Decision details

(1)  To note the intention of Norton Radstock Regeneration Company (NRR), to wind up their company, noting that their legal liabilities, obligations and planning conditions have been mainly fulfilled and thanking the NRR Board Members for their work to deliver the regeneration scheme in Radstock.

(2)  To approve the acquisition of the Brunel Shed, for £1, and provide agreement, in principle, to delegate responsibility to the Director of Regeneration and Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, the s151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer, to:

(a)  Resolve the financial terms associated with the acquisition of the Brunel Shed by B&NES Council, to form part of the corporate estate.  The property acquisition costs, further legal advice and a full building survey (structural, utilities and environmental) will be funded by NRR remaining budget to be transferred to B&NES.

(b)  Complete the due diligence to confirm the condition of the building and land, legal issues associated with the property title and any related holding costs and liabilities.

(3)  To fully approve a capital budget of £50k funded by third-party contribution to support regeneration projects identified in the forthcoming Radstock Town Centre Regeneration Action Plan, acquisition of the Brunel Shed and potentially including some capital costs associated with the redevelopment of the Brunel Shed and/or Trinity Church.

(4)  To fully approve a capital budget of £54.5k funded from the Changing Places UK Government grant for provision of an accessible toilet in Tom Huyton Park, Radstock.  This will be owned by B&NES and managed by Radstock Town Council with B&NES the accountable organisation administering the grant.

(5)  To fully approve a capital budget of £100k to be grant funded towards capital costs of retrofitting Trinity Church for use as a community hub, to be funded by a strategic CIL provisional budget allocation for 2023/24.

In addition to note that we anticipate further capital funding for Trinity Church to be funded by grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for 2023-25.

If B&NES Council does not take on the remaining NRR assets including the Brunel Shed, another party with similar regeneration values would need to be found.  An architect has been appointed through the Council’s Framework to carry out an assessment of the Brunel Shed testing options for re-use and further due diligence is being carried out on the property Title.  With this information B&NES will be in a position to make decisions regarding its future use.

Capital funding is available for regeneration projects, a Changing Places toilet for Tom Huyton Park and towards the cost of retrofitting Trinity Church.  This is an opportunity to improve Radstock Town Centre with provision of new facilities for the community.

NRR could seek to dispose of the building on the open market or to another organisation with similar aims but there has been no market interest in the building for 10 years and no community groups or similar has made a viable proposal to take on the building.

The favoured and remaining option is therefore, subject to due diligence being concluded, the acquisition of the Brunel Shed and transfer of the remaining finances of NNR to Bath & North East Somerset Council.  B&NES would then be in a position in future to (1) dispose of the asset on the general market; (ii) retain as a corporate asset or (iii) seek to find a new viable use for the building under lease.  Any value generated would be returned to the corporate estate.

Not accept third funding for regeneration projects, a Changing Places Toilet or for Trinity Church renovations.  This is not a preferred option as the community has identified a need for these facilities and for improvements to the town centre.