Decision details

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Director – Commercialisation (S151) which provided an update on untidy sites within the district.

The Communities Manager highlighted the following points:

• Where a site was in a poor condition, and its condition adversely affected the amenity of the area, Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 gave the power to local authorities to take steps to require that the land and buildings  be tidied. A notice could be served on the owner, which set out steps that were required to be taken, and the time in which these steps must be carried out.
• Local Authorities also had the powers under this act to undertake clean-up work themselves and recover the costs from the landowner.
• Planning Permission had been granted for a majority of the sites listed in the appendix, but the developers had not implemented the permissions for various reasons.
• A Commercial Derelict Buildings and Disused and Derelict Land Enforcement Policy was being drafted to help ensure:

o   Consistency across departments when responding to complaints relating to derelict buildings, disused and derelict land

• • To ensure all contact was recorded on a centralised database
  • To ensure a co-ordinated response to complainants
  • To allow enforcement action to quickly be identified
  • To notify external agencies
  • To keep Ward Members updated.
• The draft Policy had been circulated to relevant teams within the Council and would be scrutinised by the Policy Development Panel in due course.

The Panel considered the report, and the following issues were raised:

• Members raised concern that schemes for redevelopment of the sites that had gone through the planning process were then declared not viable, and redevelopment had therefore not taken place.

• Members questioned how the Council could break the cycle of untidy sites not being redeveloped and what work was being undertaken to address this.
  • Officers agreed that a working group would be set up involving officers and 2 members of the Panel, and the work of this group would be reported to the Panel at a later date.

• Members enquired as to why the sites listed within the appendix were not being compulsory purchased by the Council.
  • Officers responded that powers were available to the Council to compulsory purchase properties, but this required the Secretary of State’s approval and a well-developed scheme to be in place.

• Members were concerned that some schemes for these sites that would be put in place could render the site worthless.

• Members questioned whether a multi-agency group could be set up to help redevelop some of the sites and a strategy put in place for redeveloping them.

• Members asked whether the Council could engage with local developers to encourage strategies to be developed for these sites.

AGREED:

That the report be noted.