Issue - meetings

Cabinet received an update following the Feasibility Study commissioned for the Westbrook Loggia building. The Council commissioned Fourth Street with architect Purcell and Quantity Surveyors, Betteridge & Milsom to complete a Feasibility Study that considered the opportunities for the redevelopment of the Westbrook Loggia site, including the types of uses. This was informed by evidence and community engagement.

Members were pleased that over 800 people took part in the engagement activity, and agreed that the report by Fourth Street was comprehensive and well informed. The report was clear as the consultant went the extra mile to ensure that they understood the site, and the destination with good knowledge of other coastal places and sites that supported this work.

The Loggia is a wonderful building in a prime location for both residents and visitors, and as the report highlights, it has significant opportunity. We have considered the Council’s role in delivering such a scheme ourselves; however with so many external funded projects being delivered by the Council, it makes sense that we take this out to the marketplace for the private sector to take a scheme forward.

Members were very clear that Cabinet wanted to see something that adds value to the whole destination throughout the year, not just seasonal improvements to Westbrook Bay and provided a service for residents. It was therefore a good approach to sell the site through a conditional sale with specific conditions relating to use, development timescales and with a buy back in the event of failure to deliver.

Cabinet agreed to:

1.  Note the independent Feasibility Study in Annex 1 (to the cabinet report), into the options for the Westbrook Loggia;

2.  Progress the Westbrook Loggia through the disposal framework identified in Option 2 (to the report), with specific sale conditions relating to use, development timescales and buy back in the event of failure to deliver;

3.  Give delegated authority to the Disposal Surveyor in consultation with the Director of Property to market the property and negotiate relevant sale terms;

4.  Give delegated authority to the Director of Property in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to enter into a binding sale contract.