In June 2020, Cabinet authorised the preparatory work required for the making of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) at Blackfriars, Battle including the completion of land referencing and budget. 

The Council had now issued notices under S16 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to those with registered and identified interests in the land that was proposed to be compulsorily acquired (Order Land).  The draft Rother District Council (Blackfriars) CPO 2020 (the Order) attached at Confidential Appendix 1 to the report identified the various interests and rights in the Order Land, and those who owned them or had the benefit of them; the land to be acquired was identified in the redline plan at Appendix 2 the report (the Order Map). 

The draft Statement of Reasons attached at Appendix 3 to the report set out the Council’s reasons for making and seeking confirmation of the proposed Order.  This document formed part of a suite of information to be prepared to support the proposed Order.  The report provided a description of land to be acquired which comprised of eight separate plots of land. 

Whilst formal written offers had been sent to the relevant landowners by the Council in March 2020, agreements to acquire the parcels of land by private treaty had not yet been finalised.  Advice received from specialist compensation valuers demonstrated that the financial offers made in March 2020 by the Council were reasonable, and likely to be in excess of any compensation settlement calculated based on the Compulsory Purchase Compensation Code.  Following this advice, further correspondence had been sent to the relevant landowners in August 2020, reiterating the Council’s previous offer to acquire the land without the need for CPO.  Confirmation of any responses received would be confirmed at the meeting. 

It was noted that the Council would continue to use reasonable endeavours to assemble the land by agreement or private treaty rather than use the CPO powers which was a last resort.

With regard to the development of the site, it was confirmed that the scheme had been granted Outline Planning Permission in terms of access, alignment of the spine road and scale of development across the site, subject to the signing of a Section 106 Agreement.  Architects had been appointed to work up the detailed design for a Reserved Matters Application, with a target for submission of October 2020.

Cabinet was pleased to confirm the making of the Order and note the progress made on this project that would deliver housing choice, increase local economic activity and deliver environmental improvements for Battle and the surrounding area.  The new development would be highly sustainable and futureproofed for carbon zero in line with the Council’s climate emergency declaration and associated targets.  In addition, the construction phase of the development was scheduled to occur over a four year period and was estimated to support the employment of 620 people.  It was intended that the project be delivered by Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd, the Council’s wholly owned housing company.

Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44