Purpose

The purpose of this decision is
to accept the freehold land transfer at nil consideration from
master developer of Phase 1, L&Q, to South Cambridgeshire
District Council (SCDC) of the sports pitches within the Western
Park at Northstowe, comprising of the following
facilities:

·      
1 floodlit synthetic pitch (suitable for
rugby and football);

·      
1 adult rugby grass pitch;

·      
1 adult football grass pitch;

·      
2 junior football grass pitches;

·      
2 mini football grass pitches;

·      
1 outdoor bowling green;

·      
1x 2 court floodlit MUGA

·      
An area of land sufficient to install 1x
22’ shipping container for equipment storage.
The area of land transferred
shall include the pitches plus their run-off areas, with the
freehold of all other areas of the Western Park not previously
transferred to SCDC remaining with L&Q. The freehold of the
sports pavilion and car park land was transferred earlier in 2023
and the allotment and community orchard land previously transferred
to SCDC in 2019.
 
The s106 agreement for Phase 1
permitted transfer of the Western Park open space to SCDC at nil
consideration, although at a later point (on expiry of the contract
between L&Q and its appointed Land Management company,
Greenbelt in approximately seven years’ time). However, the
decision taken by L&Q to pass construction of the Sports
Pavilion and car park to SCDC means that in
order to operate the pitches and pavilion as a single
entity, this freehold transfer is required now. This will
subsequently enable SCDC to offer a leasehold to an external
operator (subject to a separate decision) of the pavilion, car park
and sports pitches to operate as a unified facility.
 
The red
book valuation of the land undertaken as part of due diligence
suggests a land value for the land to be transferred above the
threshold required for a key decision, irrespective of the land
being transferred at nil consideration. An evaluation of the
liabilities likely to result from the transfer suggest that the
benefits of transfer (i.e. the ability
to operate the sports and pavilion as one viable unit) outweigh
those imposed by acceptance of the land transfer.

Content

Accept
the freehold transfer of the Sports Pitches from L&Q at nil
consideration.