In accordance with the agreed masterplan, to agree the development of land within the City Regeneration area for the purposes of the provision of a link road, highway and other associated infrastructure and mixed uses including housing, employment uses, leisure, retail units, tourism, civic and community uses together with associated public access and public realm, car parking, other new highways and other associated infrastructure, drainage, flood alleviation and associated works.

The report seeks to approve the making of the necessary orders but also considers the next steps associated with the development of the Urban Village Phase 1, which forms part of the overall regeneration plans for the City, through the provision of market and affordable housing to meet the high levels of housing need in the County.  To support the delivery of Phase 1 of the housing, the report seeks delegated authority for the Chief Officer Finance and Commercial to make arrangements to market Council-owned land at Merton Meadow.

The Cabinet Member Environment Housing and Planning presented a report in respect of the urban village/link road compulsory purchase order, and the associated side roads order. 

The decision to be taken was a Key Decision because:

·         it would result in the Council incurring expenditure which was significant having regard to the Council’s budget for the service or function to which the decision related; and

·         because it was likely to be significant in terms of its effect on communities living or working in an area comprising one or more wards in the County.

Members observed that Notice had been served in accordance with Part 3, Section 9 (Publicity in connection with key decisions) of The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. 

In accordance with the agreed master plan, Cabinet was requested to agree the development of land within the City Regeneration area for the purposes of the provision of a link road, highway and other associated infrastructure and mixed uses.  These uses included housing, employment, leisure, retail units, tourism, civic and community uses together with associated public access and public realm, car parking, other new highways and other associated infrastructure, drainage, flood alleviation and associated works.

The report sought to approve the making of the necessary orders, and also considered the next steps associated with the development of the Urban Village Phase 1, which formed part of the overall regeneration plans for the City, through the provision of market and affordable housing to meet the high levels of housing need in the County.  To support the delivery of Phase 1 of the housing, the report also sought delegated authority for the Chief Officer Finance and Commercial to make arrangements to market Council-owned land at Merton Meadow.

The following points were made in debate:

·           The Assistant Director Place Based Commissioning confirmed that the costings for the compulsory purchase orders had factored in certain legal costs, and a business relocation strategy.  It was noted that one of the principal sites had already been purchased. 

·           Funding was available to support an element of affordable housing within the proposed scheme, and it was noted in particular that Sanctuary Housing had undertaken a public consultation on this issue, and that a planning application was expected in the near future. 

·           Cabinet felt that the development of the link road was crucial to the delivery of new housing, the broader regeneration of the Hereford city area, and traffic relief to the inner ring road.

·           The site would bring additional benefits in the form of civic and community uses, including the provision of policing and health facilities, a new transport hub adjacent to the railway station, and sustainable travel features including pedestrian and cycling access.

·           To ensure best practice, officers would visit some sites where similar schemes had already taken place. 

RESOLVED:   that

(a)             the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to arrange for the making of the County of Herefordshire District Council (Edgar Street Grid and Link Road) Compulsory Purchase Order 2013 under s226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1976 and the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 for the acquisition of the land/property and the acquisition of the new rights within the areas coloured pink and blue respectively shown on the plan attached at Appendix 1 (subject to any final amendments of the said plan the Director for Places and Communities considers necessary);

(b)             the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to arrange for the making of the County of Herefordshire District Council (A465(Link Road) Classified Road) (Side Roads and Other Works) Order 2013under Sections 14 and 125 of the Highways Act 1980 which provides for the stopping up and improvement of particular side roads which connect with the proposed A465 Link Road in Hereford ("the Link Road Scheme") as shown in the plan attached at Appendix 2 subject to any final amendments of the said plan the Director for Places and Communities considers necessary);

(c)             the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised, in consultation with the Director for Places and Communities to implement the Orders, including the acquisition of all necessary land and interests and new rights, and to pay compensation including acquisitions agreed by negotiation and to carry out any other additional steps needed for the implementation of the Orders or scheme for the Link Road;

(d)             the Director for Places and Communities be authorised to procure and let the construction contract, or contracts, for the Link Road and to take all necessary steps to proceed with the scheme implementation;

(e)             in order to facilitate the delivery of the Urban Village Phase 1 changes to parking provision are agreed;

(f)              the Chief Officer Finance and Commercial be authorised to market Council-owned land within the area of Merton Meadow and to dispose of the land required to support the delivery of Phase 1 of the Urban Village, subject to achieving value for money.