Issue - meetings

Councillor Jones stated that this report recommended to proceed with the next stage of the CPO Programme to implement the strategy for delivery of the Earl’s Court scheme, due to the lack of activity on the site.

The Leader stated that the Council had taken the compulsory purchase order decision as Capco had left the site derelict for years. Although Capco had promised a range of improvements to the area including 7,500 new homes, most had failed to materialise leading to a breakdown in trust. The project had completely stalled over the last six years with only the demolition of the exhibition centres taking place.

The Leader stressed that when markets failed, the public sector must step in, and that was precisely what the Council was doing in order to deliver much-needed homes and economic activity on the site.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Notes and agrees the CPO strategy attached at Appendix 1, including the recommendations set out in section 11.5.

2.    Agrees to proceed with the next stage of the CPO Programme based on Option 1 within the CPO Strategy and delegates authority to the Strategic Director for the Economy, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Economy, to undertake the necessary actions to progress the recommendations as set out in section 11.5. 

3.    Approves a budget of £360,000 for work described in Option 1 funded by the Corporate Demands and Pressures Reserve.

4.    Approves a waiver to contract standing orders to directly appoint Avison Young to provide project management support.

5.    Agrees to award a contract to Avison Young up to a value of £120,000 to provide project management support.

6.    Agrees to delegate authority to the Strategic Director for the Economy, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Economy, to award contracts for specialist professional advice to progress resident consultation, initial master planning, viability, delivery structure, specialist legal and soft market testing work.