Lead Member – Councillor Ed Potter – Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Planning 

Report of Mark Barrow, Executive Director of Place – attached

Tel: 01743 258916

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agreed to recommend to Council to:

1.1.     Approve the preferred option identified in the outline business case for the construction of a Multi-Agency Hub, on the site identified by the Smithfield Riverside master planning process and take forward as a capital project; such approval limited at this stage to progressing the project to detailed design (RIBA Stage 3: Spatial Coordination, or equivalent), requiring funding of £1.715m. A further report will be presented to Council for final approval of the design, gross development cost and funding for the construction of the project.

1.2.     Approve the submission of a planning application for the demolition of the Riverside Shopping Centre and the former Riverside medical practice to facilitate the construction of the proposed Multi-Agency Hub within the current gross cost estimate for demolition of £3.853m, and to take forward as a capital project to completion of tender documentation and receipt of tenders.

1.3.     Approve the preferred option identified in the outline business case, and submission of a planning application for the demolition of the former Pride Hill shopping centre, for the delivery of a leisure-led redevelopment of the site, with the adjacent Raven Meadow’s surface car park, for a multi - storey travel hub and associated development and take forward as a capital project; such approval limited at this stage to progressing the project to detailed design (RIBA Stage 3: Spatial Coordination, or equivalent), requiring funding of £1.580m. A further report will be presented to Council for final approval of the design, gross development cost and funding for the construction of the project.

1.4.     Delegate responsibility to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Planning to progress the capital projects (1.1 – 1.3 above), to include, but not limited to, the following:

1.4.1. Progress a procurement and delivery strategy for Smithfield Riverside, incorporating the projects summarised in items 1.1 -1.3 above.

1.4.2. Progress life-cycle carbon assessments in relation to the projects summarised in items 1.1 and 1.3 above.

1.4.3. Engage with the Environment Agency, via the River Severn Partnership, to seek opportunities provided by the national Defra Adaptive Pathways Pilot for the River Severn, to assess and manage climate related risks, incorporating adaptation into the design and delivery of the Smithfield Riverside development programme.

1.4.4. Enter negotiations with the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership to ensure the ‘Getting Building’ funding remains relevant to the Pride Hill project; scope and agree variations as required to the Grant Funding Agreement (GFA).

1.4.5. Identify funding of £3.295m to deliver the above development activities, as scheduled in appendix C.

1.5.     Further to recommendation 1.1, declare the Shirehall building and associated environs within the site boundary marked in red in appendix I, surplus to requirements.

1.6.     Delegate responsibility to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure, to agree and implement the disposal and marketing strategy as the recommended option for the Shirehall site; agree terms and conditions of sale, all subject to approval at Full Council.

Councillor Ed Potter, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Planning presented the report on progress of the due diligence, feasibility and business case preparation for alternative development options for the former Pride Hill shopping centre, the provision of multi-agency office accommodation and associated activities in Shrewsbury town centre.

It was noted that the scheme would bring forward objectives that had been identified in the Big Town Plan and included sustainable transport options.

Concern was raised that the proposals were inconsistent with those of the Smithfield Strategic Development Framework and that a different response to the consultation may have been received if the visuals had been the same.

Further concern was raised that there were no corporate or economic strategies in place, together with the lack of LTP4 and LCWIP which raised questions as to how the scheme could be approved at present. It was felt that the project could be taking away from the priority of getting policy in place before investing in infrastructure. Members were assured that the new “mobility strategy” for the Big Town Plan had been commissioned and these issues would be addressed as part of that work.

Further information was requested regarding the consultation fees of £3million and a request was received for full member consultation at each stage of the development, without delegating authority to officers. The Executive Director of Place would respond to the requests for further information.

Certain Members felt that consideration should be given to investing and improving existing infrastructure and that these were long term aspirations for new investment based on a one year budget. Members were reminded that discussions had been ongoing since 2018 and that the process had to be started at some time.

Members noted that immediate investment in Shirehall was required as the building had to meet current health and safety regulations whilst still in operation. Members were advised that significant structural work would need to be carried out to bring the building up to standard for ongoing use due to its original concrete construction, including heavy use of asbestos. It was also stated that any long-term refurbishment works to Shirehall to improve efficiency would not be comparable to that of a modern, purpose-built building.

Concern was raised regarding staff being encouraged to work from home and not in Shirehall. It was confirmed that this was in line with government guidance due to Covid and that whilst fire safety work is ongoing, restrictions on the number of people in the building were in place.

RESOLVED:

Cabinet agreed to recommend to Council to:

1.1.     Approve the preferred option identified in the outline business case for the construction of a Multi-Agency Hub, on the site identified by the Smithfield Riverside master planning process and take forward as a capital project; such approval limited at this stage to progressing the project to detailed design (RIBA Stage 3: Spatial Coordination, or equivalent), requiring funding of £1.715m. A further report will be presented to Council for final approval of the design, gross development cost and funding for the construction of the project.

1.2.     Approve the submission of a planning application for the demolition of the Riverside Shopping Centre and the former Riverside medical practice to facilitate the construction of the proposed Multi-Agency Hub within the current gross cost estimate for demolition of £3.853m, and to take forward as a capital project to completion of tender documentation and receipt of tenders.

1.3.     Approve the preferred option identified in the outline business case, and submission of a planning application for the demolition of the former Pride Hill shopping centre, for the delivery of a leisure-led redevelopment of the site, with the adjacent Raven Meadow’s surface car park, for a multi - storey travel hub and associated development and take forward as a capital project; such approval limited at this stage to progressing the project to detailed design (RIBA Stage 3: Spatial Coordination, or equivalent), requiring funding of £1.580m. A further report will be presented to Council for final approval of the design, gross development cost and funding for the construction of the project.

1.4.     Delegate responsibility to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Planning to progress the capital projects (1.1 – 1.3 above), to include, but not limited to, the following:

1.4.1. Progress a procurement and delivery strategy for Smithfield Riverside, incorporating the projects summarised in items 1.1 -1.3 above.

1.4.2. Progress life-cycle carbon assessments in relation to the projects summarised in items 1.1 and 1.3 above.

1.4.3. Engage with the Environment Agency, via the River Severn Partnership, to seek opportunities provided by the national Defra Adaptive Pathways Pilot for the River Severn, to assess and manage climate related risks, incorporating adaptation into the design and delivery of the Smithfield Riverside development programme.

1.4.4. Enter negotiations with the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership to ensure the ‘Getting Building’ funding remains relevant to the Pride Hill project; scope and agree variations as required to the Grant Funding Agreement (GFA).

1.4.5. Identify funding of £3.295m to deliver the above development activities, as scheduled in appendix C.

1.5.     Further to recommendation 1.1, declare the Shirehall building and associated environs within the site boundary marked in red in appendix I, surplus to requirements.

1.6.     Delegate responsibility to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Physical Infrastructure, to agree and implement the disposal and marketing strategy as the recommended option for the Shirehall site; agree terms and conditions of sale, all subject to approval at Full Council.