Hampshire County Council

Executive Member, Policy & Resources Item

7 March 2006

Access and Servicing Agreement for County Council land at

The Mount Hospital, Bishopstoke

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

(Summary of EXEMPT decision)

1

Summary

1.1

The following decisions are sought:

That approval be given to:

i)

the completion of an appropriate Deed of Grant with Winchester and Eastleigh NHS Healthcare Trust (WEHT) on the basis set out in this report to secure necessary access and servicing arrangements for the existing Bishopstoke Day Services site and any future development of the County Council's holding at The Mount Hospital site, Bishopstoke with the Director of Property Business and Regulatory Services (Head of Estates) authorised to settle detailed terms and conditions;

ii)

the submission of an appropriate planning application, in either outline or detail to protect the future development opportunity and value of the Bishopstoke Day Services site;

iii)

the identification of appropriate interim financial provision to meet the County Council's payment obligations associated with the Deed of Grant agreement as set out in the report with a further report to be made on the re-provision of Day Services and the future use of the site.

2

Reasons

2.1

WEHT has progressed a fast-track unconditional open market sale of their interests at The Mount Hospital. Due to uncertainties over access and servicing rights for both the WEHT and County Council interests at The Mount, a mutually beneficial agreement to grant appropriate access rights over each parties land to enable a full and comprehensive redevelopment of the site to be achieved has been negotiated. The Deed of Grant will allow the redevelopment of the County Council's ownership for either operational or alternative uses to be realised. It must be secured before WEHT contracts to sell its interest to a third party developer else the cost of servicing similar rights could involve substantial ransom payments on the part of Hampshire County Council.

2.2

This decision supports the following Aims of the Corporate Strategy

Aim 1 - Maximising life opportunities through partnership working with WEHT

Aim 2 - Stewardship of the environment by protecting the County Council's opportunity to redevelop the Bishopstoke Day Services site for operational and/or other uses. The grant of access rights will ensure a comprehensive redevelopment of The Mount site may be achieved.

Aim 4 - Building strong and safe communities through comprehensive planning, urban design and implementation of the redevelopment of the wide Mount Hospital site.

3

Other options considered and rejected

3.1

To purchase the WEHT interest to overcome the access rights being required - an attempt to this in April 2005 was rejected by WEHT. Alternatively, to rely on existing title rights which at best would only facilitate similar operational development subject to planning being achieved on the Bishopstoke Day Services site.

4

Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker or other Executive Member consulted

4.1

None

5

Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1

None

6

Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1

Not applicable

Approved by:

..........................

Date of decision:

.........................

Councillor T K Thornber