Agenda item

The report identifies sites that do not appear to meet the Council’s approved criteria for property ownership and therefore need to be considered for disposal.

Councillor Damian White, Deputy Leader of the Council, introduced the report

Cabinet was reminded that on various occasions its approval had been given to the disposal of a number of Council owned sites which had been identified as surplus either as a result of specific projects or more general property reviews carried out by Strategic Property Services.

Because the Council had pursued a policy of selling surplus sites for many years it was becoming more difficult to identify new sites for disposal which did not pose challenges either technically or in terms of planning and especially in respect of objections to disposal which arose in many cases.  Constant and on-going appraisal of property assets to identify disposal opportunities nonetheless remains a requirement for all local authorities and at Havering it was essential in providing capital receipts to fund spending to support and enhance Council services.

The report before members identified further sites that did not appear to meet the Council’s approved criteria for property ownership and therefore needed to be considered as being appropriate for disposal.

Reasons for the decision:

The Council should regularly review assets to ensure that they met the requirements of the Asset Management Plan and made the best possible contribution to the aims of the Council.

Other options considered:

The only other option immediately available would be to not sell these sites. They are considered to be surplus to the Council’s requirements and retaining them may not maximise their contribution to the Council’s aims.

Cabinet:

1          Declared as surplus the freehold interest in the properties listed in the report and authorised their disposal and authorised the Head of Property in consultation with the Director of Legal & Governance, oneSource to deal with all matters arising including the appropriation for planning purposes and thereafter to complete the disposals.

·           Land at Logan Mews, Romford

·           38 Regarth Avenue, Romford

·           1 and 3 Widecombe Close, Harold Hill

2          (a) Agreed to declare surplus and dispose of the freehold interest in the properties listed below and authorised adverts to be placed in a local newspaper in order to comply with the statutory requirements relevant to the proposed disposal of open space under Sections 122 and 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 and for the appropriation of open space for planning purposes.  

·           Land at Hubbards Chase, Emerson Park

·           Land adjacent to Tweed Way Hall, Rise Park

·           Land adjoining former Whitworth Centre, Harold Hill

·           Land at Priory Road, Harold Hill

·           Land at Rainham Road, Hornchurch

(b) Agreed that any representations made in response to these advertisements be formally considered and in the event that disposal of land was confirmed, authorised the Head of Property in consultation with the Director of Legal & Governance, oneSource to deal with all matters arising and thereafter to complete the disposals. 

3          Authorised the land at Wingletye Lane as shown on the plan within Appendix 1 to the report be made available for public recreational use subject to the usual park byelaws and subject to the land at Hubbards Chase proceeding to disposal.