Issue details
Somer Valley Enterprise Zone - In principle Statutory Mechanisms
BANES has undertaken a procurement exercise to
secure strategic and implementation advice on the statutory
mechanisms available to the Council to enable delivery of the
commercial outcomes at Somer Valley Enterprise Zone (SVEZ) through
the acquisition of land parcels. Approval is sought to bring
forward, an in-principle resolution to adopt the appropriate
statutory mechanisms available to the Council to enable the
acquisition of land at SVEZ and to facilitate the delivery of the
project.
Rationale for Decision
The Council is looking to deliver a mixed used regeneration project
in the Somer Valley, predominantly on the land forming part of the
Somer Valley Enterprise Zone (SVEZ) which is held in multiple
ownerships. The SVEZ has been allocated for mixed use development
in the Council’s local plan since 2007 but has not been
bought forward by the private sector. In addition to the
development of the SVEZ, there are a number of highway works that
will be necessary in order to deliver the project, including a new
access from the A362 and network junction interventions.
The Local Planning Authority (LPA) is promoting a Local Development
Order (LDO) across the SVEZ, and highway enabling works to assist
in bringing the site forward.
In order to secure delivery of the outcomes at SVEZ the Council
needs to acquire the majority if not all of the land within the
SVEZ as well as several small parcels of land outside of the
highway boundary.
It is therefore necessary to consider the statutory mechanisms
available to the Council to enable the acquisition of the land
parcels should ongoing negotiations not lead to private treaty
acquisitions.
Financial and Budget Implications
The SVEZ has WECA IF programme funding to deliver the LDO alongside
s.106 contributions. An Outline Business Case+ (OBC+) is being
prepared to secure funding for the project, with submission
targeted for January 2024. A funding bid will be made to the
Investment Fund to support land acquisition.
Other options considered
The land has been allocated since 2007 without the private sector
bringing the site forward. The Council is promoting the LDO and
land acquisition to enable delivery.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Affects more than 1 ward;
Decision status: Approved
Wards affected: Paulton;
Notice of proposed decision first published: 28/09/2023
Anticipated restriction: Part exempt -
Decision due: 16 Jan 2024 by Corporate Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel
Decision due: 1 Feb 2024 by Cabinet
Lead member: Councillor Robin Moss, Labour Group Leader Robin_Moss@bathnes.gov.uk Cabinet Member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development
Lead director: Director of Capital & Housing Delivery
Contact: Richard Holden, Operations Manager - Bath Enterprise Zone Email: Richard_Holden@bathnes.gov.uk Tel: 01225 47 7655 Email: simon_martin@bathnes.gov.uk.
Consultation process
The project team and its consultants have been
in regular dialogue with the landowners over the last 24 months.
The project reports into the Cabinet Member and a Key Stakeholder
Group.
An informal public engagement was held in May-June 2022. The LDO
documents were published on 16th January 2023 and the formal
statutory consultation concluded on 23rd February 2023. Following
the statutory consultation, the project team attended workshops
with Development Management to address comments received and
revised documents were submitted to the LPA. A revised statutory
consultation began on 22nd September 2023 and concludes on 20th
October 2023.
Prior to the revised statutory consultation, the project team
attended the Farrington Gurney Parish Council meeting on the 18th
September and the Somer Valley Forum on 20th September 2023.
Consultees
The informal public engagement in May/June
2022 consisted of a public webinar, consultation boards in local
libraries and hard copy and online surveys. Engagement events were
undertaken at Westfield Parish Council, Radstock Town Council,
Paulton Parish Council and a residents meeting in Paulton, and
Somer Valley Forum. Both statutory consultations were hosted on the
Planning Portal, with a dedicated webpage on the B&NES site
that described the documents uploaded and then directed through to
the Planning Portal for comment. Statutory consultees were
contacted directly by Development Management to inform them of the
application being published for comment. The project reports into
the Cabinet Member and a Key Stakeholder Group.
EFP Reference: E3487
Decisions
Agenda items
- 01/02/2024 - Cabinet Somer Valley Enterprise Zone In Principle Statutory Mechanisms 01/02/2024