This report was introduced by the Corporate
Director – Communities and its purpose was as follows:
- to update Cabinet on progress that
has been made in relation to supporting the aspirations of Bridgend
College to relocate their main campus to Bridgend Town Centre on
the BCBC owned sites of the former South Wales Police (SWP) Station
and Brackla One Multi Storey Car Park at Cheapside; and
- to seek approval to progress with
the transfer of these sites on a long lease basis to Bridgend
College in order to facilitate development of this key site within
the Bridgend Town Centre Masterplan (the Masterplan).
The Cabinet Member for
Finances, Resources and Legal welcomed the report and indicated
that it was exciting to partner with Bridgend College on a
multi-million pound investment in a key site in Bridgend.
The Leader described the project as very
exciting and reminded Cabinet members that this was
the biggest single investment in Bridgend town centre and in an
education project in the county borough. That was the scale
and extent and potential impact of the project.
The Deputy Leader sought
reassurance about the valuation of Brackla One. The
Corporate Director – Communities noted that anytime BCBC
disposed of assets as a local authority, it was necessary to take
advice from the district valuer. The valuation put on this site was
£310K but that was based on a cleared site. A such, it would
cost more to make the site ready for redevelopment than the current
valuation.
The Cabinet Member for Climate
Change and Environment welcomed the fact that the Bridgend College
development would be built to a net zero carbon
standard.
RESOLVED:
Cabinet:
- noted the progress that has been
made in connection with the acquisition and demolition of the
former Police Station Site at Cheapside in readiness for transfer
to Bridgend College in support of their Town Centre campus
proposal.
- noted the progress in respect of the
demolition of Brackla One multi storey car park.
- authorised officers to complete the
requisite legal documentation to transfer both sites to Bridgend
College for nil consideration in accordance with WG Estate
Co-location & Land Transfer Protocol and Subsidy Act Control in
order to support and facilitate the Town Centre Campus development
only, whereby should the same development not proceed the land
would transfer back to BCBC.