Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of City Development regarding the future of the West Park Centre in the context of the outcome of the consultation undertaken with users and the health and safety issues that currently exist which led to the temporary closure of the building  in November 2012.

The Director of City Development submitted a report regarding the future of the West Park Centre in the context of the outcome of the consultation undertaken with users and the current health and safety issues which led to the temporary closure of the building in November 2012.

Following the consultation undertaken to date, an options appraisal had been drawn up resulting in the following 5 options being identified in respect of the future of the West Park Centre:-

·  Option 1 – Retention of the West Park Centre building in its entirety.

·  Option 2 – Partial demolition of the West Park Centre and re-opening of the remainder.

·  Option 3 – Demolition of the West Park Centre and new facility built on site for Artforms and other existing users.

·  Option 4 – Demolition of the West Park Centre and decant to alternative premises elsewhere.

·  Option 5 - Demolition of the West Park Centre and decant city wide services elsewhere with a local community facility developed on the existing site.

The Executive Member for Development and the Economy highlighted the significant number of representations which had been made on this issue and undertook to ensure that discussions would be held with all main users of the centre. The Board acknowledged that a swift, but considered response to this matter was required, in order to ensure that the most appropriate option was progressed. 

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the submitted report be noted.

(b)  That approval be given for officers to further develop options 2 and 5, as outlined above and as detailed within the submitted report, in consultation with potential users, with a report being submitted to Executive Board in April 2013 with detailed proposals and costs.

(c)   That the proposal to dispose of part of the West Park site that is implicit to the delivery of either options 5 or 2, as outlined above and as detailed within the submitted report, be noted.

(d)   That it be approved that the boundary between land to the immediate East of the West Park Centre and the site for the Queen Elizabeth II Fields In Trust scheme follows the existing fence line and site boundary, as detailed within Appendix 1 to the submitted report.