Agenda item

To receive a report on representations that have been made to the Authority in relation to statutory advertisements confirming the Authority’s intention to dispose of an area of land within its ownership at Newsteads Drive, Monkseaton.

Cabinet considered a report detailing the representations that had been made to the Authority in relation to statutory notices placed in the press confirming the Authority’s proposal to dispose of an area of public open space within its ownership at Newlands Drive in Monkseaton. The land was shown by dark outline on the plan appended to the report.

The proposed disposal of the land would be to facilitate the development of a new medical centre as a replacement for Beaumont Park Medical Centre which no longer met the current NHS standards.  A planning application for the scheme had not yet been submitted.

This land was declared surplus to the Authority’s requirements on 14 December 2021, in accordance with the Officer Delegation Scheme.

As the area of land was public open space it was subject to the relevant provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.  As such, the Authority must advertise its intention to dispose of the land by placing statutory notices in the press in accordance with Section 123 of the Act, and formally consider any representations made.  This was initially done in December 2021, and the representations received by the Authority were referred to Cabinet in May this year when the decision was taken to uphold the objections to the sale of the land.

Following the meeting of Cabinet, Beaumont Park Medical Practice found it necessary to apply to NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board for a temporary closure of their patient list.  This was because of issues being experienced by the practice with the existing medical centre building as detailed in section 1.5 of the report and added difficulty for the practice in recruiting and retaining staff.

There was now a risk to the ongoing viability of the practice and if the NHS contract were to be handed back due to the challenges faced, it was likely to result in a list dispersal.  This would have a significant impact on surrounding practices if 6,000 patients needed to find an alternative GP to register with.  Because of the list closure and these implications, the practice and the NHS Care Board asked the Authority to reconsider its position regarding the sale of the land at Newsteads Drive, and on the 17 August the Strategic Property Group agreed to officers undertaking the Section 123 procedure again.

Details of the 84 representations received in response to the statutory notices placed in the press during December of last year and again in September of this year were detailed in Section 1.5 of the report, together with information about concerns raised by the Monkseaton Ward Members regarding the proposed disposal of the land. The main points of objection had been carefully considered by the Authority’s officers, the agent acting on behalf of Beaumont Park Medical Practice and the NHS Care Board, and their responses to the points raised were provided in the report.

The report also confirmed the main points of support for the proposed disposal of the land including statements received from the NHS Care Board, the Newcastle and North Tyneside Local Medical Committee and the Whitley Bay Primary Care Network.

One key point to note was that 86% of the total area of the public open space at Newsteads Drive was unaffected by the proposed disposal.

Cabinet considered all of the representations made as detailed in sections 1.5.4 to 1.5.8 of the report in respect of the proposed disposal of the Land at Newsteads Drive.

In making this decision, Cabinet noted that there would still be opportunities for residents to express their views as part of the formal planning process and that the sale of the asset would be subject to a successful Planning Permission and would also include a covenant for health care needs only.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: 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; or alternatively, to uphold the objections received, and not agree to the disposal of land.

Resolved that the objections received in relation to the proposed disposal of the Land at Newsteads Drive in Monkseaton (shown by dark outline on the plan appended to the report) be set aside, andauthorisation to the disposal of the land, be agreed.