Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: June 24, 2025

Purpose: The purpose of the report is to seek a Cabinet resolution to give approval to progress Compulsory Purchase Powers (CPO). To acquire land, if continued negotiations remain unsuccessful, for the acquisition of 72/ 74 Wellington Road South, in order to allow future phases of Stockport Exchange to progress.

Content: The Cabinet has considered a report providing an update in relation to the proposed use of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers to acquire 72 / 74 Wellington Road South including the Council’s detailed reasons for making the CPO; to provide a summary of the Council’s negotiations with those parties whose land and interests are required to be assembled, and the stage which those negotiations have reached; and to enable Cabinet to consider the human rights and equalities implications should the CPO be made, and has agreed the contents of the report, and associated appendices and has duly resolved to:-   (1)  Make the Order for the reasons set out in the draft Statement of Reasons and to assemble the land to deliver the Scheme, and to submit the Order to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (the “Secretary of State”) for confirmation.   (2) Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing & Environment authority to:   (i)            make minor amendments and/or modifications, as required, to the Order front sheet, the Order schedule, the Order map and the Statement of Reasons, and to approve the said documents, prior to the Order being made and submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation. (ii)          if authorised by the Secretary of State, to confirm the Order. (iii)         continue to engage in negotiations and, where possible, to agree terms for the Council to acquire by voluntary means all of the land and interests comprised within the Site; (iv)          in the event that objections are made to the Order, take all necessary steps to address and, where possible, resolve those objections and, if necessary, to prepare for and participate in any public inquiry convened by the Secretary of State for Secretary of State to consider the Order.    (3) Delegate authority to the Assistant Director for Governance to:   (i)            provided the Order is confirmed by the Secretary of State, take all necessary steps to bring the Order into operation such that the Council’s powers of compulsory acquisition, as secured by the Order, are exercised, and possession of the Order Land taken (including the making and service of one or more General Vesting Declarations and, where necessary, the preparation and service of Notices to Treat and Notices of Entry); (ii)          approve agreements with affected parties setting out the terms of any withdrawals of objections to the Order, including, where appropriate, the exclusion of land from the Order; if considered acceptable having regard to scheme delivery, seek the consent of the Secretary of State to make modifications to the Order (including the Order schedule and the Order map); and, where appropriate, agree to refrain from compulsorily acquiring/vesting any land and/or interests included within the Order. (iii)         defend any third party proceedings challenging the confirmation of the Order by the Secretary of State; (iv)         commence or defend any proceedings in the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) concerning the determination of the compensation to which affected parties whose land and/or interests are acquired pursuant to the Order may be entitled, and to take all necessary steps to deal with, settle and/or dispose of those proceedings (as the case may be). (v)          do all things necessary or incidental to the implementation of the above-mentioned resolutions.   (NOTE: Appendices to the report contained information ‘Not for Publication’ that had been circulated to members of the Cabinet only).

Alternative options considered: None.