That:

(a)  The project be confirmed in the development and regeneration programme as part of the council’s development partnership with Engie Regeneration Ltd;

(b)  the following Council Criteria for Stage 1 of the Station Approach student accommodation project be approved:

                      i.        A student accommodation block of up to 220 units;

                    ii.        A design and specification in line with normal market practice and demand, subject to other criteria set out here;

                   iii.        A design which is Equality Act compliant and which respects the requirements of students with diverse needs and promotes the wellbeing of all its residents;

                   iv.        To achieve the earliest possible completion date to align with the commencement of an academic year;

                    v.        To develop the project in liaison with higher education and further education providers identified by the council including Hereford College of Arts and NMiTE;

                   vi.        To identify funding options for the project;

                  vii.        To identify options for the asset management of the accommodation;

                viii.        To identify ways to provide active frontage and a commercially viable amenity on the ground floor;

                   ix.        To work with the council to help replace car parking spaces impacted by the scheme;

                    x.        To provide a scheme which meets the requirements of BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) Good or above;

                   xi.        To provide the council with options for the project to make an enhanced contribution to environmental sustainability, over and above that which would be required by relevant law or existing planning policy;

                  xii.        To work with the Council to develop the evidential framework by which the Stage 2 Submission can be assessed against the Council’s requirement to demonstrate best value and meet all other relevant legal obligations.

(c)  a Stage 1 Development Fee of up to £351k be approved with a contingency of 20% (£70k) to be released, if required, by the Director for economy, communities and corporate; and

(d)  A further capital sum of £50k is approved for drawing down from the Development Partnership capital budget in order to support the council in delivering Stage 1 of the project, including the covering of staff costs and potential contingency against the Stage 1 development fee.