Agenda item

A verbal update to be given at the meeting.

The Service Director, Commercial and Regulatory presented a report to the Cabinet Committee regarding the current progress on the St John’s Road Development. He advised that following the decision to locate the new district Leisure Centre to the St John’s Road site a report was made to Cabinet on 11 April 2019 which proposed a series of initial steps namely:

• that formal negotiations were entered into with Places Leisure to vary the Leisure Management Contract for the development of a new Leisure Centre at the St John’s Road Site, on a Design, Build, Operate and Manage basis;

·        that in order to construct the new Leisure Centre in the optimum location on the site, that the District Council enter into formal discussions with Epping Town Council to acquire Epping Hall, to include the potential relocation of the Town Council to 323 House at the Civic Offices;

·        that expressions of Interest were sought for suitable qualified Cinema operators to establish the viability of the conversion of the Centrepoint Building;

·        that the Council adopt a similar approach as utilised in the development of the Epping Forest Shopping Park, namely that a specialist project team be appointed to procure the construction and letting of the units on the site;

·        that a future report be received on the most viable option to deliver the residential element of the project.

On the 21 March 2019 Members of the District Council met Members of the Town Council together with district officers and the Town Clerk.  At that meeting the question of the relocation of the Town Council was discussed and that an in-principle decision to relocate (subject to terms) would be put to the Town Council Members on 9 April 2019.

The Town Council have now agreed in principle to relocate to 323 House at the Civic Offices, a letter had been received by the Chief Executive outlining some proposed terms which the Council were in the process of considering and would get back to the Town Council shortly.

In terms of the Cinema Operator the Council have had meetings with a particular cinema operator who have put a proposal forward to the Council but, this would go out by formal tender to invite all cinema operators to formally express their interests.

There had been some antisocial behaviour on the site and there were concerns regarding the power supply to the site, particularly children getting involved with live electrics. As of the 17 April all power supplies had now been terminated.

Councillor S Kane commented about cutting the power on the site and that this would disarm any CCTV on the site. The Strategic Director replied that there was no CCTV coverage on the St John’s Road site and currently our security is provided by a mobile unit.

Councillor C Whitbread commented that he was glad to see that progress was being made on St John’s site and a planning application would be coming forward soon and the site would then be made secure. This was a multimillion pound investment which would benefit the whole district and the Council must keep pushing ahead.

The Chairman commented that it was an excellent scheme and will be very popular with residents of Epping and the whole district. The protection of the historic buildings was also very important to the heritage of the district.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet Committee noted the current position of the St John’s Road development project.

Reason for Decision:

To appraise the Cabinet Committee on the progress of the project.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

None, as this monitoring report was for information only, not action.