Agenda item

To consider a report seeking approval to declare the Authority’s land holdings at the Murton Gap Strategic Housing Site (as shown on plans appended to the report) surplus to its requirements and for them to be made available for sale by private treaty for the development of affordable homes.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to declare land holdings at the Murton Gap Strategic Housing Site (as shown on Plans 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 appended to the report), that were owned by the Authority surplus to its requirements and for the sites to be made available for sale by private treaty for the development of affordable homes.

The report outlined the strategic context for the delivery of housing across the Murton Gap Strategic Housing Site and detailed how the Authority would assist in this process as a landowner, the Local Planning Authority and as Highway Authority.

The report provided the details of the commercial arrangements that would be needed with the other landowners across the Site in order to ensure that all of the strategic infrastructure was provided over an eleven-year period to support the development of new homes.

The report also explained how two areas of land within the ownership of the Authorityand located in Shiremoor and Backworth could be utilised in order to assist in bringing forward the Site fordevelopment.

Resolved that (1) the Authority’s land holdings at Murton Gap Strategic Housing Site (as shown on Plans 1 and 2 appended to the report), be declared surplus to the Authority’s requirements and available for disposal by private treaty for the development of affordable homes, be agreed;

(2)  the Director of Housing and Property Services, in consultation with the

Elected Mayor, with the Elected, the Director of Resources and the Assistant Chief Executive, be authorised to agree the final terms of sale;

(3) the Director of Resources, be authorised to negotiate a sale contract, together with associated documents and complete the freehold transfer of the land at Murton Gap Strategic Housing Site in accordance with all relevant legal requirements, the Authority’s Constitution and FinancialRegulations;

(4) the land at Earsdon Road in Shiremoor (as shown on Plan 3 appended to the report), be declared surplus to the Authority’s requirements and available for freehold transfer, be agreed;

(5) the Director of Housing and Property Services, in consultation with the Elected Mayor, the Director of Resources and the Assistant ChiefExecutive, be authorised to agree the financial arrangements required for the Murton Gap Development Consortia to compensate the Authority for the value of the land at Earsdon Road in Shiremoor;

(6) the Director of Resources, be authorised to negotiate a sale contract, together with associated documents and complete the freehold transfer of the land at Earsdon Road in Shiremoor in accordance with all relevant legal requirements, the Authority’s Constitution and FinancialRegulations;

(7) the land at Fisher Road in Backworth (as shown on Plan 4 appended to the report), be declared surplus to the Authority’s requirements and to make it available to the Murton Gap Development Consortia as a site for ecologicalmitigation, be agreed;

(8) the Director of Housing and Property Services, in consultation with the Elected Mayor, the Director of Resources and the Assistant ChiefExecutive, be authorised to agree the financial arrangements required for the Murton Gap Development Consortia to compensate the Authority for the value of the land at Fisher Road in Backworth;

(9) the Director of Resources, be authorised to complete a sale contract or long lease with either the Murton Gap Development Consortia or an appropriate ecological organisation, together with associated documents for the land at Fisher Road in Backworth in accordance with all relevant legal requirements, the Authority’s Constitution and FinancialRegulations;

(10) the Director of Housing and Property Services, in consultation with the Elected Mayor, the Director of Resources and the Assistant ChiefExecutive, be authorised to agree the financial arrangements required for the Murton Gap Development Consortia to compensate the Authority for the value of the land at Murton Gap Strategic Housing site that needs to be set aside for the future development of a new primary school; and

(11) the Director of Housing and Property Services, be authorised to deal with all ancillary matters arising that were consistent with all of the preceding resolutions.

Cabinet considered the following decision options:  to either approve the recommendations as set out in section 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations in which case the delivery of new homes and the associated infrastructure across the Site may be jeopardised.

(Reason for decision: It is considered to be the best way to secure the Authority’s own affordable housing development priorities and safeguard the wider delivery of housing in the Borough in order to meet with its Local Plan housing target.)