Decision details

Cheshire East Council and sponsors of the Crewe Engineering & Design University Technical College successfully bid to the Department of Education to establish a University Technical College in Crewe. The Council identified a number of potential sites and evaluated accordingly. Following the evaluation process, the Former Oakley (Victoria Centre), Meredith and Newdigate Centre was identified as the most suitable and preferred location to establish the proposed University Technical College in Crewe.

The University Technical College aspiration is to develop outstanding employable young people to become the next generation of highly skilled technicians and engineers to support the industries of Cheshire East.  The location in Crewe will provide access to an engineering based technical education at Key Stage 4/5 to support companies such as Siemens, Bentley Motors Ltd and Oliver Valves who have reported a need for appropriately skilled young people to join their local workforce.

The proposal will also relieve the Council of the ongoing maintenance and management liability of these premises. Some of which have been vacant for a number of years and are in a poor state of repair. The site is a central one and, being partially vacant, has been declared surplus to operational requirements. The proposal would make full use of the whole of the site and, for these reasons, the Council have identified this site as the most suitable location that is presently available to it for the purposes of housing the proposed Crewe Engineering & Design University Technical College

1.    That, in respect of the former Oakley (Victoria Centre), Meredith and Newdigate Centre, Crewe, as shown in red on the plan attached to the report, the Council be authorised to enter into an agreement for lease conditional upon those matters set out in the report and in accordance with the detailed instructions.

2.    That approval be given for negotiations take place with the current tenant of part of the site to relinquish their interest in the land so as to secure the vacant possession of those parts of the site comprised in the proposed new lease; and that on conclusion of those negotiations the Head of Legal Services be authorised to enter into a deed of surrender with the current tenant upon such terms as shall be recommended by the Interim Asset Manager.

3.    Subject to the above, that the property be leased for a term of 125 years at no premium at a peppercorn rent, which is less than best consideration, substantially in the form of the Department for Education model free school lease to the proposed new tenant the Crewe Engineering & Design University Technical College.

4.      That approval be given to enter into any and all Licences deemed necessary.