Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided an update on proposals for residential development at Foundry Lane, Widnes, and to seek approval to appoint a development partner following the procurement process.

It was noted that this regeneration project was last reported to Executive Board in January 2019 (EXB77) where Members supported the acquisition of the Stobart site, forming a larger site with the former Tarmac site; both sites had now been vacant since February 2020.

The Board was advised that due to delays caused by Covid-19, in June 2020 Homes England withdrew its grant funding of £1.8m.  The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCR) had agreed since, as part of its Brownfield Land Fund, to make the grant funding of this project one of its key priorities, subject to the normal application process.

The report outlined the tender process for a development partner, which was carried out in conjunction with the LCR throughout.  This resulted in  Cityheart Limited scoring the highest overall, following evaluation as described in the report.

RESOLVED: That Executive Board

1)    approves the appointment of Cityheart Limited to act as Development Partner in the regeneration of the Foundry Lane area;

2)    authorises the Operational Director for Economy, Enterprise and Property and/or the Operational Director for Legal and Democratic Services, to ensure full legal compliance with statutory planning matters throughout the regeneration project; and

3)    the Operational Director for Economy, Enterprise and Property be authorised to seek and secure grant funding in relation to the project.