Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council
Councillors:
54
Wards:
18
Committees:
22
Meetings (2025):
67
Meetings (2024):
72
Meeting
Manydown Overview Committee - Basingstoke & Dean
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Thursday, 23rd November 2023
6:30 PM
Thursday, 23rd November 2023
6:30 PM
End:
Thursday, 23rd November 2023
9:30 PM
Thursday, 23rd November 2023
9:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
23 Nov 2023
23 Nov 2023
Location:
Committee Rooms 1 & 2 - Deanes
Committee Rooms 1 & 2 - Deanes
Webcast:
Available
Available
Meeting Attendees
Reserve
Vice-Chair of Human Resources Committee
Reserve
Chair of the Investigating and Disciplinary and Standards Appeals Committee
Reserve
Chair of the Resources Committee
Committee Member
Agenda
1
Apologies for absence and substitutions
Minutes
There were no apologies for absence.
2
Declarations of interest
Minutes
There were no declarations of interest.
3
Urgent matters
To consider any items of business, other than those shown on this agenda and which, by reason of special circumstances to be stated at the meeting, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.
Minutes
There were no urgent matters.
4
Minutes of the meeting held on the 21st June 2023
The Chair will move that the minutes of the meeting be signed as a correct record. The only part of the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.
Attachments:
- Document Minutes of the meeting held on the 21st June 2023 14 Nov 2023
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 21st June 2023 were confirmed by the committee as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
5
Manydown North Land Drawdown
The purpose of this report is to provide a confidential update on the approach to the land drawdown strategy and completing negotiations to secure the Option and complete the freehold transfer of the development site to achieve land drawdown and to enable commencement of development.
Contact Officer: Andrew Reynolds
Contact Officer: Andrew Reynolds
Attachments:
- Document Manydown North Land Drawdown Report 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 1- Land drawdown purchase strategy- Confidential 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 2 Confidential 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 3 - Draft S123 Valuation Report (Confidential) 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 4 Draft HoTs (Confidential) 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 5 Confidential 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 5a confidential 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 5b confidential 14 Nov 2023
- Document Appendix 6 Confidential 14 Nov 2023
Minutes
The Leader of the Council introduced the report in the absence of the Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Regeneration and advised that it was a landmark opportunity to bring the paper on the Manydown North Land drawdownafter a period of 27 years. It was momentous and transformational for the Borough as there had been consequences for the Borough during that period. When they came into Office in May 2023 it was a priority of the administration to drive the project forward. He thanked the Councillors that had got them to that stage and thanked the Officer team for all their work in particular the Executive Director of Corporate Services and the Project Director.
The project was moving forward towards the contract phase to complete and finalise all aspects. The focus would be on significant detail over the next period so conservations with the Members of the Committee and Ward Councillors would be critical in terms of information and transparency.
It was critical to reflect on the words of the high court judgement as they gave a direction of travel to go in and what the purpose and focus was.
“Excerpt from The Manydown Judgment 17 April 2012
4.2 The Council's objectives in purchasing the site, in partnership with the County Council, would be:
(i) To achieve a properly planned, comprehensive development of the area.
(ii) To secure land for low-cost housing in accordance with existing Council policy.
(iii) To achieve a financial gain which, in turn, could be put, in whole or in part, to further housing initiatives.
4.3 The partnership with the County Council is important for many reasons. In particular there will be requirements for infrastructure investment prior to the first land sales. This load needs to be shared. ….”
The Committee considered the report and commented that the statement in the report by the Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Regeneration was too political and the Manydown Overview Committee was not a political Committee. It was felt that it should not have been written as to contribute blame as Members were there to discuss the land drawdown and were aware of the history.
The Chair advised that the Project Director would be giving a confidential presentation and proposed that, due to the confidential nature of the information contained within the presentation, the committee passed a resolution that, by virtue of paragraphs 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting.
On resumption of the open session the Chair confirmed that members had discussed the private presentation.
RESOLVED: that the Manydown Overview Committee:
§ notes the progress made on the Manydown North project.
§reviews and provides comments on the content of this report for consideration by the Executive Director Corporate Services and Assets (S151 Officer) in consultation with, Project Director Manydown and Chief Operating Officer MGC LLP and Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Regeneration to inform the gateway review process outlined at paragraph 8.1.
The project was moving forward towards the contract phase to complete and finalise all aspects. The focus would be on significant detail over the next period so conservations with the Members of the Committee and Ward Councillors would be critical in terms of information and transparency.
It was critical to reflect on the words of the high court judgement as they gave a direction of travel to go in and what the purpose and focus was.
“Excerpt from The Manydown Judgment 17 April 2012
4.2 The Council's objectives in purchasing the site, in partnership with the County Council, would be:
(i) To achieve a properly planned, comprehensive development of the area.
(ii) To secure land for low-cost housing in accordance with existing Council policy.
(iii) To achieve a financial gain which, in turn, could be put, in whole or in part, to further housing initiatives.
4.3 The partnership with the County Council is important for many reasons. In particular there will be requirements for infrastructure investment prior to the first land sales. This load needs to be shared. ….”
The Committee considered the report and commented that the statement in the report by the Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Regeneration was too political and the Manydown Overview Committee was not a political Committee. It was felt that it should not have been written as to contribute blame as Members were there to discuss the land drawdown and were aware of the history.
The Chair advised that the Project Director would be giving a confidential presentation and proposed that, due to the confidential nature of the information contained within the presentation, the committee passed a resolution that, by virtue of paragraphs 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting.
On resumption of the open session the Chair confirmed that members had discussed the private presentation.
RESOLVED: that the Manydown Overview Committee:
§ notes the progress made on the Manydown North project.
§reviews and provides comments on the content of this report for consideration by the Executive Director Corporate Services and Assets (S151 Officer) in consultation with, Project Director Manydown and Chief Operating Officer MGC LLP and Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Regeneration to inform the gateway review process outlined at paragraph 8.1.
6
Review of work programme
The committee is asked to note and review its Work Programme.
Attachments:
- Document MOC Work Programme 14 Nov 2023
Minutes
The Project Director advised that there had been an update to the previous work programme as the timelines had changed slightly. He confirmed that there had been a discussion with the Chair in the pre-meeting to establish how they would deliver the items to the Committee in the next 5 months before the pre-election period. The Chair agreed that with Officers they would agree the best way forward either by possibly an additional Committee or an All Member Briefing.
The Chair advised that she was pleased to see that a presentation from Green Basingstoke / Greater Southeast Net Zero Hub would be scheduled.
It was requested that information on the following topics be included at a future date:-
The road network around Wotton St Lawrence in particular the Junction
Community facilities provision to establish a full picture with the surrounding area so the facilities offered would complement each other.
The committee noted the work programme.
The Chair advised that she was pleased to see that a presentation from Green Basingstoke / Greater Southeast Net Zero Hub would be scheduled.
It was requested that information on the following topics be included at a future date:-
The road network around Wotton St Lawrence in particular the Junction
Community facilities provision to establish a full picture with the surrounding area so the facilities offered would complement each other.
The committee noted the work programme.
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