Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2024/283

Contact: Michael Smedley, Head of Estates, Assets and Investments (Michael.Smedley@oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Report by Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer (CMDF5).

The information in this case is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed categories: 

3. Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) 

and since it is considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

The annex containing exempt information under the above paragraph is attached. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    Approve, as a key decision, the freehold sale of land to the north of Iffley Village in Oxford in consideration of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) receiving a capital receipt once planning permission has been granted.

b)    Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Director of Property, to consider officer recommendations and agree the final purchaser and sale price.

Report by the Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer (CMD5)

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    Approve, as a key decision, the freehold sale of land to the north of Iffley Village in Oxford in consideration of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) receiving a capital receipt once planning permission has been granted.

b)    Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Director of Property, to consider officer recommendations and agree the final purchaser and sale price.

The Cabinet Member considered a report regarding land at Iffley which was a former playing field on the northern edge of Iffley Village, within the boundaries of Oxford City. The site was historically used as playing fields for the former St Augustine’s School (now re-developed into housing). The site was used as a works compound for the building works at the neighbouring Iffley Academy and had been vacant since.

The former St Augustine’s School site was redeveloped in 2008, and the site was identified by Oxford City Council as a potential housing site. At the time, the site was being looked at for alternative playing fields for a nearby school. When this need fell away in 2015/16 the site was promoted by OCC in response to Oxford City Councils Strategic Housing Land Assessment (SHLAA) and allocated for residential development in October 2016.

The site was placed on the disposals list and the decision was made to progress with an outline planning application for residential development. Following the Pre- Application process an application was submitted. When/if planning permission is achieved, the intention was for the land to be marketed for sale having already been declared surplus.

The Cabinet Member said that it was a site that had been identified by the City Council, as suitable for housing and that it is was a good initiative. However, he indicated that if the likely income was less than indicated, another decision would be required.

The Cabinet Member agreed to the recommendations in the report.

RESOLVED to:

a)    approve, as a key decision, the freehold sale of land to the north of Iffley Village in Oxford in consideration of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) receiving a capital receipt once planning permission has been granted.

b)    delegate authority to the Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Director of Property, to consider officer recommendations and agree the final purchaser and sale price.