Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/011

Contact: Adrian Rowlands, Service Manager – Property & Procurement Tel: (01865) 323678

Report by Director for Environment & Economy (CA10).

The information contained in the annex is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed category:

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, in that where a tender or bidding process is in progressdisclosure would distort the proper process of open competition and would prejudice the position of the authority in the process of the transaction and the Council’s standing generally in relation to such transactions in future, to the detriment of the Council’s ability properly to discharge its fiduciary and other duties as a public authority

Cherwell District Council is developing a new local plan to guide the development of the district up to 2031 and significant housing growth is planned for Bicester.  This plan includes proposals for North West Bicester (Eco Town) for at least 5000 homes in total (1793 of these by 2031) along with new primary schools and a Secondary school.

Outline Planning consent has been gained for the first phase (exemplar) of this overall development (housing and schools etc.) by the developer; associated with which is a S106 agreement securing land and contributions towards various infrastructure, including the proposed primary school.

The Scheme has been submitted for detailed planning consent in November 2014 following approval of the Outline Business Case that was granted in October 2014. The scheme is currently being developed to detailed design to be completed in order to enable construction to start in June 2015, with completion in time to enable pupils to begin school in September 2016.

This report is being submitted for consideration now by the Cabinet in anticipation of an expeditious Final Business Case review and subsequent governance approvals in the first financial quarter 2015, to facilitate mobilisation phases on receipt of the Land transfer agreement expected in May 2015.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)            endorse the progress to date; and

(b)            delegate to the Chief Finance Officer and Director for Environment & Economy in consultation with the Leader the authority to approve the Stage 2 Full Business Case and the award of the construction contract.

Recommendations agreed.

Cherwell District Council is developing a new local plan to guide the development of the district up to 2031 and significant housing growth is planned for Bicester. This plan includes proposals for North West Bicester (Eco Town) for at least 5000 homes in total (1793 of these by 2031) along with new primary schools and a Secondary school.

Outline Planning consent has been gained for the first phase (exemplar) of this overall development (housing and schools etc.) by the developer; associated with which is a S106 agreement securing land and contributions towards various infrastructure, including the proposed primary school.

The Scheme has been submitted for detailed planning consent in November 2014 following approval of the Outline Business Case that was granted in October 2014. The scheme is currently being developed to detailed design to be completed in order to enable construction to start in June 2015, with completion in time to enable pupils to begin school in September 2016.

Cabinet considered a report that was submitted for consideration in anticipation of an expeditious Final Business Case review and subsequent governance approvals in the first financial quarter 2015, to facilitate mobilisation phases on receipt of the Land transfer agreement expected in May 2015.

During discussion Cabinet welcomed the proposals ahead of the bulk of the housing being built. It was hoped that the building standard would reflect the standards expected of an Eco Town.

RESOLVED:           to:

(a)            endorse the progress to date; and

(b)            delegate to the Chief Finance Officer and Director for Environment & Economy in consultation with the Leader the authority to approve the Stage 2 Full Business Case and the award of the construction contract.