Chichester District Council
Issue

Issue - meetings

Disposal of The Grange development site, Midhurst

Meeting: 04/09/2018 - Cabinet (Item 564)

564 Development Site - The Grange Midhurst pdf icon PDF 63 KB

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its three appendices (the second and third of which are confidential Part II exempt* material and are printed on salmon-coloured paper for members and relevant officers only) and to make the resolution set out below:

 

(1)  That the offer submitted by the preferred bidder for the Grange disposal land be approved in principle, the details of which are set out in the confidential exempt appendix 2 to the agenda report.

 

(2)  That the Director Growth and Place be authorised, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Place, to conclude a freehold sale, initially through a contract subject to planning, at not less than the figure stated in the confidential exempt appendix 2 to the agenda report.

 

*[Note Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972]

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the offer submitted by the preferred bidder for the Grange disposal land be approved in principle, the details of which are set out in the confidential exempt appendix 2 to the agenda report.

 

(2)  That the Director Growth and Place be authorised, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Place, to conclude a freehold sale, initially through a contract subject to planning, at not less than the figure stated in the confidential exempt appendix 2 to the agenda report.

 

Minutes:

[Note As stated in minute 559, this item was considered at the end of the meeting after agenda item 14 but is recorded here in accordance with the published order of business]

 

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report and its three appendices in the agenda supplement, the second and third of which were confidential exempt material and circulated to members and officers only.

 

This item was presented by Mr Dignum.

 

Mrs Hotchkiss and Mrs McKay were in attendance for this matter.

 

Mr Dignum commented as follows:

 

In 2015 CDC invested over £6.7 m into the new Grange sports facility in Midhurst. At the same time it was hopeful that a well-known retail brand, namely Waitrose, would like to take on the area of land on which the original sports facility stood.  The local community was particularly keen on such an outcome as it would naturally promote Midhurst into a more substantial retail centre.  The current grocery shops were Budgens, Tesco Express, two garages with retail facilities, the Cowdray shop complex and an independent baker and butcher. Clearly the arrival of Waitrose would have increased the range of options for local residents, particularly those with limited transport means.

 

The site of the former Grange leisure facilities had been marketed three times:

 

·       In 2015 on the completion of the new Leisure Centre and Library facilities. A proposed purchaser was identified, Kimberley Developments working with Waitrose, but sadly the retail economic climate turned downward very quickly in late 2015 at the wrong moment. As a result Kimberley acting for Waitrose withdrew. Waitrose scrapped plans to open new stores anywhere in the UK in September 2016 and had since then even announced some store closures.

 

·       The site was remarketed in 2016. However this exercise was terminated by the Cabinet in November 2016 as none of the offers presented was adequate.

 

·       The site was recently re-marketed extensively yet again and all options considered on an ‘open ended’ basis, including going back to previously interested parties which had expressed an interest in the site.A large retail outlet had always been the preferred option but given the economic challenges facing the food industry CDC had to consider a range of other uses, which included offices, start-up accommodation, non-food retail, residential property, sheltered housing and care home facilities.

 

Thirteen offers had been received: ten were for residential, of which two were for retirement homes; one was for a food store; and one was for either residential or retail depending on planning. The remaining offer was for a care home. There had been no interest submitted for new office accommodation. This was a strong indicator that there was no current demand. Indeed recently some office accommodation in the town had been converted to residential units. As for retail, the industry was clearly going through a difficult phase for an as yet indeterminate period. In contrast a care home would provide much-needed facilities in the area with an ageing population and increasing demand for care.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 564


 

Top of page