Agenda item

This report seeks approval for capital programme funding for the appointment of consultants and a preferred contractor for preconstruction services to complete the Woodhatch masterplan feasibility study and develop the scheme up to submission of planning for the following identified service needs and development of the site infrastructure, external works, ecology and sustainability.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]

N.B There is a Part 2 annex at Item 22.

RESOLVED:

1. That £2.025m of capital funding from existing pipeline allocations to complete the Woodhatch masterplan feasibility study and develop the scheme up to submission of the planning application be approved.

2. That £500,000 of capital funding from existing pipeline allocations for preconstruction services from a preferred contractor to provide cost, buildability, logistics and programming advice for the development as a whole and to inform the feasibility study be approved.

3. That £300,000 from the Feasibility Fund be approved to progress feasibility work for key worker housing and explore opportunities for further services provision.

4. That requests to release further pipeline capital funding to enable critical early works orders are approved and proposed through the monthly budget monitoring reports to Cabinet. Further approval(s) will be required for subsequent stages of the design and main contract works. This will require additional capital programme funds and will be brought to Cabinet for approval.

5. That approval be given to procure the appropriate supply chain partners to enable delivery of all services and works associated with the above recommendations, in accordance with the Council’s Procurement and Contract Standing Orders.

6. With regard to procurement of supply chain partners, it be agreed that, within the +/-5% budgetary tolerance level, the Executive Director Resources and Director of Land & Property are authorised to award such contracts in consultation with the Leader.

Reason for Decision:

By approving this recommendation Surrey County Council will:

·         Reduce its future maintenance liability and replace the existing Reigate Priory School site, which is no longer fit for purpose, with a brand new 600-place junior school.

·         Make an essential contribution towards the Council’s strategic objective to expand affordable Extra Care Housing provision by 2030.

·         Support the 2020-2025 Reigate and Banstead Housing Delivery Strategy to secure the delivery of homes that can be afforded by local people and which provide a wider choice of tenure, type and size of housing.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]

The Leader explained that the doors to County Hall in Kingston upon Thames had closed at the end of 2020 with all county council services now moving back into Surrey. The Woodhatch masterplan presented an opportunity to create a flagship sustainable development supporting the Greener Futures agenda by delivering a programme of improvement projects, all within a site that is visually and ecologically rich and which will be enhanced both on and off site to support the wellbeing of the wider community that it serves. The masterplan provided an opportunity to relocate Reigate Priory Junior school, provide affordable extra care provision and deliver key worker housing which was subject to planning consent.

The Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning stated that the current Reigate Priory Junior school building presented a number of issues because of public rights of way and a heavy burden due to building maintenance costs. It was commented that intergenerational learning would be a benefit between the adults living in the extra care facilities and the children attending the junior school.

Members were advised that the community protection group including the fire service and trading standards would be located at the Woodhatch site. Previously teams had been based in various parts of the county. Members were supportive of the additional extra care housing which had been identified and the co- location of services and teams on one site.

RESOLVED:

1. That £2.025m of capital funding from existing pipeline allocations to complete the Woodhatch masterplan feasibility study and develop the scheme up to submission of the planning application be approved.

2. That £500,000 of capital funding from existing pipeline allocations for preconstruction services from a preferred contractor to provide cost, buildability, logistics and programming advice for the development as a whole and to inform the feasibility study be approved.

3. That £300,000 from the Feasibility Fund be approved to progress feasibility work for key worker housing and explore opportunities for further services provision.

4. That requests to release further pipeline capital funding to enable critical early works orders are approved and proposed through the monthly budget monitoring reports to Cabinet. Further approval(s) will be required for subsequent stages of the design and main contract works. This will require additional capital programme funds and will be brought to Cabinet for approval.

5. That approval be given to procure the appropriate supply chain partners to enable delivery of all services and works associated with the above recommendations, in accordance with the Council’s Procurement and Contract Standing Orders.

6. With regard to procurement of supply chain partners, it be agreed that, within the +/-5% budgetary tolerance level, the Executive Director Resources and Director of Land & Property are authorised to award such contracts in consultation with the Leader.

Reason for Decision:

By approving this recommendation Surrey County Council will:

·         Reduce its future maintenance liability and replace the existing Reigate Priory School site, which is no longer fit for purpose, with a brand new 600-place junior school.

·         Make an essential contribution towards the Council’s strategic objective to expand affordable Extra Care Housing provision by 2030.

·         Support the 2020-2025 Reigate and Banstead Housing Delivery Strategy to secure the delivery of homes that can be afforded by local people and which provide a wider choice of tenure, type and size of housing.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]