Issue - meetings

Option 1: Acquire the redundant parts of the former Skerton High School site; undertake combined site master planning; commence a pilot scheme

 Advantages:

Integrating the redundant parts of the school site into the Mainway proposals, increases housing numbers; improves housing mix; delivers community amenity; provides playing fields for wider community and sports group use; improves access to and from Mainway for pedestrian / cycle and vehicles – linking the riverside to Ryelands and beyond. Enhanced placemaking and creates a real opportunity to reverse the cycle of decline and make Skerton East a place to live with one of aspiration.

Acquiring the site establishes the control needed to deliver this transformational opportunity rather than allowing the site to go to a third party who may not deliver anything on the site that meet the core priorities of the Council.

Undertaking a co-ordinated masterplan and early phase detailed design for planning approval, will ensure how core design principles will flow through the combined site; provide improved permeability, connectivity, construction materials, etc that underpins how the new development would function and enrich the lives of residents and the wider community. The early establishment of the design team and development partner for phase 1 is key to meet timeline expectations.

Accelerating an early phase, provides clarity and assurity as to the proposed strategy of retaining the core buildings on Mainway. It communicates the vision of the Council to the community after some perceived delays in progressing the scheme. It sets the stall out as to how the regeneration of the area will come forward and delivers on site examples of the wider masterplan vision. The strategy of retaining the core buildings, is important from a viability and zero carbon objective for Mainway.

Disadvantages:

The cost of delivering a combined Mainway & school site programme is significant and prohibitive to the resources and capacities of the Council based on the current Treasury parameters that dictate borrowing capacity. Dependent on the review and adoption of potential different Treasury strategies, funding 100% of the Mainway development could restrict wider Council priorities.

The school site will have holding costs to be allowed for until developed through.

 The masterplan will take into account that a S77 approval may not be granted, but in that instance whilst a portion of that work would be wasted expense, every effort will be to minimise that element.

 There is no disadvantage in accelerating an early phase of the Mainway work. The worst scenario that that exercise might realise, is that the existing blocks are not suitable for long term retention and need to be demolished. This is highly unlikely – but the earlier this is known the better and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84