Purpose

To gain full approval from Council and to
allow delegated authority to Senior Officer’s to fully
execute the leases for the land adjacent to the current nature
reserve allowing for an extension of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve
following the completion of gravel extraction operations and agreed
restoration works. 

To set out the current legal position as
supplied by 3C Legal Shared Services and to provide Council the
full confidence in which full approval for this scheme and
delegated authority can be given to Senior Officers to proceed with
this matter.
 
To gain approval for the Head of Leisure,
Health & Environment and associated teams in principle to
explore wider opportunities to develop existing and new sites
across the Council’s parks and open spaces to support
wildlife and conservation, health and wellbeing, physical activity
and commercial sustainability opportunities.

Decision

The Cabinet
 
· 
approved and gave delegated authority to fully execute the leases
for the land adjacent to the current nature reserve allowing for an
extension of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve following the completion of
gravel extraction operations and agreed restoration works;
 
· 
agreed and approved the feedback from 3C Legal
Shared Services outlined in Section 10 which provided confidence
and clarity to the Council in moving forward with the extension of
leases;
 
· 
supported the principle of officers engaging in efforts to acquire
land and buildings in connection with the principle of exploring
wider opportunities to not only develop existing sites across the
Council’s parks and open spaces but also new sites and spaces
to support wildlife and conservation, health and wellbeing,
physical activity and commercial sustainability opportunities.
 

Reasons for the decision

The legal advice confirms this process can
proceed and the extension of leases can be executed.
 
Obtaining full approval from
the Council to allow for this extension of leases will provide
local residents enhanced opportunities to enjoy this area, be
physically active, allow wider work to be undertaken on site to
attract a greater number of visitors and it creates a safeguard on
the conservation and ecology of this space under a dedicated
management plan.
 
Allows Senior Officer’s
the opportunity to develop a wider strategic approach to all parks
and open spaces concentrating on improved accessibility and
offering, health and wellbeing, commercial opportunities and
financial sustainability.
 
The extension of leases not
only allows an expansion of the site but with it the creation of a
wider infrastructure of ecology and conservation which can be
safeguarded for the duration of the leases by the Council team and
the Friend’s Group.
 
The extension of leases allows
greater accessibility for local residents in the surrounding
villages and neighbourhoods.
 
Upon the execution of leases
further negotiation will be sought with Thornhill and HOLCIM
UK Ltd and the Council around other areas of land under their
control which may be deemed beneficial for the Council to operate
in line with ecology, conservation, the wider benefit of residents
and further commercial opportunities.

Alternative options considered

N/A