Stroud District Council wants to use a compulsory purchase order to seize Tricorn House from its present owners - yippie!Photo: Tricorn with trees recently cut down
As diligent blog readers will know a long while back I raised the issue of compulsory purshase of Tricorn House (see various previous blogs) - this was in response to work I had been doing on Cainscross Parish Plan - it was overwhelmingly one of the most important things that could be tackled to improve the area. Time and time again in the interviews I was conducting for the Parish Plan this issue was raised unprompted.
Now of course I'd like to say have the Council listened to me - but then again they may have just come to the same conclusion? After all it is pretty obvious and as many have said why has it taken so long?
Anyhow an emergency motion was tabled at a cabinet meeting last Thursday to seek possession of the former Department of Social Security building - known as one of the region's ugliest - via a compulsory purchase order. The building was last occupied 10 years ago by the DSS and has been empty ever since despite a relatively buoyant commercial market in recent years.
Updated: Photo below from guy who left comment - see comment to understand!
Here's some of what the Council papers said: The decline in the physical appearance and fabric of the building has accelerated over the past year. The Council has been obliged to address issues created by the vacant building. The Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Officer has liaised with the owner and local residents over a range of community safety and anti-social behaviour issues. Apart from the growing community safety concerns, there are important environmental and economic considerations. The property is prominent on one of the ‘gateway’ routes into Stroud. As such, it has an impact not only locally but also to the District, in the eyes of investors, tourists, developers and residents. Whilst the site is not protected for employment purposes under policy EM5 of the adopted Local Plan it is generally protected under policy EM4 that sets out a series of criteria which have to be met before permission is granted. The Regional Spatial Strategy Examination in Public report has re-emphasised the need to generate local employment opportunities in the District, as part of reducing out-commuting and creating sustainable communities.Wellfair Property Investment Holdings Ltd. is the owner of Tricorn House. According to its agents, offers were made by 3 prospective purchasers in July 2006. None of these were taken forward. The Council has sought the District Valuer’s assessment of current market value. As at December 2007, the valuation is in the region of £1.3 million.
Ecotricity, a national renewable energy company with headquarters in the District, has approached the owner and the Council. Its interest in acquiring the site has since been reported in the local media. It is understood that the company wishes to expand and create new jobs. Ward councillors have expressed interest in the company’s plans and the prospect of employment opportunities. Ecotricity has indicated that it would be willing to negotiate with Wellfair Property Investment Holdings Ltd. The Chief Executive offered to introduce the parties to one another but Wellfair Property Investment Holdings Ltd considered this inappropriate. Instead, separate meetings have been held with both companies.
It is increasingly evident that, without the Council’s intervention, the property will continue to deteriorate and the employment potential of the site will remain unrealised. In the circumstances, it is proposed that the Council acquire the site and building, using its Compulsory Purchase powers and subject to a ‘back to back’ agreement with a party willing to purchase from the Council. This will minimise the Council’s risk and financial exposure.
The Council used such an approach with 15 High Street, Stroud. This building was having a detrimental impact on the town’s investment potential and creating environmental and community safety concerns. Following the Council’s decision to use its compulsory purchase powers, a commercial solution was identified and the building is currently being redeveloped.
The motion will now go before the Full Council on April 17.
3 comments:
I think it's funny, the way people have been knocking the architecture of the police station for years, when, if you go up the road to Dursley, the new Stroud College looks just the same.
The difference between Tricorn House and Stroud college, is a re-doing of the outside, ie resurfacing and painting, and maybe replacing the windows, at a fraction of the cost(in financial terms and to the environment) of rebuilding.
Perhaps environmentalists are afraid that green will get a bad image by recycling an old building.
Russ
Agree we should recycle the building if poss - and agree the college is in my view a disappointment - great and airy inside but v poor in terms of environment.
I agree that it's a pity to pull the whole thing down when a facelift could do the job. It is undeniably an eyesore but I think much of that is to do with the sad, forlorn atmosphere created by its being empty. Some imaginative planting and good use of the wealth of artistic talent we have in the Stroud Valleys (mosaics/murals, etc) would go a long way to sprucing it up.
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