Part 1
(Open to the Public)
ITEM NO.
REPORT OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF URBAN VISION LIMITED
TO THE LEAD MEMBER FOR PLANNING
ON 6 JUNE 2005
TITLE :
Former Police Station, Stanwell Road, Swinton
RECOMMENDATIONS :
(1)
The former Stanwell Road, Swinton Police
Station be acquired subject to the provisionally
agreed terms and conditions.
(2)
To invite tenders for the demolition of the building
including site treatment to a standard which is
suitable for temporary car parking.
(3)
The Strategic Director for Customer and Support
Services be instructed to complete the legal
formalities.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY :
The report details the reasons for acquisition
together with provisionally agreed terms and
conditions.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS :
(Available for public inspection)
N/A
ASSESSMENT OF RISK:
Medium
THE SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Unsupported borrowing if capital receipts or
supported borrowing does not become
available during 2005/06 in the capital
programme
COMMENTS OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER AND SUPPORT
SERVICES (or his representative)
1.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
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Provided by:
Ian Sheard
2.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Provided by:
PROPERTY (if applicable):
N/A
HUMAN RESOURCES (if applicable):
N/A
CLIENT CONSULTED
Yes
CONTACT OFFICER :
Trevor James (Urban Vision) Ext: 3696
WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S): Swinton South
KEY COUNCIL POLICIES: N/A
DETAILS (Continued Overleaf)
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Nigel Dickens
TITLE : FORMER POLICE STATION, STANWELL ROAD, SWINTON.
1.0
Details
1.1
Further to the joint report of the Director of Development Services and the
Director of Corporate Services to Cabinet Briefing on 8 th June 2004 approval
was given for officers to pursue the acquisition of the above premises when
vacated by the Police Authority.
1.2
Police operations have since been relocated to the new station on Chorley
Road and the Stanwell Road premises are now surplus to the Police
Authority`s requirements. Consequently the City Council registered its interest
in acquiring the property and to progress matters the District Valuer was
appointed jointly by the parties to provide a market valuation.
1.3
This has now been completed and in accordance with the District Valuer’s
valuation the following terms and conditions have been provisionally agreed :Purchaser :
Salford City Council
Vendor :
Greater Manchester Police Authority
Description :
Former Police Station, Stanwell Road, Swinton
comprising 0.43 ha (0.70 acres) or thereabouts.
Consideration :
£685,000 (six hundred and eighty five thousand pounds)
Costs :
Each party responsible for its own surveyors fees and
legal costs.
Use :
The consideration represents full market value and for
this reason the Police Authority have not restricted the
use of the property.
1.4
As previously reported to the Cabinet Briefing on 8 th June 2004, the
Magistrates Court proposals provide the opportunity to consider wider
possibilities for town centre improvements and one of the topics listed referred
to the acquisition of the current Swinton police station and the clinic following
their relocation to new premises.
1.5
The availability of these two properties provides the City Council with the
opportunity to extend the Civic Centre campus to fulfil the objectives of
addressing the problems of car parking, seeking improvements to the public
realm around the Civic Centre and focussing its office accommodation on the
four core sites. The clinic will be relocating as part of the LIFT project but the
new accommodation will not completed until at least mid 2007. Consequently
the City Council has registered its interest and hopefully can secure an Option
to Purchase.
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1.6
It is intended to demolish the police station soon after purchase and in the
short term it is envisaged that the cleared site will be used to provide
additional staff car parking until longer term plans are developed for Swinton
Town Centre and the Civic Centre which could include new office
accommodation for Urban Vision staff. The details of this proposal along with
other options will be the subject of future reports but further reference is made
under Financial Implications.
2.0
Financial Implications
2.1
As mentioned above this opportunity purchase assists the City Council to fulfil
its objective of focusing its office accommodation on the four core sites. The
development of new office accommodation for Urban Vision staff would
release office accommodation both in the Civic Centre and the Phase 3
building which in the longer term could be taken up by outstationed staff. The
consolidation of this office accommodation will enable the release of certain
satellite buildings currently occupied by the Council. These will be determined
as part of the overall office accommodation strategy and whilst a precise
series of moves is yet to determined and agreed there will be opportunities to
generate capital receipts, currently estimated at £1m, from the disposal of
surplus office buildings.
2.2
However, consideration needs to be given to the funding of this acquisition
which together with the estimated costs of demolition will be in the region of
£735,000. Taking the above into consideration the acquisition should be cost
neutral in the long term and therefore it is recommended that the acquisition
of the former police station be added to the 2005/06 Capital Programme for
short term funding using available supported borrowing or capital receipts. If
not available and as a fall back position it would be appropriate for the City
Council to use unsupported borrowing and find funding corporately from the
revenue budget to meet the financing costs of that borrowing until the capital
receipts from the sale of the satellite buildings have been realised.
Bill Taylor
Managing Director of Urban Vision Limited
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