To consider the above report

Chris Hilton, Director of Planning, Development & Regeneration presented the Maidenhead Golf Club report. Two members of the Maidenhead Golf Club were present. Chris Hilton explained the further detail from the report and explained the recommendations to Members.

Members discussed the following points:

·         Councillor Love wanted clarity on the number of new homes. Chris Hilton explained that the exact number would not be confirmed until a consultant had been selected. This would be set out in the brief.

·         Councillor Saunders questioned why the consultancy company needed to be procured using the Home & Communities Agency (HCA) Panel when the council had a perfectly robust procurement process that could be used to employ all the contractors that were needed. He asked whether all consultants would be appointed by the council or whether they would be subcontracted to a lead consultant. Chris Hilton explained that the council had flexibility and could sub contract or directly appoint. It would not be a shorter or cheaper option if the council carried out the process themselves. If the HCA panel was not used then the council would be required to go through a transparent procedure to appoint another consultant. Chris Hilton informed Members that four or five consultants would be needed in total.

·         Councillor Cox requested any research of others that had used HCA. Chris Hilton explained that he was in the process of gathering this information but had been given positive feedback from GL Hearn. The councils Joint Venture used this panel to select GL Hearn. Chris Hilton informed Members that his team neither had the capability or capacity to carry out the project. Councillor Saunders highlighted that if the HCA process was used, all their criteria would have to be followed and if our process was used then we could manage ourselves. Chris Hilton was confident that the council would get the quality they were looking for with HCA. The HCA Panel was market focussed and very experienced in bringing forward major development sites.

·         Councillor Evans suggested delegating work to officers and Members to decide. The legal fees of £90K were also queried.

·         The Chairman queried if the budget of £250K was too high. Chris Hilton explained that this figure was at the top end of what was comfortable. The actual could be less.

·         Councillor Rankin explained that he wanted the highest quality for this huge development in Maidenhead.

Members discussed the incentives at 3 and 7 years for the Maidenhead Golf Club, the hand back point of July 2019, with a six month notice period. The Chairman advised that the 132 acres would not be fully developed as there would be a requirement for public open space. There would also be many other implications such as transport implications and new schools. Rob Stubbs, Head of Finance/Deputy Director Corporate & Community Services and Councillor Saunders confirmed that the consultancy costs would be capitalised.

Members looked at the diagrams of the land south of Harvest Hill, a total of 54 acres, 21 acres owned by Maidenhead Golf Club and the remainder owned by two other owners. Chris Hilton confirmed that the consultants’ Brief would include advice on whether the council should work jointly with all three owners. Councillor Saunders advised Members that this was the land south east of Harvest Hill, there was also land on the south west of Harvest Hill. Both pieces of land were in the Local Borough Plan. Chris Hilton reassured Members that the Brief would include all the relevant land.

The Chairman informed Members that the Affordable Housing Strategy was going to be discussed at the November 2016 Cabinet. The consultant appointed for the project would need to consider a mix of units. Chris Hilton informed Members that it would not have a big impact on the work but will be a part of it.

The Chairman, also Lead Member of Housing, Councillor Dudley also wanted two other elements considered by the selected consultants. Firstly, whether some of the land could go into a Community Land Trust providing priority housing for people local to Windsor and Maidenhead, so that they would be able to buy a home at sub market prices and onward sale prices would be capped at a transparent metric like average earnings increase in wages in RBWM. Secondly, since Windsor was a garrison town, giving consideration to army veterans. Chris Hilton confirmed that both of the points would be considered by the consultants.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Cabinet Regeneration Sub Committee agreed :

i.              Approves the proposal of procuring a professional team using the

HCA Property Framework panel and delegates authority to the

Strategic Director of Corporate and Community Services in liaison

with the Lead Member for Economic Development and Property to

finalise and progress the draft Brief (Appendix A).

ii.       Approves a budget of £250,000 to cover Stage A (the strategic advice) which will steer the next steps; Stage B and Stage C. It will principally cover property and technical consultancy fees as outlined in 2.3 below, together with initial legal advice on CPO and procurement.