Issue - meetings

Report of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Zoe Nicholson

(This report contains an exempt appendix. Any discussion of this must take place at item 19 following exclusion of the public.)

(Key decision):

(1) To agree the Heads of Terms (HoTs) of the proposed sale and purchase agreement for the Council’s part of the NSQ site, as set out in the exempt Appendix 1 to the report.

(2) To delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Head of Legal Services, to complete negotiations with Human Nature and enter into a sale and purchase agreement with this party, and all ancillary documents, based on the agreed HoTs set out in the exempt Appendix 1 to the report.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Regeneration and Planning, providing an update on progress with securing a developer for the North Street Quarter scheme. The report sought Cabinet approval of the Heads of Terms (HoTs) of a legal agreement with a prospective third-party purchaser – Human Nature. It also sought delegated authority for the Council to enter into a legal agreement, based on these HoTs, with this party.

A new scheme would bring greater benefits because the South Downs National Park's Local Plan included tougher requirements on sustainability, flood defences and affordable homes.

Policy and Performance Advisory Committee (PPAC), held on 30 November 2020, considered the report and were supportive of the recommendations in full. Vice Chair, Councillor Liz Boorman, was in attendance to present PPAC’s discussion.

Following the general discussion amongst Cabinet members, Cabinet resolved to exclude the public whilst discussing the exempt appendix, containing the HoTs that accompanied the report as otherwise there was a likelihood of disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial and business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and paragraph 5 – Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Following discussion of the exempt appendix, the public meeting resumed, and Cabinet made the following resolution:

Resolved (Key decision):

(1) To agree the HoTs of the proposed sale and purchase agreement for the Council’s part of the NSQ site, as set out in the exempt Appendix 1 to the report.

(2) To delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Head of Legal Services, to complete negotiations with Human Nature and enter into a sale and purchase agreement with this party, and all ancillary documents, based on the agreed HoTs set out in the exempt Appendix 1 to the report.

Reason for decisions:

To progress redevelopment of the strategically significant North Street Quarter (NSQ) site in Lewes.