Agenda item

The Chair introduced the report.

Members thanked Officers for progressing the works up to that point.

  The Chair encouraged Members of the Committee to walk around the site.

  RESOLVED that the Committee:

1.     Agrees in principle to use compulsory purchase powers under section 226(1)(a) and Section 226 (1) (1A) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) in respect of acquiring the land and rights within the area described in this report for Edgware Town Centre and shown on the plan attached at Appendix 1. This is on the basis that the Council is of the view that compulsory acquisition of the land may ultimately be necessary to secure delivery of the Edgware Scheme, which is seen as essential for the future economic, social and environmental well-being of the Town Centre.

2.     Agrees in principle to use compulsory purchase powers under Section 47 of the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 in respect of the Railway Hotel, Station Road, Edgware.

3.     Subject to the 'in-principle' decisions being made, authorises the Director of Growth or other Officer as delegated by the Director of Growth to:

a) settle the proposed form and content of the relevant Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) and begin preparatory work to use compulsory purchase powers and the application for any other necessary statutory consents, licenses and orders to enable project delivery in a timely manner, potentially including the use of Section 203 of Housing and Planning Act 2016 to appropriate easements and other rights in the property. Preparations for making the CPOs are likely to involve appointing land referencing agents to thoroughly investigate all land interests, together with the preparation of draft Statements of Reasons and an Equalities Impact Assessment together with all other necessary documentation to progress a CPO.

b) ensure all reasonable endeavours are used to assemble the land by agreement/ private treaty prior to the making of any CPO. This will include settling the compensation payable in acquiring any land interests including entering into compensation settlement agreements or undertakings (where such agreements or undertakings are appropriate); as well as seeking to remove land no longer required from the CPO and/or making arrangement for relocation of occupiers and vesting of land acquired in the ownership of the Council or to transfer an interest in land in respect of the properties and proprietary interests acquired pursuant to the CPO to the Scheme regeneration partners, should this be required

4.     4. Notes that:

a) The CPOs will only be made following a further detailed report and a Statement of Reasons being brought back to the Council.

b) A ‘Promotion Agreement’ is being negotiated with the JV which will indemnify the Council for costs incurred in promoting the Edgware Town Centre CPO for the benefit of the JV.

c) Any other necessary expenditure associated with preparatory work for the   CPOs will be contained within the Council’s existing approved budgets.

d) Approval of these recommendations in no way endorses the Scheme design now or at any time in the future. In this respect, the Local Planning Authority is the authority.