9 Proposed Land Disposal of St Catherine's Hospice Site
Housing Portfolio
Exempt Paragraph 3
Information relating to financial and business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information)
To consider report SHAP/88 of the Head of Strategic Housing, which was referred to the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission on 25 September 2023.
Decision:
Information relating to financial and business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information)
RESOLVED
That the Cabinet:
a) Approves the disposal of the Council’s land assets on the Malthouse Road site in order to achieve the preferred outcome as detailed in section 6 below, and to accept the outcome of the land receipt as detailed in section 5 below.
b) Delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant legal documentation, to the Head of Strategic Housing, the Head of Corporate Finance and the Head of Governance, People and Performance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and the Leader of the Council. (Generic Delegations 2 and 3 will be used to enact this recommendation).
Reasons for the Recommendations
The Hospice is due to relocate to their new premises at Pease Pottage by end-2023, and they are aiming to surrender their lease on the Council-owned land, and to dispose of their freehold interests in the remainder of the site, including a portion of the site over which the Council has placed a Restrictive Covenant.
The combined freehold interests held by the Council and the Hospice results in an assembled site that is jointly capable of achieving a greater outcome than if they were brought forward independently, and both parties are collaborating towards achieving this objective, whereby the Council is requested to dispose of its freehold interest alongside the Hospice disposing of their freehold interests.
As part-landowner, and in line with the Council’s emerging Local Plan, the Council has restricted the future use of this assembled site for the continued provision of a care facility or to provide sheltered accommodation, and the market has been assessed accordingly, with the preferred outcome as further detailed in this report.
Minutes:
Information relating to financial and business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information)
The Cabinet Member for Housing presented report SHAP/88of the Head of Strategic Housing. The report sought to proceed with the disposal of the Council-owned land at Malthouse Road, and to lift the Restriction on Title on part of the site that was owned by the Hospice, in collaboration with St Catherine’s Hospice surrendering their lease on the Council-owned land and the disposal of the land in their control, to achieve the proposal as detailed in the report. The proposal aimed to preserve the legacy of the site and to achieve significant social value in the continued provision of care and support, that was inclusive of on-site affordable housing.
Councillor Ayling presented the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s comments on the report OSC/314 to the Cabinet following consideration of the matter at its meeting on 25 September 2023.
The Cabinet was pleased that the proposal aimed to preserve the legacy of the site and that it would enable residents to remain close to their family, friends and established life.
The majority of the Cabinet spoke as part of the discussion on the report.
RESOLVED
That the Cabinet:
a) Approves the disposal of the Council’s land assets on the Malthouse Road site in order to achieve the preferred outcome as detailed in section 6 below, and to accept the outcome of the land receipt as detailed in section 5 below.
b) Delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant legal documentation, to the Head of Strategic Housing, the Head of Corporate Finance and the Head of Governance, People and Performance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and the Leader of the Council. (Generic Delegations 2 and 3 will be used to enact this recommendation).
Reasons for the Recommendations
The Hospice is due to relocate to their new premises at Pease Pottage by end-2023, and they are aiming to surrender their lease on the Council-owned land, and to dispose of their freehold interests in the remainder of the site, including a portion of the site over which the Council has placed a Restrictive Covenant.
The combined freehold interests held by the Council and the Hospice results in an assembled site that is jointly capable of achieving a greater outcome than if they were brought forward independently, and both parties are collaborating towards achieving this objective, whereby the Council is requested to dispose of its freehold interest alongside the Hospice disposing of their freehold interests.
As part-landowner, and in line with the Council’s emerging Local Plan, the Council has restricted the future use of this assembled site for the continued provision of a care facility or to provide sheltered accommodation, and the market has been assessed accordingly, with the preferred outcome as further detailed in this report.
6 Proposed Land Disposal of St Catherine's Hospice Site
Exempt Paragraph 3
Information relating to financial and business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information)
To consider report SHAP/88 of the Head of Strategic Housing.
Minutes:
Exempt Paragraph 3
Information relating to financial and business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information)
The Commission considered report SHAP/88 of the Head of Strategic Housing Services. The report sought to proceed with the disposal of the Council-owned land at Malthouse Road, and to lift the Restriction on Title on part of the site that is owned by the Hospice, in collaboration with St Catherine’s Hospice surrendering their lease on the Council-owned land and the disposal of the land in their control, to achieve the proposal as detailed. The proposal aims to preserve the legacy of this site and to achieve significant social value in the continued provision of care and support, that is inclusive of on-site affordable housing.
During the discussion with the Cabinet Member for Housing and the Housing Enabling & Development Manager, the following comments were made:
· Acknowledgement that the proposal aimed to preserve the legacy of this site and to achieve significant social value in the continued provision of care and support, which was inclusive of on-site affordable housing.
· Recognition that as part-landowner, the Council had restricted the future use of the assembled site for the continued provision of a care facility or to provide sheltered accommodation, and the market had been assessed accordingly.
· Clarification was sought and obtained on the financial details and options provided within the report.
· General support for the report as it was recognised that the site carried a sentimental element and therefore it was paramount that any interests retained and represented the sensitive usage of the site, particularly for the ongoing benefit of Crawley.
RESOLVED
That the Commission noted the report and requested that the views expressed during the debate, were fed back to the Cabinet through the Commission’s Comment sheet.