Decision details

RESOLVED that Cabinet recommends that Full Council:

1.     Approves the strategy to assemble the land required for the development of the former Debenhams Site in Palmerston Road, in line with the approved planning application for the site;

2.     Delegates authority to the Director of Regeneration and S151 Officer on the advice of the City Solicitor in consultation with the Leader to: -

(i)              Negotiate and complete acquisitions of legal interests subject to affordability, based on the statutory Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) Compensation Code, in land required for the delivery of the former Debenhams planning consent;

(ii)            Procure and appoint specialist advisers as required for Land Referencing Agents and specialist compulsory purchase surveyors;

(iii)          Approve the progress of all work necessary to establish a case for compulsory purchase;

(iv)          Approve, in principle, the use of compulsory purchase powers for the acquisition of land to deliver the former Debenhams (Palmerston Road), regeneration scheme (indicatively shown in red on the attached plan at Appendix 2) and note that the making of any compulsory purchase order will be subject to a further report to cabinet and Full Council confirming that the criteria in paragraph 3.18 have been met.

3.     NOTES the red line area shown on the plan (Appendix 2) as currently drawn. Officers will take all reasonable measures to minimise the need to acquire third party interests in accordance with CPO Guidance and the existing design approach to the scheme.

RESOLVED that Cabinet NOTES that:

(i)              Officers may need to seek a future resolution to grant the Director of Regeneration and the City Solicitor authority, in accordance with section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972, to declare that any land acquired or held and required for the delivery of the former Debenhams (Palmerston Road) Regeneration scheme, where they conclude that it is no longer needed for its present purpose, is appropriated for such statutory purpose as necessary to deliver the former Debenhams (Palmerston Road) Regeneration scheme, and to authorise the overriding of such easements, rights, or other adverse matters burdening the land, where that is needed to deliver the scheme, in reliance on section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016.