Issue - meetings

To consider the disposal of Public Open Space land off Talke Road, Alsager.

The Committee considered a report on the proposed disposal of public open space land at Talke Road, Alsager.

The Council was the freehold owner of the land which been included within the adopted Local Plan as a housing and employment site.   The Council was authorised to dispose of any land that it owned but where land could be regarded as open space, as defined under s336(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Council was required to advertise its intention to dispose of the land for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper circulating in the area in which the land was situated and then consider any objections received in response.

The disposal of the land had been advertised for two weeks in the local press in December 2021 and the objections/representations received were set out in appendices III and IV to the report.

The Committee had originally considered the disposal of the public open space land at its meeting on 31 May 2022 and had resolved that the decision be deferred to enable alternative potential uses of the land to be considered.   An Addendum to the report had been provided which set out details of alternative uses of the land and responded to questions raised by the Committee at its meeting on 31 May 2022.

Councillor Rod Fletcher, a ward councillor for Alsager, addressed the Committee setting out the history and previous use of the land under consideration.

The Committee asked questions on several matters including the definition of public open space, the use of the adjacent land, future uses of the land and type of housing, previous lapsed planning applications on the land, cost of decontamination of land, sale value on the open market and if the recovering of clinker on the site had been considered.

As a few the questions related to financial information, details of which were contained within the confidential appendix to the report, it was proposed and seconded that the meeting move into Part 2 to consider these matters.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items pursuant to Section 100(A) 4 of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that it involved the likely discussion of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of part 1 of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

The Committee asked, and officers responded, to question on finance and other matters contained within the confidential appendix to the report.

It was moved and seconded that the Committee move back into Part 1 to allow the press and public to return to the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the meeting move back into Part 1 to enable the press and public to return to the meeting.

The Committee adjourned for a short break.

The Committee in considering the proposal to dispose of the public open spaces land raised the following matters during the debate:

·         the land being a brownfield site and labelled as such in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30

To consider the disposal of Public Open Space land off Talke Road, Alsager.

The Committee considered a report on the intended disposal of Council-owned land at Talke Road, Alsager, which included representations made by local residents in response to the public notification of the proposal.

The Council was the freehold owner of the land which had been included within the adopted Local Plan as a housing and employment Site. Outline Planning permission had been granted on the site for housing, and a local developer had approached the Council to purchase the site.

Appendix 5 of the report contained financial information in relation to the matter. The Committee was advised that if it wished to discuss the contents of the Appendix, it would be necessary to move into part 2 and exclude the public and press. The Committee decided to proceed on the basis of an open discussion and would resolve to move into part 2 if that became necessary.

In answer to a question from members, officers advised that ‘disposal’ meant a transfer of ownership.

Officers advised that if the Committee were minded not to approve the disposal of the land at this time but to leave open the possibility of disposal at some future date, it would be necessary for the Council to undertake a further consultation process should the Council eventually wish to dispose of the land.

Concern was expressed about the impact on the Local Plan and the 5-year housing supply if it were decided not to dispose of the land, and whether alternative sites would have to be allocated for development.

There was also a view that insufficient consideration had been given to alternative uses of the land.

Members concluded that they did not have sufficient information at the present time to make an informed decision on the future of the land.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That a decision on the disposal of the land be deferred to enable alternative potential uses to be considered, and a further report be submitted to the Committee in due course.