Decision details

Bath Western Riverside

Decision Maker: Director Finance - Section 151 Officer

Decision status: Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

The purpose of this decision is to:

1) Authorise the Wales & West Utilities gas rationalisation purchase order in line with the executed contract terms for the remaining contract value of £4,170,000, that being the full contract value of £5,560,000 less deposit monies paid of £1,390,000.

2) Authorise the progression and execution of a supporting agreement with National Grid Property Twenty-Severn Limited, a third-party landowner at the Bath Western Riverside development site, to secure a fixed funding contribution towards the gas rationalisation works and land swap obligation in order to create independent development plots for each party at 6 years from agreement entry, conditional upon completion of the gas rationalisation works.


Decision:

In accordance with the delegation of approvals set out in the Cabinet Decision E3168, the Director of Economy and Growth in consultation with the S151 Officer authorises the Wales & West Utilities gas rationalisation purchase order of £4,170,000, and progression and execution of a supporting agreement with National Grid Property Twenty-Severn Limited to secure a fixed funding contribution towards the gas rationalisation works and land swap obligation in order to create independent development plots for each party at 6 years from agreement entry, conditional upon completion of the gas rationalisation works.

Alternative options considered:

The Council has considered the other options available to safeguard the delivery of new homes in Bath as;

Do Nothing – Council does not procure the gas rationalisation works and leaves it to the market to bring the land forward once viable to do so. Given the complexity and expense of upfront infrastructure and remediation, this is likely to continue to stall development for a number of years.

Delay – Do not procure the gas rationalisation works on current programme. This option has been discounted as the contract deposit has been placed and pre-works committed. Delaying would result in the council losing the ability to procure the gas works with programme certainty and would not support the council’s land investment or provide any programme certainty to the delivery of new homes needed in Bath.


Publication date: 09/11/2020

Date of decision: 06/11/2020