Archived decisions

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member, Policy & Resources Item 7

17 February 2005

Woodend/Copsehill, Andover - Disposal

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits in with the Corporate Strategy

This scheme will impact on the delivery of the following Corporate Aims:

Aim 1 - Maximising life opportunities by funding improvements to social care provision.

Aim 2 - Stewardship of the environment by requiring a high quality redevelopment of the site.

Aim 5 - Improving services by disposing of underused premises and using the funding to provide better services more efficiently.

1

Introduction

1.1

Woodend and Copsehill are two adjacent properties in Andover. Woodend is a former residential unit for children (a 6-bedded short-term unit) and Copsehill is a family centre which provides a venue for meetings, group work and direct work with children and carers.

1.2

The two units effectively share the same site and have a shared access. A decision regarding either one has significant impact on the other. Woodend closed in March 2002, and although Copsehill is still used, the service provided is not cost-effective and the building is not fully utilised.

1.3

The Executive Member for Social Care has considered the future requirement for both properties, and on 17 December decided that both should be declared surplus to Social Services operational needs. The Executive Member for Social Care also requested that 100% of the net sale proceeds be retained to support existing Social Services capital investment objectives.

2

Current Proposals

2.1

No other County Council requirement has been identified for either of the properties. Although both could be placed on the open market and simply sold as two large detached houses, work to restore them to a normal residential use would be costly, and initial feasibility studies suggest that the value of the site would be maximised by a complete redevelopment for residential purposes.

2.2

The site has an area of 0.37 hectares (0.9 acres) and comprises the two linked buildings, with grounds laid mainly to lawn. The surrounding area is mainly residential and comprises two and three storey developments of flats. It is proposed that a Development Brief be prepared following consultation with Test Valley Borough Council as the local planning authority. A development of flats would be consistent with current government policy which aims to provide a high density of development on urban brownfield sites, but there may be other forms of residential development that can also be considered that would be in keeping with the area.

3

Proposal

3.1

It is proposed that once the properties are completely vacated by Social Services, and following the preparation of a Development Brief for the site, outline planning consent be sought and the property then be marketed inviting schemes and offers.

4

Request for Retention of 100% of sale proceeds

4.1

The Cabinet, in considering the proposed Social Services capital programme for 2005/06 to 2008/9, requested that the Executive Member for Social Care report to a future meeting of the Cabinet on the future use of capital receipts within the Social Services programme to ensure that a number of existing commitments could be covered. It is proposed that a decision on the request for 100% retention of the proceeds be deferred pending Cabinet approval of the report.

5

Consultation with local Member

5.1

Councillor Kirk has been consulted on this matter and supports the proposals recommended.

Recommendations

That:

1

Woodend/Copsehill Andover be declared surplus to County Council requirements and offered for sale as set out in the report, and

2

a decision on whether Social Services be permitted to retain 100% of the net sale proceeds be deferred pending Cabinet approval of the Executive Member for Social Care`s report on the future use of capital receipts.