Agenda item

The Chairman stated that at the meeting in November 2024 the Committee had received a presentation and had undertaken a full discussion on the issue and the report before them today was a brief update.

The Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement introduced the report which updated the Committee on the St Martin’s Park re-development project in Stamford.  The report provided a brief update on the areas which Council had agreed should be progressed to mitigate the costs to the Council.

Sales contracts had been exchanged at the end of October 2024 committing developers to the scheme at the sale contract prices agreed by Council and landowners and developers were working on items that needed to be finished before the sale contract could be completed with the developers.  The Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement listed those items still to be dealt with which were:

·       the removal of the last stockpile

·       the removal of the gas infrastructure as it was not required for the new development.

·       the removal of the overhead powerlines and the diversion of the electricity cables under Barnack Road, under the railway and river and connecting this with Cherry Holt Lane Sub Station.  Regular meetings were taking place with the National Grid, Officers and Developers.  All works were due to be finished this year to enable the sale of the site to be completed.

The Committee were informed that since the report had been completed the three reserve matters applications from the three developers had been submitted the week commencing 10 February 2025 and were in the process of being validated as the outline Planning Consent was due to expire at the end of February 2025. 

A discussion followed with the Committee being mindful that the meeting was in open session.

One Member expressed concern that the Brownfield Land Release Fund application had been unsuccessful and the Council were potentially facing a large loss in respect of the site.  The Member was referred back to the figures which had been circulated at the last Council meeting on pink papers and he would be able to cross reference these with the information contained within the report which would give the current level of the financial risk.

Another Member asked questions in respect of a further Brownfield Land Release Fund application, what the valuation was of the three council-owned properties, did South Kesteven District Council have to pay for the removal of the third stockpile and were South Kesteven on the “hook” for the diversion of the electricity power cables.

The Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement responded that yes, a further application would be submitted to the Brownfield Land Release Fund.  He was unable to comment on the valuation of the properties, measures were in place so the Council was not responsible for the removal of the stockpiles and the Council was not on the “hook” for the electricity diversions required these were included within the signed contracts.  A further question was asked in respect of the final demolition date, however the Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement was unable to confirm when that would be.

The Committee noted the update.