Agenda item

The Trustees considered the report presented by the Clerk to the Trustees which provided an update on progress since the Board’s last meeting in March 2021. 

It was reported that at that meeting the Board had resolved to seek to have the land designated as public open space and to approach the District and Town Councils for expressions of interest in acquiring the land.  Valuation advice on the proposal was also sought.  Wood Moore & Company had re-confirmed their previous indicative valuation for the land in the sum of £45,000, based on the land being sold as public open space, with a covenant preventing future development and/or overage provisions to protect the Gilstrap Trust’s position in respect of any future development potential.  An alternative option of leasehold had also been suggested by Wood Moore & Company, which would retain the land in the Trust’s ownership. 

The Clerk to the Trustees advised that she had spoken with the District and Town Councils and provided a verbal update as follows:

Response from Newark Town Council

From a consistency perspective it would make sense for the land to be transferred to Newark Town Council as it owns and operates most of the public open spaces in the town as opposed to the District Council which now only has a residual interest in such sites.  The Clerk to the Town Council stated that he could advise the Trust therefore that the Town Council was interested, in principle, in acquiring the site and, subject to the Trust agreeing the sale to the Town Council, it would be considered formally at a Committee of the Town Council on 24 November and then on to their full Council in December for formal approval.

Informal Indicative Officer Response from Newark & Sherwood District Council

The District Council would not wish to express an interest but the matter had not been discussed with elected Members.

In relation to paragraph 2.4 of the report, the Clerk advised that she had received an update subsequent to the Agenda being published.  The consultation referred to which had ended on 21 September had resulted in a limited response but that of those responses received, they had been supportive of deallocating the land as housing land.  The next stage of the process was to publish a draft Plan early in 2022 at which point the District Council would formally propose the deallocation of the land as housing land.

In considering the report a Trustee sought assurance that as well as the land being deallocated for housing, that a covenant to prevent future building would be applied.  The Clerk confirmed that the discussion held in March 2021 had resulted in the land being protected to prevent any future development, as referred to in paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 of the report.  In noting this, another Trustee stated that he would wish to ensure that the land be protected from future development but that should development be proposed, the Trustees would be able to claw back some monies. 

In order to clarify the position, a Trustee referred to the current consultation on an Open Space Strategy being undertaken by the District Council, such allocation of open space being by type e.g. play areas.  He sought clarity as to what category/ies the land was being preserved as to ensure the aspirations of the community were not excluded.

In listening to the debate a Trustee commented that he was sure that the representatives from the Gilstrap Charity Children’s Wood and Wildlife Meadow Committee, who were in attendance at the meeting, would be grateful that the Trustee Board was seeking to keep the area green for the people of Newark and that the Town Council may be grateful for their contribution in the future too.

At this point in the meeting advice was sought from the Clerk as to whether those Trustees who had declared an interest were able to vote on the matter.  The advice given was that if the Trustees felt that their position in being able to vote at the Town Council would be prejudiced then they should refrain from voting.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Trustee Board noted the report and confirmed external legal advisors be instructed as necessary.

(Having declared an interest in this item Councillors Max Cope, Rita Crowe and Laurence Goff did not vote.)