Agenda item

To consider public representations that have been made to the Authority in relation to a statutory advertisement confirming the Authority’s intention to dispose an area of land within its ownership at Newsteads Drive in Monkseaton, as shown on the site plan at Appendix 1, and which is classed as public open space.

Cabinet received a report which presented public representations that had been made to the Authority in accordance with a statutory advertisement confirming the Authority’s intention to dispose an area of land within its ownership at Newlands Drive in Monkseaton, and which was classed as public open space. 

The Land which was shown by dark outline on the plan at Appendix 1 was declared surplus to the Authority’s requirements on 14 December 2021, in accordance with the Officer Delegation Scheme. Approval was also given for it to be made available for disposal by private treaty.

The proposed disposal of the land was to facilitate the construction of a new medical centre to replace Beaumont Park Medical Centre. The existing building dates back to 1984 and no longer complies with current NHS design standards. The design of the building was prohibiting service delivery to patients as the building is 70% smaller than it should be based on the NHS size requirements for health care premises linked to the number of patients a practice has registered with it.

Over the last ten years the Practice had modernised and reconfigured the existing building as much as possible, but it was no longer feasible for it to carry out any further work that would help to meet patient needs.  Therefore, the only option currently available for the Practice was to relocate into a new purpose-built medical centre and the Land at Newsteads Drive had been identified as being capable of accommodating a building that can meet the latest NHS standards with improved accessibility for all patients.

As the Land was classed as public open space it was subject to the relevant provisions of the Local Government Act 1972. The Authority must therefore advertise its intention to dispose of the Land in accordance with Section 123 of the Act and formally consider any representations made.

This must be done by placing Notices advertising the proposed disposal for two consecutive weeks in a local newspaper. The Authority’s intentions were advertised in the Journal newspaper on 22 December 2021, and 29 December 2021, respectively. The closing date for the receipt of representations was set as 21 January 2022.

Prior to the closing date, 46 representations were made to the Authority either by letter or email of which 42 were objections to the proposed disposal and 4 were in support of it.  These were categorised as follows: -

·         Representations objecting to the proposed disposal of the Land.

·         Representations in support of the proposed disposal of the Land. This included details of a representation received from the North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group, (NTCCG), as the commissioner of NHS services for the local area.

In addition to this, details were also given regarding the outcome of consultation with the Ward Members for Monkseaton North.

An additional 12 objections were received after the closing date for the receipt of representations referred to in the advertisements, namely 21 January 2022 and whilst these had not been formally considered, it was noted that the main points of objection were similar to those outlined in the objections received before the closing date of 21 January 2022.

46 representations were made to the Authority in the response to the advertisements and Cabinet was asked to consider all of the representations detailed in Sections 1.5.2 to 1.5.4 of the report in respect of the proposed disposal of the Land at Newsteads Drive.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: (i) to set aside the objections received in relation to the proposed disposal of the Land at Newsteads Drive and allow the disposal of the Land to proceed; and (ii) to uphold the objections received in relation to the proposed disposal of the Land at Newsteads Drive in which case the disposal cannot proceed.

Resolved it be agreed that the objections received in relation to the proposed disposal of the land at Newsteads Drive, Monkseaton (shown in dark outline on the plan) at Appendix 1 be not set aside; and the proposed disposal of the land at Newsteads Drive, Monkseaton not be authorised for disposal.