Cabinet considered the proposed letting of a development site at Wainwright Road to Medical Centre Developments Ltd. to develop a larger and more modern GP premises for the Collington and Pebsham and Sea Road / Albert Road practices, as well as Sidley Surgery who would take space within the development.  The proposal would enable the practices to combine under a single roof, to meet current operational standards and to accommodate a growing patient list. 

The site related to the northern half of the former Sharwoods factory site at 1-7 Wainwright Road which had recently been demolished and cleared by the Council; the whole site was currently occupied on a temporary basis as a COVID-19 testing centre which was due to end on 21 March or any time thereafter on 20 working days’ notice.  It was noted that the site would not be required until planning permission had been achieved which would be some time off, when the site would hopefully no longer be required as a testing centre; the development of the GP practice would not be delayed by the testing centre. 

To facilitate the request, it was proposed that Medical Centre Developments Ltd. be offered a ground lease of the northern half of the site in order to invest in the development of a new surgery and pharmacy.  The scheme had the support of the East Sussex and Brighton CCG who would be responsible for approving the business case from the GP practices and approving the NHS funding for the development.  Following receipt of external advice, Heads of Terms had been agreed in principle for the ground lease, subject to Cabinet approval.  The ground lease would only be exercisable once planning permission and the Final Business Case had been approved by the Council and NHS respectively and site investigations revealed no serious adverse ground conditions / contamination.

Whilst the Council had received enquiries from other third-party developers to redevelop the site for light industrial or trade counter uses, these proposals offered a less favourable financial return to the Council.  The recommended proposal required no capital funding from the Council and limited officer resources to monitor progress of the scheme, as the developer would make the application for planning permission and manage the development. 

Cabinet was very pleased to support the proposal and authorised the Chief Executive to enter into a lease with Medical Centres Ltd at 1-7 Wainwright Road, Bexhill, on terms to his satisfaction in consultation with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Finance and Performance Management.  This would bring about much needed improvements to the GP facilities within Bexhill-on-Sea which had been an aspiration of the Primary Care Trust and other stakeholders for some time.

RESOLVED: That the Chief Executive be granted delegated authority to agree a lease with Medical Centres Ltd for the land at 1-7 Wainwright Road as indicated in Appendix A to the report.