Agenda item

(a)  Significant progress has been made in relation to the delivery of the NWQ and that SUR will present an updated masterplan for approval by March 2020.

(b)  Following a series of positive meetings, the Council has negotiated enhanced commercial terms with SUR for this site, as follows:

i.  Construction Exclusivity – commercially it is advantageous to the Council to have SUR seek Value for Money through the broadest range of construction entities particularly with the expertise of high rise residential development and therefore SUR will not require any exclusivity to Morgan Sindall companies;

ii.  Muse expertise and dedicated resources – SUR will appoint their in-house company Muse, who specialise in major regeneration projects similar to the NWQ and they will increase their resources to provide dedicated expertise and leadership of the project;

iii.  Governance – in order to create a bespoke decision making structure, it is appropriate that there is a separation between the day-to-day SUR projects and decision making form the NWQ project.  It has been agreed that there will be a dedicated ‘TVU Project Board’, which will be resourced equally from Muse and the Council and directly accountable to the Chief Executive of the Council and the Chief Executive of Morgan Sindall.

iv.  Council Objectives - There are a number of strategically important requirements that the Council have made mandatory to delivering an integrated high quality inclusive development.  These include the inclusion of the Network Rail land, adoption of a flexible scheme to accommodate the MRT route and the compliance of affordable housing. SUR have agree to accommodate all of these objectives;

(c)  The proposals for the NWQ will form part of a wider Framework Masterplan for the centre of Slough that will include the redevelopment of the town centre and incorporate the emerging Transport Vision and Cultural Strategy to facilitate and maximise wider social and regenerative benefits for Slough.

(d)  As part of negotiations with SUR to refresh the governance arrangements, SUR has agreed to unconditionally release the option for the site at Weekes Drive, which is the catalyst for SBC to bring forward a circa 110 unit affordable housing project.

The Interim Director of Regeneration introduced a report that updated on the Heart of Slough North West Quadrant project.

The Cabinet had agreed in January 2018 to grant an option to negotiate with Slough Urban Renewal (SUR) to redevelop the former Thames Valley University site.  The report set out how the Council had negotiated enhanced commercial terms with SUR which included an exclusivity agreement that would enable each phase to be tendered to the open market which was advantageous to the Council; utilising the expertise of Muse to help progress the project; and strengthened governance arrangements to give the Council more control.  The updated masterplan was scheduled for approval in March 2020.  The project was closely linked to the Transport Vision and assurance was provided that the plans were aligned to ensure the Council’s wider strategic objectives were being met.  As part of the negotiations with SUR they had agreed to unconditionally release the option for the site at Weekes Drive which would assist the Council to bring forward a scheme for 110 social and affordable housing units.

The Cabinet welcomed the progress that had been made in bringing forward the TVU site redevelopment to enable to Council to maximise the huge potential of the site to the regeneration of the town.  After due consideration, the recommendations were agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  Significant progress has been made in relation to the delivery of the NWQ and that SUR will present an updated masterplan for approval by March 2020.

(b)  Following a series of positive meetings, the Council has negotiated enhanced commercial terms with SUR for this site, as follows:

i.  Construction Exclusivity – commercially it is advantageous to the Council to have SUR seek Value for Money through the broadest range of construction entities particularly with the expertise of high rise residential development and therefore SUR will not require any exclusivity to Morgan Sindall companies;

ii.  Muse expertise and dedicated resources – SUR will appoint their in-house company Muse, who specialise in major regeneration projects similar to the NWQ and they will increase their resources to provide dedicated expertise and leadership of the project;

iii.  Governance – in order to create a bespoke decision making structure, it is appropriate that there is a separation between the day-to-day SUR projects and decision making form the NWQ project.  It has been agreed that there will be a dedicated ‘TVU Project Board’, which will be resourced equally from Muse and the Council and directly accountable to the Chief Executive of the Council and the Chief Executive of Morgan Sindall.

iv.  Council Objectives - There are a number of strategically important requirements that the Council have made mandatory to delivering an integrated high quality inclusive development.  These include the inclusion of the Network Rail land, adoption of a flexible scheme to accommodate the MRT route and the compliance of affordable housing. SUR have agree to accommodate all of these objectives;

(c)  The proposals for the NWQ will form part of a wider Framework Masterplan for the centre of Slough that will include the redevelopment of the town centre and incorporate the emerging Transport Vision and Cultural Strategy to facilitate and maximise wider social and regenerative benefits for Slough.

(d)  As part of negotiations with SUR to refresh the governance arrangements, SUR has agreed to unconditionally release the option for the site at Weekes Drive, which is the catalyst for SBC to bring forward a circa 110 unit affordable housing project.