Decision details

- To make recommendations to secure a sustainable future for the sports ground.

The Head of Environment and the Head of Kier Contracts, Chesterfield submitted a report on the current situation and proposals to secure a sustainable future for the former Chesterfield Cylinders / Whitebank Close Sports Ground.

The playing fields at Whitebank Close had been let by the Council in 1955 for a term of 99 years to Chesterfield Tube Company. Following the liquidation of the Tube Company and its successors UEF, the lease had been sold to Barratt Homes Limited, who had surrendered the lease in August 2013.

The site, comprising 4.5 hectares (11 acres), remained allocated in the Local Plan as playing fields.

There were currently three clubs in use and occupation on site, set up when Barratts held the lease, these being:

i)          Chesterfield Football Club (CFC)

ii)        Chesterfield Cylinders Bowling Club

iii)  The Bowmen of Chesterfield (an archery club).

On handover in 2013, the Council undertook works to address immediate health and safety concerns. Surveys also identified a number other repairs which would be required to facilitate re-letting the premises, substantially relating to the pavilions used by the archery and bowling clubs. A tree survey identified that many of the trees bordering the playing fields required pollarding and crown cleaning.

The football club had invested in new drainage and improving the playing surface of the playing fields. It was hoped that with FA funding, new changing and classroom facilities could be erected to enable the Club, through its Community Trust, to run its Football in the Community programmes.

The Council had been in discussion with each of the three clubs on individual leases for continued use of the site, with communal areas to be managed and maintained by the Council and costs recovered by way of a recharge provision within the leases.

The most recent negotiations with CFC had led to the agreement that in return for a significant rent-free period, CFC would finance the construction of a new facility, that would be suitable for their needs containing changing rooms, showers, WC’s, a community/training room and an officials changing room.

It was proposed to grant each prospective sports club a 25-year lease, with the purpose being that the sports club could then use this as a foundation to go out and secure external funding for proposed capital projects within their respective demised areas.

Each lease would also be designed to transfer as many responsibilities away from the Council and onto the prospective tenants, in order to secure the continued and future use of the site whilst at the same time mitigating and reducing the financial liability the site would, otherwise, pose to the Council.

The Council would need to undertake certain remedial works to bring the site and its facilities up to an acceptable standard for lease, to enable repair and maintenance responsibilities to be reasonably passed onto the tenants. Such works included an upgrade and revision of the electrical supply to all areas to allow for sub-metering and independent electrical usage.

The proposed terms for each lease were set out in the report, and the areas for use of each of the sports clubs were identified in Appendices to the report.

The Council would remain responsible for the land fronting the site, which may be suitable for disposal for the purposes of residential development, although consideration would need to be given to improving other sporting facilities on site to satisfy Sport England on the loss of the two tennis courts, one of which was currently derelict and the other used for parking. It was proposed that a proportion of the capital receipt be used to improve access, parking and other ancillary facilities on site, with full details of this to be covered in a separate report.

* RESOLVED –

(1)     That the additional works to the former Chesterfield Cylinders / Whitebank Close Sports Ground site to facilitate its re-letting be approved at an estimated total cost of £43,660.

(2)     That the Head of Contracts, Kier Chesterfield, in conjunction with the Head of Governance be authorised to negotiate and settle the final terms of up to 25-year leases with the three sports clubs currently in occupation on site.

(3)     That it be noted that future capital investment may be required on site and that this could be financed in part, by the capital sale of land fronting the sports ground. Specifically, this relates to replacement car parking and improvement of the access track. This matter will be subject to a further report to Cabinet.

REASONS FOR DECISION

1.      To comply with the Council’s policy of providing and improving parks and sports facilities for all of the community.

2.                To protect and develop community sports facilities.

3.      To mitigate and manage the potential financial burden the sports ground would have if fully retained.

Meeting.

Assistant Executive Member