Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Housing, Transport & Infrastructure presented the report of the Director: Prosperity and Investment.

This report set out the continued achievements of the business winning Council and  the Telford Land Deal which, with supported the Councils Growth Fund, was delivering new and higher skilled, local jobs, creating growth and security in the local supply chain alongside new homes and central to the Council’s Strategy to Protect, Care & Invest into creating a better Borough.

Cumulatively over the six years of the Land Deal up to the end of 2020/21, the Borough had seen the development of 28 new commercial sites and 20 sites for residential development delivering 941 new homes and enabling 1726 new jobs, and brought back into use 48 acres of brownfield land. The Deal had delivered a gross sales income of £40.2m and attracted private sector investment of circa £300m. These developments would generate estimated additional business rates of circa £2.8m and council tax of circa £1.175m.

During 2020/2021 residential developments sites at Newcommon Way, Majestic Way and Pool Hill Road started on site, together with commercial developments at Halesfield 18 and Hortonwood West 1. During this period the Council had also seen the completion of employment floorspace at Hortonwood West Plot 7 and residential development at Croppings Farm and Horton lane.

Under the Land Deal, the Council has taken ownership of all residual non developable land from Homes England. This provides the additional opportunity to enhance and grow the Borough’s provision of Green Network and Local Nature Reserves as well as providing opportunities for carbon offsetting aligning with the Council’s commitment to zero carbon.

Members welcomed the innovative project and the favourable impact it brought to start up businesses and inward investment, together with employment opportunities and the positive human factors for families who stay, live, learn and shop within Telford and Wrekin and made a contribution to the Borough.  This contributed to the desire to grow the New Town and bring nature conservation and recreation and set aside areas to protect local nature reserves and green network.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat/Independent Group expressed support for the conversion of brownfield sites but would welcome caution with sites such as Shawbirch East and hoped that the Council would look at initiatives around urban greening and gain and that the Council should be an example to others in relation to green development.

The Leader of the Conservative Group expressed support for the very good scheme and the benefit of everyone working together.

RESOLVED - that Cabinet notes the outcomes achieved during the 2020/2021 financial year and overall since the Land Deal commenced.