Agenda item

1.     That the Strategic Outline Business Case be approved and that officers prepare the Outline Business Case for consideration by Cabinet in autumn 2021.

2.     That revenue expenditure of up to a further £525,000 be approved from the £2m CWR revenue budget to:

a.     prepare and complete the Outline Business Case for Cabinet approval in autumn 2021.

b.     Prepare and produce draft procurement and marketing documents for the Defined Site, for Cabinet approval in autumn 2021, subject to approval of the Outline Business Case as referred to in Rec 1 above.

c.      Research, prepare and submit funding bids to support delivery of the Defined Site.

d.     Implement the meanwhile uses strategy for Kings Walk as outlined in this report at paragraphs 13.24 to 13.26.

3.     That a supplementary revenue budget of £275,000 to carry out essential repair and maintenance requirements associated with Kings Walk be approved, funded from the Asset Management Reserve.

4.     That a supplementary increase of £185,000 to the Kings Walk improvements capital scheme budget be approved and its spend be authorised to undertake the additional works, to activate the Kings Walk area in accordance with the meanwhile uses strategy.

5.     That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management, to prepare, finalise and procure services to carry out improvement works and deliver the meanwhile uses strategy at Kings Walk.

6.     That authority be delegated to the Service Lead – Legal to enter into contractual arrangements to carry out improvement works and deliver the meanwhile uses strategy at Kings Walk and any necessary ancillary agreements.

7.     That the Strategic Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management, be instructed to agree and implement governance arrangements for the next stage of the project.

Councillor Learney introduced the report which sought approval for the strategic outline business case and to move into the next formal stage in plans to transform central winchester.  She highlighted that the proposals had previously been publicly shared at a Central Winchester Regeneration Open Forum on 5 July 2021 and Scrutiny Committee on 19 July 2021.  In addition, an all Member briefing had taken place on 5 July 2021.

The Head of Programme gave a presentation outlining the background and reasons for the current proposals.  In particular, she explained the reasoning behind the proposed recommendation of a single development partner approach for the defined site.  She also drew attention to paragraph 13.6 of the report which outlined why the proposed development approach was consistent with the development route envisaged by the CWR Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).  The presentation was available on the Council’s website here.

Councillor Learney responded to the comments raised by the Scrutiny Committee, which were contained in a supplementary agenda circulated to all Members and published on the Council’s website prior to the Cabinet meeting.  She confirmed that the Archaeology Panel would be reconvened and the Council would continue to focus on the cultural offer through the meanwhile uses at Kings Walk and also by working with Hampshire Cultural Trust regarding their future proposals for a cultural offer.  She also confirmed that the future governance arrangements for the project would also be reviewed.

Councillors Learney and Tod also responded to matters raised at the Scrutiny Committee regarding archaeology and the bus station by a member of the public.

Three representations were made during public participation as summarised briefly below.

Kim Gottlieb

With regard to archaeology, important point to establish what was located within the site and where and it had recently been stated by a local archaeology expert that this could only be achieved by excavation of the area to the east of Tanner Street and therefore believed that progress of the development could continue in areas to the west.  Outlined the advantages he believed to the Council of undertaking the excavation works itself, prior to the selection of a development partner. 

Terry Gould

Concurred with the points raised by Mr Gottlieb regarding the importance of acting now to protect the site archaeology. Questioned when an urban design master plan would be produced.  Considered that the defined site area deviated from that set out in the SPD and queried the omission of the Broadway.  Also queried the inclusion of proposals for Kings Walk as it was an unattractive building with limited income stream opportunities.

Arthur Morgan (on behalf of Richard Baker, City of Winchester Trust)

Cabinet members had been sent a letter from the Trust expressing its strong concerns regarding the current proposals and the length of time taken to progress the scheme.  The Trust requested two actions to get the project back on track and ensure compliance with the SPD, namely to engage with multiple developers (rather than a single developer) and to develop a master plan to set out a planning and urban design framework, which should be subject to public consultation.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillors Horrill and Cook addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

Councillor Horrill

In general welcomed the report and the opportunity for a thorough review of its contents at Scrutiny Committee on 19 July 2021.  Raised various issues regarding the proposed future governance arrangements and requested that Council be given the opportunity to review the full business case.  Considered that the current proposals did not fully deliver on the SPD, partly due to the redrawing of the site boundaries, and requested that Cabinet commit to the other parallel projects of Woolstapler’s Hall and related Hampshire Cultural Trust initiatives.  Believed there was general support for the cultural quarter initiative but the plans for Kings Walk were misguided.  Challenged the investment objectives and believed fundamental elements were missing.

Councillor Cook

Requested full transparency for all members and the public on the consultants’ fees.  Disappointed that the business case did not include a bus hub although noted the wider implications of the Winchester Movement and Access Strategy.  Believed that the proposals regarding archaeology fell short of what was required and the potential significant impact on the scheme’s viability had been insufficiently set out.  Requested that full council be given the opportunity to assist in the decision-making for such an important project.

Councillor Learney responded to comments made regarding archaeology, Kings Walk, external fees, procuring a development partner, requests for a master plan for the CWR area and the governance of the scheme.  She drew attention to the recommendations of the independent report of the archaeology panel which were available on the council’s website.   

Councillor Tod responded to comments regarding the Broadway and the bus hub and emphasised that future proposals went further than the CWR scheme itself and would require a partnership approach with the County Council and possible further applications for government funding, for example through the Local Enterprise Partnership scheme.

Cabinet then moved into exempt session to consider the exempt appendix to the report before returning to open session to agree the recommendations as set out below.

Cabinet agreed the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the report.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the Strategic Outline Business Case be approved and that officers prepare the Outline Business Case for consideration by Cabinet in autumn 2021.

2.         That revenue expenditure of up to a further £525,000 be approved from the £2m CWR revenue budget to:

a.      Prepare and complete the Outline Business Case for Cabinet approval in autumn 2021.

b.     Prepare and produce draft procurement and marketing documents for the Defined Site, for Cabinet approval in autumn 2021, subject to approval of the Outline Business Case as referred to in Rec 1 above.

c.      Research, prepare and submit funding bids to support delivery of the Defined Site.

d.     Implement the meanwhile uses strategy for Kings Walk as outlined in this report at paragraphs 13.24 to 13.26.

3.         That a supplementary revenue budget of £275,000 to carry out essential repair and maintenance requirements associated with Kings Walk be approved, funded from the Asset Management Reserve.

4.         That a supplementary increase of £185,000 to the Kings Walk improvements capital scheme budget be approved and its spend be authorised to undertake the additional works, to activate the Kings Walk area in accordance with the meanwhile uses strategy.

5.         That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management, to prepare, finalise and procure services to carry out improvement works and deliver the meanwhile uses strategy at Kings Walk.

6.         That authority be delegated to the Service Lead – Legal to enter into contractual arrangements to carry out improvement works and deliver the meanwhile uses strategy at Kings Walk and any necessary ancillary agreements.

7.         That the Strategic Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Asset Management, be instructed to agree and implement governance arrangements for the next stage of the project.