Agenda item

To seek approval to select a preferred tenderer for the redevelopment of Brimscombe Port, who will be appointed as Developer in due course, and to delegate authority to enter into a Development Agreement with the selected tenderer.

The Head of Property Services advised that the report set out the clear recommendation to select tenderer 1 as the preferred bidder and to delegate authority to appoint the bidder and enter into a development agreement subject to Homes England approval. The completed tender report had been included at Appendix A. The Head of Property Services confirmed that the budget position that had been published in the public report had been included in the exempt report but with the financial receipt to the council of the preferred bidder in it which gave a surplus, but that this could change through the planning process. The recommended designs were shown on the screens and on boards within the Council Chamber and Members were reminded they needed to base their decision on the scoring.

The meeting was adjourned for 50 minutes to provide members with copies of the exempt information.

Councillor Brine left the meeting.

The following answers were given in response to questions:

• The scheme still needed to go through the planning process and therefore there was a limit as to how much time the bidders would have spent on the designs prior to being selected as the preferred bidder and were aware of the proposed cycle route. There would be more detail provided in the planning application regarding bike storage and cycle routes.
• A few car park space licences had been provided previously but it had been made clear that these were only to be provided for a short term and were not included in the number that the developer has been asked to provide.
• The use of the car park spaces by the school and its community has been clear as a temporary use. There would be parking on the port but as to who can use it would be looked at during the planning stage. Conversations with the school would need to be held.
• There are mechanisms around how the public investment will be handed over to the developer, part of that would be retained to ensure the canal works were completed.
• Assurance was provided for the scoring of the governance structure, management arrangements and business plan. It was confirmed that the business plan scoring was based on the land value and it was a numerically driven score.
• There would be opportunities to revisit the placement of the affordable homes through planning,so they were not concentrated in one block.
• The design included a mix of residential, permanent and visitor moorings
• The preferred bidder had received a score of 4 regarding social value which meant that they had met the requirements of the output specification.
• A community interest or management company would be proposed for the maintenance of the public areas which would be funded by the residents of the site.
• The Council would work with the Parish Council to find a solution for the community facility and there were lots of options that could be explored but if the land was to be transferred for £1 the Council would need to ensure that it met its legal duty in this respect.

Councillor Turner proposed and Councillor Pearson seconded.

Members, including Councillor Pearson, Hurst, Ross, Braun, Cornell and Turner offered their support for the project.

The Head of Property Services revealed St Modwen Homes as tenderer 1.

Members were asked again for any declarations of interest prior to voting on the preferred bidder. There were none.

On being put to the vote, the motion was carried unanimously.