Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided an update on the future use of the Britton Farm supermarket premises, Gillingham, following the departure of the food retailer, Budgens.

The report explained that the Cabinet, at its meeting on 7 February 2017, granted delegated authority to the Chief Legal Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources to let the premises on the best terms reasonably obtainable (decision no. 14/2017 refers). The report set out the history of marketing the site and advised that the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) had indicated its interest in co-locating to the premises from other operational buildings in Medway.

On 26 June KMPT’s Finance Board approved the proposed letting of a re-configured Britton Farm shop unit, subject to entering into a lease and approving the final design. The report stated that the lease could be completed by exercising the existing delegated authority.

The report also explained that on 19 July 2018 the Council agreed an addition to the Capital Programme of £850,000. This funding would be utilised to re-model the Britton Farm supermarket premises to allow it to be let as new office accommodation for KMPT.

The proposed lease would repay the costs in addition to a rental figure over a 10 year period.

Reasons:

To provide a positive intervention on Gillingham High Street with re-use of a vacant building and to bring forward a new residential site.