Agenda item

Planning and Economic Development Portfolio

To consider report PES/307 of the Head of Economy and Planning which was referred to the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 19 November 2018.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development presented report PES/307of the Head of Economy and Planning which set out the proposal for the Council to take over as the lead organisation for the Station Gateway Scheme including the project management. It was explained that the rationale for the proposal followed the success of how the Council had coordinated the redevelopment of Three Bridges station and the synergy of the Station Gateway to the Crawley Growth Programme and the Eastern Gateway. The Cabinet was informed that all the partner organisations involved in the Station Gateway project, such as the Aurora Group, West Sussex CC, Network Rail, were in support of the Council taking the lead on the project. It was noted that with the Council taking this lead it would be mean the Council’s procurement process that would be followed for the redevelopment.

Councillor Cheshire presented the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s comments on the report to the Cabinet following their consideration of the matter at its meeting on 19 November 2018. The Cabinet was informed of the Commission’s support for the proposal including that they were pleased that the proposal included the installation of a full accessible bridge at the station.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet:

1.            notes the progress made to date to bring forward the Scheme

2.            approves Crawley Borough Council to be the lead project management organisation for the Scheme.

3.            delegates authority to the Head of Economy and Planning to undertake a procurement tendering exercise to appoint designers to undertake detailed designs for the Scheme in accordance with the Council’s Procurement Code.

4.            delegates authority to the Head of Economy and Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development to approve the final, detailed designs for the Station Gateway scheme, subject to consultation (and subject to planning permission for the Friary Way – bus station element) and working in close partnership with Arora Group, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), Network Rail (NR), and West Sussex County Council (WSCC).

5.            delegates the negotiation and approval of the terms of all relevant legal documentation to the Head of Economy and Planning, Head of Legal, Democracy and HR, Head of Corporate Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development.

6.            Recommends to Full Council to:

a)          approves the inclusion of the Scheme within the capital programme, funded by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and WSCC through the Crawley Growth Programme. 

b)          approves the increase of £5.2 million to the capital programme for the Station Gateway Scheme within the Crawley Growth programme, to be funded from contributions from the LEP and WSCC, subject to formal agreement with WSCC of a revised funding protocol.

Reasons for the Recommendations

On 4th July 2016, Crawley Borough Council Planning Committee granted outline planning permission (CR/2016/0294/OUT) for Station Gateway site development, comprising 308 new residential flats, a railway station, a dedicated car park for the station and public realm / transport interchange improvements to strengthen taxi / pedestrian / cyclist / bus connectivity.  The Station Gateway site development is not viable without funding investment in the highways, junction and public realm improvements on Station Way.

On 4th October 2017, Cabinet endorsed the Crawley Growth Programme (report PES/259 refers), comprising a range of town centre, Manor Royal and transport regeneration schemes, including the Scheme to help unlock residential / commercial space growth.  This followed the formal approval by the Local Enterprise Partnership of a £14.6 million bid to the Local Growth Fund, as part of an overall package of over £60 million.

On 27th June 2018, Cabinet approved the addition of the Station Gateway scheme to the CBC Crawley Growth Programme budget along with an allocation of £100,000 to come from West Sussex County Council, now received (report PES/298 refers).  This was in order for CBC to support the project management of the Scheme detailed designs and associated partnership working with the railway authorities and Arora Group.

The acceptance of the recommendations in Section 2 of this report will enable officers to work with the Arora Group and other Partners to deliver the Scheme to help unlock the redevelopment of the Station Gateway site, which has outline planning permission for 308 high quality residential apartments and a new railway station.

The adopted Crawley Local plan 2015 – 2030 (Policy EC6) (Development Sites within the Town Centre Boundary) stipulates that there are four key opportunity sites within the Town Centre including Crawley Station and Car Parks, which will contribute towards a net total of 499 new dwellings.  By progressing with this scheme it will enable the developer to build 308 units which contributes to meeting this target.