Issue - meetings
REGENERATION OF CHURCHGATE SHOPPING CENTRE – UPDATE AND ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Meeting: 07/02/2019 - Council (Item 84)
84 REGENERATION OF CHURCHGATE SHOPPING CENTRE – UPDATE AND ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS 
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REPORT OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE
To receive an update and alternative options for the regeneration of Churchgate Shopping Centre.
Additional documents:
- App A - Hitchin Town Centre plan.pdf, item 84
PDF 409 KB
- App B - Future_High_Streets_Fund_prospectus.pdf, item 84
PDF 339 KB
- App C - Future_High_Streets_Fund_application_form.docx, item 84
PDF 136 KB
Decision:
RESOLVED:
(1) That Full Council notes the outcome of the bid to the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and that the proposed regeneration with Shearer Property Group previously endorsed by Full Council will therefore not proceed.
(2) That Full Council approve the principle of purchasing the leasehold interest for the Churchgate Shopping Centre, subject to further consideration of the economic case for doing so.
(3) That Full Council agrees that any regeneration of Churchgate and the surrounding area must be a viable investment that maintains a return to the Council.
(4) That officers are instructed to continue to consider a range of potential solutions in order to allow the flexibility needed to identify possible viable investments, subject to further Council decision in due course on the acceptability of any such solutions.
(5) That Full Council agrees the previously approved transfer of up to £130k from the Special Reserve be used to progress the further work required by resolutions 2.2 and 2.4.
(6) That the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Resources, in consultation with:-
(1) the Leader of the Council, Executive Member for Finance and IT and Opposition Group Leaders;
(2) Hertfordshire County Council;
(3) Hertfordshire LEP; and
(4) Appropriate local community and business groups
Progress the proposals for phase 1 bids for the Future High Streets Fund and the outcome be reported back to Full Council for decision.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS: The Council has been seeking to regenerate the Churchgate Centre for a number of years and a number of different proposals have been considered during that time, with none of those proposals progressing to a successful conclusion. The lessons learned from those previous unsuccessful attempts to regenerate the Churchgate Centre and surrounding area show that having control over the whole site (including the Churchgate Centre by owning the long leasehold interest) and being flexible as to potential solutions would increase the chances of success.
Minutes:
Audio Recording – Start of Item – Session 1 - 12 minutes 30 seconds
Councillor Julian Cunningham introduced the item and moved the recommendations in the report which were seconded by Councillor Lynda Needham.
The following amendment to recommendation 2.6 in the report was moved by Councillor Judi Billing and seconded by Councillor Ian Albert:-
“That the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive, and Director of Resources, in consultation with:-
(1) The Leader of the Council, Executive member for Finance and IT, and Opposition Group Leaders
(2) Hertfordshire County Council
(3) The Hertfordshire LEP; and
(4) Appropriate local civic and business groups
progress the proposal for the Churchgate area of Hitchin as the Phase 1 bid for the Future High Streets Fund.”
On being put to the vote:-
the Amendment was declared LOST.
An Amendment to recommendation 2.6 in the report was then moved by Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb and seconded by Councillor Ian Albert:-
“and the outcome be reported back to Full Council for decision.”
On being put to the vote:-
the Amendment was declared CARRIED.
It was then moved by Councillor Simon Harwood and seconded by Councillor Ian Albert that the amendment be further amended by a fourth bullet point to be added to recommendation 2.6 in the report, with the following wording being added:-
“and appropriate local community and business groups”
On being put to the vote the amendment was carried:-
The recommendation as amended, was moved by Councillor Judi Billing and seconded by Councillor Daniel Allen.
On being put to the vote:-
the recommendation, as amended, was declared CARRIED.
RESOLVED:
(1) That Full Council notes the outcome of the bid to the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and that the proposed regeneration with Shearer Property Group previously endorsed by Full Council will therefore not proceed.
(2) That Full Council approve the principle of purchasing the leasehold interest for the Churchgate Shopping Centre, subject to further consideration of the economic case for doing so.
(3) That Full Council agrees that any regeneration of Churchgate and the surrounding area must be a viable investment that maintains a return to the Council.
(4) That officers are instructed to continue to consider a range of potential solutions in order to allow the flexibility needed to identify possible viable investments, subject to further Council decision in due course on the acceptability of any such solutions.
(5) That Full Council agrees the previously approved transfer of up to £130k from the Special Reserve be used to progress the further work required by resolutions 2.2 and 2.4.
(6) That the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Resources, in consultation with:-
(1) the Leader of the Council, Executive Member for Finance and IT and Opposition Group Leaders;
(2) Hertfordshire County Council;
(3) Hertfordshire LEP; and
(4) Appropriate local community and business groups
Progress the proposals for Phase 1 bids for the Future High Streets Fund and the outcome be reported back to Full Council for decision.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS: The Council had been seeking ... view the full minutes text for item 84