Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources regarding development proposals for the revised final phase of Airfield Business Park in Market Harborough and seeking approval for the allocation of resources to support the submission of a planning application for light industrial units, to proceed to tender to construct the final phase of the scheme and, subject to the outcome of that tender exercise, for the Director of Corporate Resources to proceed with the development.  A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 7’, is filed with these minutes.

Comments of the Scrutiny Commission, which had considered a report on the matter at its meeting on 6 September, were circulated separately, along with comments from the local member, Mr. P. King CC.  A copy is filed with these minutes.

RESOLVED:

a)    That the comments of the Scrutiny Commission be noted;

b)    That £16.5m be allocated from the Investing in Leicestershire Programme for the further development of 105,974 sq. ft of Airfield Business Park (‘the development’) as detailed in the report and the appended indicative Masterplan, subject to the satisfactory outcome of the tender exercise referred to in c) below;

c)    That a tender exercise be undertaken for the construction of part of the development:

d)    That the Director of Corporate Resources be authorised

(i)    to undertake all necessary preparatory work to enable the submission of a planning application for the proposed development;

(ii)   following consultation with the Cabinet Lead Member for Resources, to consider the outcome of the tender exercise in respect of the development and determine whether to proceed with the development;

(iii) subject to (ii) above, to select a preferred contractor(s) and enter into such contracts and undertake such work as is necessary and appropriate to enable the development to be delivered.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

The development of the Council-owned land will support the delivery of both new business accommodation, completion of the final development phase of a brownfield site, generation of local job opportunities, support the local economy and delivery of income generating assets.

Undertaking a formal tendering exercise will ensure that the Council secures the most competitive build cost price.

The delegation to the Director of Corporate Resources, following consultation with the Lead Member for Resources, will enable the development to proceed immediately, subject to a satisfactory outcome to the tender exercise.