Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council Manydown Overview Committee Meeting

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no urgent matters.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23^rd November 2023 were confirmed by the committee as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Cabinet Member Major Projects and Regeneration introduced the report and advised that it was an officer report with an officer update.

The Project Director advised that the report provided an overview of the Manydown Programme and an update on the progress of the Manydown North and Manydown South projects.

In terms of Manydown North there was progress towards the land transaction and Members would receive further details in the confidential presentation.

Work had been carried out with Urban&Civic (U&C) on the conclusion of the Overarching Business Plan and to carefully manage the budget to maintain progress on essential work only whilst final agreement was reached for the land.

The councils now had responsibility for the safety and security of the development site until the freehold transfer is concluded when this will pass to MGC LLP to enable development by MDV LLP.  The Development Manager had been, and will continue to, undertake a series of site investigations.  In the interim the councils had agreed a temporary cropping licence with the Manydown Company which ensured that the land continues to be managed and capable of being farmed until the freehold transfer is completed.

Following the announcement by the LPA that the consultation on the draft Local Plan Update (Regulation 18 consultation) would take place in early 2024 the Manydown Programme team has been working to prepare a submission for Southern Manydown.

The committee debated the report and asked questions which established:

·       The notice period for the cropping license was one month.

·       The target for the first homes to be occupied on Manydown North was 2025.

·       The current position was for the Gypsy and Traveller site to be in the first phase of Development on Land South of the B3400.

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 Programme

The Committee asked that Hampshire County Council be invited to attend an all Member Briefing on the provision of education within the Borough.

It was requested that details on the road Infrastructure be included at a future date.