Issue - meetings

The Regeneration Project officer introduced the report and outlined that in February 2012 Cabinet agreed to contribute £500,000 towards public realm improvements on Worcester Avenue. This money has not yet been allocated and will not be until Tottenham Hotspur (THFC) are in a position to lay permanent surfaces and finishes once the majority of construction in and around the stadium has finished. Meanwhile, a number of additional highways and transport related priority issues had been identified which the Council will need to resolve ahead of the new stadium opening. The report proposed using a proportion of £500,000 already allocated to fund these works. THFC would still be required to complete the Worcester Avenue work through their own funds and the remainder of the £500,000 committed, with no further funds being provided by the Council. This would be guaranteed through stipulations contained within a section 278 agreement for Worcester Avenue. 

RESOLVED

1.    To approve the reallocation of £211,937.48 plus 15% contingency (equating to a maximum of £243,728.10) from the £500,000 committed by Cabinet in February 2012 for improvements to Worcester Avenue, to cover urgent highways and transport works required to mitigate against the large volume of spectators visiting the new THFC stadium from August 2018 to be carried out as highway works pursuant to the 2016 S106 agreement.  

2.    To agree that the remainder of the £500,000 continues to be held until THFC are in a position to install a permanent surface and fixtures to Worcester Avenue.

3.    That, where agreed with THFC, any additional work required for similar improvements can also be funded from this sum until the £500,000 ceiling has been reached.

4.    That the Section 278 agreement relating to Worcester Avenue stipulates a requirement for THFC to complete the work to Worcester Avenue in line with the February 2012 Cabinet agreement without any additional funding (beyond any remaining funds from the original £500,000 allocated) being provided by the Council.

Reasons for decision

In February 2012 a package of funding for north Tottenham was agreed which included a financial contribution of £8.5m towards the Northumberland Development Project (a stadium led regeneration scheme delivered by THFC). This contribution covered contributions towards public realm and heritage improvements as well as £0.5m towards improvements to Worcester Avenue.

Due to the large volume of construction on and around Worcester Avenue both now and in the future, THFC do not intend to install permanent surfaces or finishes to the road until a much later date. The Council has therefore retained this £500,000, for release once THFC are in a position to carry out the permanent works.

Through the preparation of the Local Area Management Plan (LAMP), THFC and officers from the Council have identified that some additional highways and transport improvements are required ahead of the opening of the new stadium in August 2018. The total cost of these works equates to £215,937.48 (£243,728.10 including 15% contingency) and will be carried out as highways works pursuant to the S106 agreement as per the following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34