(Attachment: 3)Report - 8 Pages (537K/bytes) - Fenland District ...

o The Design Competition seeks to enhance the existing street scene and should create
a focal point, utilising the prominent location of the site, whilst seeking to encourage
innovation and sustainability.
o It is proposed that the Design Competition would be launched at the beginning of
August 2013 and the overall winner of the competition would be announced at the
annual Building Design Awards on 27 th November 2013.
3. RECOMMENDATION(S)
It is recommended that Cabinet notes the approach proposed and approves the launch
of a Design Competition on land at Coalwharf Road in Wisbech.
It is recommended that Cabinet notes the intention to dispose of the land at Coalwharf
Road, initially through the grant of a Build Lease and subsequently through the release
of the Freehold. FDC will also be seeking to operate the Option Agreement with CCC.
The decision to dispose and any subsequent financial return to the Council will be
subject to a further Cabinet Decision at the appropriate time.
Wards Affected
Forward Plan Reference No.
(if applicable)
Portfolio Holder(s)
Report Originator
Contact Officer(s)
Background Paper(s)
Medworth
Cllr Alan Melton – Leader
Justin Wingfield – Valuation and Estates Officer
Gary Garford – Corporate Director
Justin Wingfield – Valuation and Estates Officer
Cabinet Report – Coalwharf Road Land Swap - 17 th
November 2011
1.0 Background
1.1 In November 2011 FDC entered into a ‘Land Swap’ agreement with Cambridgeshire County
Council. Originally FDC was intending to integrate the under-utilised car park at Coalwharf
Road with CCC land, which, it was planned would be offered for sale as a development
opportunity thus realising a capital receipt for both parties. However CCC decided to utilise
their site for the construction of a Pupil Referral Unit, which, whilst it did not directly require
the car park site for the new building, both parties recognised that car parking for the new
facility would be better provided within the new site and that to dispose of FDC’s car park
separately would return little or no value.
1.2 Consequently, in line with the Making Assets Count (MAC) principles (making the best use
of public assets) a land swap was initiated enabling CCC to acquire the car park site in
exchange for its surplus land fronting South Brink which had more potential for future
residential use and increased value.
1.3 As a result of the land swap there remains an area of land in the ownership of CCC (shaded
yellow on the attached plan) and subject to an Option Agreement, which allows FDC to