Councillor Tod introduced the report which concluded that there were various opportunities to bring forward a potentially viable scheme. Subject to the committee’s decision today, the Strategic Outline Business Case would be considered at Cabinet on 18 July 2023.
Hugo Braddick from Haworth Tomkins Architects who had been commissioned to undertake the capacity study report was present at the meeting and gave a presentation on its findings. The presentation was available on the council’s website here.
At the invitation of the Leader, Councillor Wallace addressed the meeting as summarised briefly below.
He stated his excitement about the project and the opportunity to accelerate the transformation of Winchester into an environmental city. However, he expressed concern that the report appeared to adopt business as usual and did not prioritise the reduction of traffic and the importance of the station as a central travel hub for alternative transport. He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that the layout and orientation of buildings to reduce energy usage was considered at an early stage.
Councillor Tod together with the Project Lead agreed these points were important but environmental matters would be considered in relation to the master planning process which would form the next stage of the process following the capacity study. The comments also related to the development of the Winchester Movement Strategy and it was confirmed that the County Council was a member of the Station Approach Project Board. The Strategic Director also confirmed that the requirement to ensure that the council’s environmental objectives were achieved had been factored into the viability assessment as part of the capacity study.
Mr Braddick, the Project Lead and the Strategic Director responded to members’ questions in relation to the following:
a) The methodology and tolerances used in calculating viability, including external advice from JLL and Lambert Smith Hampton.
b) The different stages of the process including the concept masterplan and the outline business case.
c) The current position regarding the sites owned by Network Rail.
d) Confirmation that matters such as design of buildings and public realm would be considered at a later stage.
e) Confirmation that exempt appendix 3 (the IKON Viability Appraisal Report prepared by Lambert Smith Hampton) contained information on an assessment of values which had been used in the capacity study.
Councillor Tod thanked Mr Braddick for all the work undertaken on the capacity study.
Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out in the report and outlined above.
RESOLVED:
1. That the outcome of the capacity study indicating that there are currently opportunities to bring forward a potentially viable scheme be noted.
2. That a further report be submitted to a future Cabinet later this year incorporating the conclusions of the capacity study and other technical works undertaken into a Strategic Outline Case setting out options for how this project may be progressed.