consulted.

In considering the proposed amendment Members noted that a development board would be established that would have a chance to influence the process as the town centre regeneration and OPE exercise advanced.  The town centre redevelopment and OPE were both at initial stages.  Officers would need to commit to this work and it was suggested that progress would best be achieved through retaining the original recommendations proposed by officers in the report.

Concerns were also raised about the third recommendation in the amendment, which had originally been proposed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on 5^th March 2018.  It was noted that a Task Group exercise would take some time to complete and this could delay progress with the regeneration of the town centre.  There would be a number of consultation opportunities through the OPE process as opportunities for the regeneration of the town centre progressed and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, like other stakeholders, could be involved in this consultation process.

At the end of these discussions the amendment was put to the vote and was defeated.

Following consideration of the amendment Members discussed a number of matters relating to the original proposals detailed in the report:

·                The potential for the current Town Hall to be redeveloped into flats.  Members were asked to note that there was no guarantee that the Town Hall would be converted into residential properties and this was only one of several regeneration options available.

·                The application to develop 42 new flats on a site close to the Palace Theatre and the impact that this might have on the availability of parking spaces in the town centre.

·                The potential that residents living in town centre accommodation would prefer to travel by public transport rather than to utilise their own vehicles.

·                The need for the Council to provide disabled parking spaces to customers visiting the Palace Theatre.

·                The significant number of parking spaces available within Redditch town centre compared to other towns in the country.

·                The extent to which sufficient car parking spaces were available to access in the evenings in Redditch town centre.

·                The need to develop a vibrant economy in Redditch town centre and how the town compared to others in the region.

·                The length of time that had been taken to bring forward proposals in respect of the OPE and town centre regeneration to the Executive Committee.  The Committee was advised that this had involved an extensive process and Officers had been working on this issue for approximately 18 months.

·                The difficulties that had been experienced encouraging residents to let or purchase residential properties in Threadneedle House and the extent to which similar problems might occur should the Town Hall be converted into accommodation.

·                The need for soft market testing to be undertaken to assess whether there would be demand for residential properties on the sites of any of the public sector assets identified in the OPE exercise. 

·                The extent to which businesses had been consulted as part of the OPE exercise.  Officers advised that the Council would not consult with businesses before consulting with residents and in some cases a professional opinion in respect of an opportunity would be required before any consultation could take place.

At the end of a very lengthy debate the Committee

RECOMMENDED

1)        that the development concepts and proposals outlined in the Redditch Town Centre Regeneration Prospectus attached at Appendix 1 should be endorsed with a sum of £50,000 allocated to support the development of proposals contained within the Regeneration Prospectus; authority to be delegated to the Chief Executive to manage this budget following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Regeneration, Economy and Transport;

2)     that the Council provides in principle support for the key recommendation of the One Public Estate Review report (at Appendix 2) which is for the creation of a new purpose built multi-agency Public Services Hub, with the preferred site at this stage identified as land owned by the NHS and HE on Church Road, with a final decision to be taken by the Executive Committee following consideration of a detailed business case setting out the strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management case for the Council to:

a)        Lead on the negotiation of acquisition of land from the NHS and HE to facilitate the development of the new Public Services Hub;

b)        Should the preferred option not be achievable, work to identify a suitable alternative option and work with the NHS and HE to progress an alternative solution for the Church Road site;

c)        Lead on negotiations with partner organisations regarding their commitment to transferring services to the Public Services Hub;

d)        Market the current Town Hall for re-development or conversion purposes.

3)      to include an initial budget of £150,000 in the capital programme for 2018/19 to support the development of the business case for the new Public Services Hub and authority to be delegated to the Chief Executive to manage this budget following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Regeneration, Economy and Transport; and

RESOLVED that

the recommendation made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on Monday 5^th March 2018 in respect of the One Public Estate exercise be rejected.