Issue - meetings

Special Report on Clifton Hill

Meeting: 14/01/2020 - Executive (Item 16)

Clifton Hill Site

To consider the report of the City Surveyor.

 

Decision:

Agreed

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

 

(1)  set aside the decision to sell the Clifton Hill site for a mixed residential development made by the Executive on 12 February 2019 and Council on 26 February 2019;

(2)  authorise the City Surveyor to progress the disposal of a reduced site to Exeter City Living Ltd on detailed terms to be agreed; and

(3)  agree that should the disposal to Exeter City Living Ltd not be agreed within three months of the Executive meeting, the City Surveyor be authorised to dispose of the revised site for the best consideration that can reasonably be obtained, subject to all necessary steps being taken to ensure that it is not used for purpose-built student accommodation.

 

Reason for Decision:

As set out in the report.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Executive received the report which reviewed the Council decision of the 26 February 2019, which was to dispose of the whole of the Clifton Hill site. The report provided alternative disposal proposals, a review of the statutory implications of the propositions and made recommendations for the disposal of part of the site.

 

Since the Council’s original decision it had been recognised that the green space, golf driving range and ski slope provided an important civic amenity to both the local and the wider community of Exeter and consequently the site disposal plan had been revised.

 

Councillor R. Branston, having given notice under Standing Order No. 44, spoke on this item. He discussed the report which he considered to be concise and detailed, and noted that the Council could dispose of land but that Secretary of State consent would be required for a disposal at the indicative level of undervalue. The Council was in a position to provide quality housing through Exeter City Living, while carrying out the Government Strategy to build affordable homes and supporting the Council’s goal for being a carbon neutral city and supporting green open spaces for a better quality of life for residents. It was important that the Council showed how it was united on working with communities and its commitment for saving green open spaces and confirmed that he supported the recommendations.

 

During the discussion, the following points were raised:-

 

·         Should the Secretary of State refuse to give consent for the disposal at an under-value, the decision to reverse the disposal would stand, however Members would need to decide on how to proceed.

 

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

 

(1)  set aside the decision to sell the Clifton Hill site for a mixed residential development made by the Executive on 12 February 2019 and Council on 26 February 2019;

(2)  authorise the City Surveyor to progress the disposal of a reduced site to Exeter City Living Ltd on detailed terms to be agreed; and

(3)  agree that should the disposal to Exeter City Living Ltd not be agreed within three months of the Executive meeting, the City Surveyor be authorised to dispose of the revised site for the best consideration that can reasonably be obtained, subject to all necessary steps being taken to ensure that it is not used for purpose-built student accommodation.