Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To update the Executive on progress since securing planning consent in January 2022 and to seek authority to proceed with the next stages of the delivery of the Western Growth Corridor (WGC) development, including:

-         Starting the procurement process for the design and build of the Tritton Road bridges and spine road that would complete the transport infrastructure through the site, so that delivery timescales could be met should funding for the Tritton Road bridges from Levelling Up Fund Round 2 (LUF2) be secured; and

-         The use of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers to enable delivery of Phase 1a of the development.

Decision

1.     That procurement by officers be commenced on the Tritton Road bridges and Spine Road so that the Council would still be able to meet the timescales involved in delivering the LUF2 funding requirements should the Council be awarded and accept any funding offer made.

2.     That the Council uses compulsory purchase powers to acquire the two identified strips of unregistered land to enable the commencement of the opening-up infrastructure works of Phase 1a of the Western Growth Corridor development.

3.     That the power to override third party rights and easements under section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2003 be authorised.

4.     That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director for Major Developments and the City Solicitor to approve the final form of the application and use of the required compulsory purchase order powers and the decisions about the extent of the land or rights over land to be acquired provided that these were necessary for the purposes of delivering Western Growth Corridor and were within the area identified on the plan, as detailed at Appendix A of the report.

5.     That progress to date and the activities outlined in the report to further progress the scheme be supported.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reason for Decision

The Western Growth Corridor (WGC) represented one of four sustainable urban extension (SUE) areas around Lincoln identified and promoted in the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan for development to meet the area’s growth projections up to 2036.  It was the closest SUE to the city centre and had the greatest opportunity to achieve real sustainability both within the development and for the surrounding communities.  It was the major area for housing and employment growth in the city itself and a key part of delivering Lincoln’s Growth Strategy over the next 20 years.

The Central Lincolnshire Local Plan adopted in April 2017 following a robust and thorough examination had now approved the principle for development of the site.  Having established the principle of development, the next stage was to consider the key building blocks of the development at a broad rather than a detailed level.  The Local Plan allocation was for a new neighbourhood of 3,200 new homes (20% affordable), twenty hectares of commercial/employment space, a new Leisure Village, improvements in accessibility and range of green space, flood mitigation improvements, remediation of the former tip  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44