Issue - decisions

Resolved:  That the Executive:

(i)           Note the feedback from public engagement regarding plans for the redevelopment of the Lowfield site in Acomb following agreement by Executive in July 2016 to move forward with the development of the Lowfield School Site.

(ii)          Agree the spatial plan prepared for the Site as described in the report in order to deliver approximately 162 new homes, a care home, newly built accommodation for health & other public services as well as public open space and an estimated capital receipt of £4.5m, with appropriate adjustments madeto the arrangement of homes to the north west boundary ofthe Site in order to facilitate integration and to the traffic flows through the site to prevent a through-traffic route being opened up between Tudor Road and Dijon Avenue.

(iii)        Agree that the Older Persons’ Accommodation Programme includes the procurement of a new residential care facility on the Site as part of the wider Lowfield Green development.

(iv)        Agree to:

                                   i.          procure a developer/operator to construct and operate a Care Home containing approximately 70 beds on approximately 1.4 acres of the Site;

                                  ii.          the developer/operator to be chosen through a competitive process which complies with both the EU Public Contract Regulations and our own Contract Procedure Rules;   

                                iii.          dispose of approximately 1.4 acres of the Site to the developer of the Care Home by way of a long lease in return for payment of a premium/capital sum;

                                iv.          impose a condition within the lease that the site of the Care Home  can only be used as a Care Home for a specified period; 

                                 v.          procure a contract under which the Council would seek to purchase access to a specified number of beds in the Care Home at a specified rate for a specified number of years;

                             vi.             the undertaking by the Council of road construction and other enabling works estimated to cost approximately £993,000 in order to facilitate construction of the Care Home and development of adjoining land for housing; and

                           vii.             the cost of this procurement and the necessary enabling works initially being paid out of the Older Persons’ Accommodation Programme budget and later by receipts from the disposal of land on the Site.

(v)         Agree to receive the recommendation to dispose of land for the Care Home to the preferred bidder by way of long lease in accordance with the Council’s Financial and Contract Procedure Rules. 

(vi)        Agree to the preparation and submission of a planning application (relating to new access routes to the site and other necessary elements of the plan) in order to facilitate the development of the Care Home with the cost of preparing the planning application to be initially funded from the Older Persons’ Accommodation Programme and subsequently from future receipts from the disposal of land on the Site.

(vii)      Agree to seek a developer/s or alternatively for the Council to undertake development for housing of approximately 8 acres on the Site.

(viii)     Agree to receive the recommendation, where relevant, to sell approximately 8 acres of the Site for housing development to the preferred developer/s in accordance with the Council’s Financial and Contract Procedure Rules. 

(ix)        Agree to sell plots of land for use by self-builders and community housing to provide homes on approximately 1 acre of the Site in accordance with the Council’s Financial and Contract Procedure Rules. 

(x)         Agree to work in partnership with a health care/service partner and North Yorkshire Police to develop a health and public service facility on approximately 1 acre of the Site.

(xi)        Agree to receive the recommendation, where relevant, to sell or lease land for health and other public service users in accordance with the Council’s Financial and Contract Procedure Rules. 

(xii)      Request that reports are brought to Executive in 2017 to:

·        Provide details of the health facilities that can be provided on the Site and the structure of the partnership which will deliver them.

·        Provide details of the police facilities that can be provided on the Site and the structure of the partnership which will deliver them.

·        Provide details of the football facilities that can be created on land off Tadcaster Road.

Reason: (i) to (xi)         To progress with the Lowfield Green development and deliver additional care, health and housing facilities for the residents of York.

(xii)        So that the elements of the Lowfield Green development can progress.