Issue - items at meetings - Preston Barracks Redevelopment

Report of the Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing (copy attached).

(1)               That the proposals submitted to the council by the University and Cathedral, and the considerable progress that has been made during the past 3 months, progress which suggests a financially viable solution is in reach be noted, and the Project Board’s view that negotiations should continue be supported;

(2)               That the financial offer made to the council by the University and Cathedral, and their proposals to work in Joint Venture to acquire the freehold of the Preston Barracks site from the council be noted, and the principles of the financial offer and the deal structure that supports this as the basis for further negotiation be agreed;

(3)               That the draft Heads of Terms in the Part II Appendix and the current state of play regarding ongoing negotiations be noted;

(4)               That the Executive Director for Finance & Resources, Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing and the Head of Law be authorised to continue negotiations as directed by the Project Board, and that the outcome of these negotiations should be reported to a future meeting of the Project Board for endorsement prior to completion; and

(5)               That subject to (4) above, the Head of Law be authorised to complete the required suite of documents in consultation with the Executive Director for Finance & Resources and Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing.

88.1         The Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing introduced the report which detailed the progress made in negotiations between the council, the University of Brighton and Cathedral Group Ltd in respect of the development of the Preston Barracks site.  He stated that it was an important site to the city and had raised a number of challenges which he now hoped had been met and with the committee’s approval would enable the redevelopment of the site to come to fruition.

88.2         The Chair stated that he wished to thank the Executive Director and the team of officers involved in the project, along with the members of the Project Group.  He noted that it was part of the City Deal approach and that the LEP had been very supportive.  He also noted that Members had been contacted by representatives from the Community Transport service and stated that officers would work with them to enable them to move from the site.

88.3         Councillor Lepper stated that she wished to add her thanks to all those involved in the project and she was disappointed that she would not be a member of the council when the project finally came to fruition.  However, she welcomed the cross-party support for the site’s redevelopment and hoped that matters would progress.  In the meantime she asked that all departments concerned work together to assist Community Transport in finding a more long-term site for their service.

88.4         Councillor Peltzer Dunn welcomed the report and stated that it had been quite a journey and he too wished to thank the officers involved in the project.

88.5         The Chair noted the comments and before moving the meeting into closed session so that discussion on the details contained in appendix 3 listed as Item No. 93 on the agenda could be held, he wished to call on the Monitoring Officer to comment.

88.6         The Monitoring Officer stated that the report’s recommendations were predicated on the information contained in the appendix which had to be considered in Part Two of the meeting as it contained financial information that was commercially sensitive.  He also noted that the committee needed to be given an update on the information before it considered the recommendations listed in the open report.

88.7         The Chair then asked for members of the public and the press to leave the chamber prior to moving the meeting into closed session.

88.8         Following consideration of the information in the closed session, the Chair put the recommendations to the vote.

88.9         RESOLVED:

(1)         That the proposals submitted to the council by the University and Cathedral, and the considerable progress that has been made during the past 3 months, progress which suggests a financially viable solution is in reach be noted, and the Project Board’s view that negotiations should continue be supported;

(2)         That the financial offer made to the council by the University and Cathedral, and their proposals to work in Joint Venture to acquire the freehold of the Preston Barracks site from the council be noted, and the principles of the financial offer and the deal structure that supports this as the basis for further negotiation be agreed;

(3)         That the draft Heads of Terms in the Part II Appendix and the current state of play regarding ongoing negotiations be noted;

(4)         That the Executive Director for Finance & Resources, Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing and the Head of Law be authorised to continue negotiations as directed by the Project Board, and that the outcome of these negotiations should be reported to a future meeting of the Project Board for endorsement prior to completion; and

(5)         That subject to (4) above, the Head of Law be authorised to complete the required suite of documents in consultation with the Executive Director for Finance & Resources and Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing.