Agenda and decisions

No items

The following items are for the primary purpose of providing members of the public with all relevant information on the respective matters, other than those elements, which in accordance with the relevant sections of the Local Government Act 1972, remain confidential and require that any arising decision is taken in Part 2 of the agenda.

Salford City Council - Record of Decision

I Councillor Tracy Kelly, Deputy City Mayor, in exercise of the powers contained within the City Council Constitution do hereby:

1. Approve the disposal of the subject site, namely land at St. Simon Street, Salford, to Mosscare St Vincent’s Housing Group Ltd for a term of 250 years, subject to planning approval on the Heads of Terms provisionally agreed.

2. Approve the principle of leasing two 2-bedroom apartments for emergency housing purposes. It is proposed that once the detailed terms have been provisionally agreed that approval is delegated to the Strategic Director Place.

3. Authorise the Shared Legal Service to complete all necessary documentation and to take all steps which are required to give effect to the above recommendations.

The Reasons are:

The subject site is a former Council depot used in connection with Blackfriars Housing Office. The depot use ceased in 2009 and since this time the site has been used for additional car parking and ad-hoc storage use. It adjoins the youth offending team offices and a public footpath linking St Simon Street to the River Irwell.

An approach has been made by Mosscare St Vincent's Housing Group Ltd seeking to acquire the site to deliver a 42 unit residential apartment scheme (40 x 1 bed & 2 x 2 bed) with ancillary commercial space,  targeted at tackling homelessness in the city.

As a condition of the sale the City Council has retained the ability to lease the two 2-bedroom family apartments to accommodate those who require emergency housing. Whilst the headline rental for the properties has been provisionally agreed full detailed terms are currently in the process of being finalised. It is proposed that, once agreed, approval is delegated to the Strategic Director Place.

Delivery of this scheme should also generate annual revenue savings for the City Council by reducing the reliance on temporary accommodation the cost for which cannot be fully recovered through housing benefit.

Assessment of Risk: Low

The source of funding: The disposal of the site would generate a capital receipt which in line with council policy would be used to finance existing debt.

Legal Advice obtained:  Yes, not applicable at this stage

Financial Advice obtained: 

Paul Hutchings – Strategic Finance Manager 0161 793 2574            

Alex Archer - Finance Manager: 0161 778 0498

Procurement Advice obtained: Yes, there are no Procurement implications arising from this proposal

HR Advice obtained: Not applicable

Climate Change Advice obtained:  Principal Officer - Climate Change: 0161 793 3209

The following documents have been used to assist the decision process:

Report of Strategic Director for Place submitted to Property/Regeneration Briefing on 28 June 2021

Contact Officers:  Andrew Cartwright Tel No: 779 6064

                               Bhavesh Chauhan Tel No: 779 6101

This decision is not subject to consideration by another Lead Member.

The appropriate scrutiny to call-in the decision is the Growth and Prosperity Scrutiny Panel.                 

This decision was published on Monday 28  ...  view the full decision text for item 6a