Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Director of People and Places (enclosed).

1.         Recommendation approved. 

2.         Options 2 and 3 approved. 

3.         Recommendation approved. 

(Councillor Eric Bell declared a prejudicial interest but stayed in the meeting)

The Executive Member for People presented a report which updated Members on the progress with the Manor Road and Duke Street elements of the allotments project.  A report would be presented to a future meeting in relation to the Common at Adlington. 

The initial work for the sites had focused on consultation; determining planning application requirements and issues concerning the transfer of land ownership at the Duke Street site.

The previously reported legal issues at Manor Road, Clayton Le Woods concerning rights of access had now been resolved and there were no outstanding matters in this respect.  Work required on the drainage should be completed in by November 2011 and a full planning application would then be submitted.  Subject to planning approval the allotments would then be created.

At Duke Street, Chorley there had been discussions with the school regarding the exchange of a portion of Rangletts recreation ground, for part of the school land on Duke Street, to provide for 40 new allotment plots.

Lancashire County Council (LCC) had commissioned a desktop study of the land to be exchanged which had a suspected old mineshaft under it.  Following the investigation, it emerged that the Coal Authority had no record of how the pit was capped and LCC now required a further site investigation at a cost of approximately of ?6,000.  LCC had indicated that this cost would have to be met by the Council and / or school and without this work the land exchange could not proceed.  If this work was undertaken it could also lead to further costs with no guarantee that the land exchange would happen.  Given that this land had been used as a play area for many years, without any reported land movement, it was doubtful that any further investigation offered any significant value.

If the land exchange does not take place, allotment provision for a similar number of new plots could be progressed on part of the Council owned land on Rangletts Recreation Ground.  The estimated outline costs for 40 new plots on the school land at Duke Street or Rangletts Recreation Ground would be approximately £15,000. 

The Cabinet discussed the options which needed to be agreed to progress the Duke Street allotments further. 

Decision made

1.         The report detailing the current position on the development and provision of both allotment sites be noted.

2.         The Council would not fund any further site investigation work and continue negotiations regarding the land exchange to be concluded by 30 November 2011.  

3.         If recommendation 2 does not proceed, the Council would progress with a similar number of new plots on part of the Council owned land on Rangletts Recreation Ground.

4.         The project delivery timeframe be reprofiled into 2012-13. 

Reason for decision

1.         To allow officers to develop new allotments on sites which had been identified.

2.         To increase future allotment provision and attempt to address public demand.

Alternative option(s) considered and rejected

Not applicable.