Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Service Delivery

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Matthew Bird

(Key decision):

(1) That Cabinet approves the strategic approach presented and agrees as follows:

a. To purchase the Land at Landport Brooks to put Lewes District Council in a position to deliver a range of environmental, ecological, flood mitigation and health and wellbeing outcomes subject to valuation, legal advice and the usual due diligence.

b. To develop the business case to reflect that this is a long-term investment with environmental and potential commercial opportunities for LDC.

(2) That officers work with stakeholders and the community to deliver the best outcomes for the site, to achieve biodiversity gains, improving floodplain storage capacity and other environmental benefits.

(3) To authorise the Director of Service Delivery, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability to carry out all necessary actions to facilitate the project including negotiating the purchase of the land and determining the terms of, and authorising the execution of, all necessary documentation.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Service Delivery, seeking their approval to buy land at Landport Brooks.

Thanks were expressed to officers for their work in putting together the report and proposals.

Policy and Performance Advisory Committee (PPAC), held on 26 January 2023 considered the report and made the following recommendation to Cabinet:

To support the officer recommendations in the Cabinet report, subject to the following amendment to recommendation 1a)

a. To purchase the Land at Landport Brooks, subject to a production of a satisfactory business case, to put Lewes District Council in a position to deliver a range of environmental, ecological, flood mitigation and health and wellbeing outcomes subject to valuation, legal advice and the usual due diligence.

Councillor Boorman, Chair of Policy and Performance Advisory Committee, was in attendance to present PPAC’s discussion.

Following discussion, the Cabinet agreed that the land represented an exciting opportunity to act quickly and deliver on nature-based solutions, build climate resilience and enhance and increase biodiversity and nature across Lewes District. They unanimously agreed to proceed with the purchase without delay.

Resolved (Key decision):

(1) That Cabinet approves the strategic approach presented and agrees as follows:

a. To purchase the Land at Landport Brooks to put Lewes District Council in a position to deliver a range of environmental, ecological, flood mitigation and health and wellbeing outcomes subject to valuation, legal advice and the usual due diligence.

b. To develop the business case to reflect that this is a long-term investment with environmental and potential commercial opportunities for LDC.

(2) That officers work with stakeholders and the community to deliver the best outcomes for the site, to achieve biodiversity gains, improving floodplain storage capacity and other environmental benefits.

(3) To authorise the Director of Service Delivery, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability to carry out all necessary actions to facilitate the project including negotiating the purchase of the land and determining the terms of, and authorising the execution of, all necessary documentation.

Reason for decisions:

As a public authority in England LDC has a duty to have regard to conserving biodiversity as part of policy or decision-making. Conserving biodiversity can include restoring or enhancing a population or habitat.