Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/SE/15/006

Cabinet Member: John Griffiths      Lead Officer: Andrea Mayley

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the principle of using the Council’s compulsory purchase powers (CPO) under section 226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to acquire such estates and interest in the land as may be necessary to facilitate the development of the Eastern Relief Road and Suffolk Business Park in accordance with the local development plan, as detailed in Section 2 of Report No: CAB/SE/15/006, be approved; and

(2)     the Head of Planning and Growth be authorised to continue to explore options with the landowners which would resolve the matter without the need for the Council to invoke its compulsory purchase powers.  In the event of negotiations proving unsuccessful, a further report will be brought to a future Cabinet meeting to seek a recommendation to Council for use of CPO powers in accordance with recommendation 1 above.

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/15/006 (previously circulated), which sought approval for the principle of exercising the Council’s compulsory purchase powers to help facilitate the development of Suffolk Business Park, Bury St Edmunds.

Councillor Mrs Mildmay-White, Deputy Leader of the Council, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including that planning permission for the Eastern Relief Road (ERR) had been granted, which would provide a new link from the A14 trunk road to Moreton Hall and the Suffolk Business Park.  The Relief Road was an important piece of infrastructure designed to help relieve congestion at junctions 43 and 44 of the A14 that currently served Moreton Hall and Suffolk Business Park.

The 68 hectare extension to Suffolk Business Park and further housing growth on the Moreton Hall Estate was in three ownerships – Taylor Wimpey, the Borough Council and Rougham Estates.  Rougham Estates was represented by an agent, Churchmanor.  The land in control of Churchmanor was now the only parcel of land needed to complete the ERR and extension to Suffolk Business Park, however, negotiations with Churchmanor and the Council had currently stalled.  It was therefore now concerning that unless the Council considered the use of its powers and approved the making of a Compulsory Purchase Order, the current impasse would continue indefinitely, further delaying this important scheme and thereby failing to provide much needed housing, education, community and employment land.  

At this stage, the Cabinet was required to consider whether the Head of Planning and Growth should be authorised to continue exploring options with the landowners which would resolve the matter without needing to invoke its compulsory purchase powers.  Should negotiations be unsuccessful however, a further report would be brought back to Cabinet and full Council to progress the use of its CPO powers.

The Cabinet fully supported the recommendations as detailed in the decision below.

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the principle of using the Council’s compulsory purchase powers (CPO) under section 226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to acquire such estates and interest in the land as may be necessary to facilitate the development of the Eastern Relief Road and Suffolk Business Park in accordance with the local development plan, as detailed in Section 2 of Report No: CAB/SE/15/006, be approved; and

(2)     the Head of Planning and Growth be authorised to continue to explore options with the landowners which would resolve the matter without the need for the Council to invoke its compulsory purchase powers.  In the event of negotiations proving unsuccessful, a further report will be brought to a future Cabinet meeting to seek a recommendation to Council for use of CPO powers in accordance with recommendation 1 above.