To approve the purchase of Land at Hurst Farm,
North of Hazelbank, Eashing Lane, Godalming, GU8 5EP,
(approximately 4.5 hectares) in line with the following terms and
conditions:
The land will be purchased to utilise as a SANG in line with
Guildford Borough Council’s Thames Basin Heaths Special
Protection Area Avoidance Strategy 2017 and Committee Report 22
June 2021: which makes the principle clear that the Council can
take on private SANG and sees this as the preferred option. The
current owners of the land and applicants for the change of use to
facilitate SANG have made clear their intention to hand the SANG to
the Council.
The current owners have offered the Council the site for a
peppercorn rate £1 and will also provide a contribution of
£1,297,529.20 to cover costs to maintain the land in
perpetuity. These costs have been checked in line with HM Treasury
guidance and further to this up-to-date market forecasts provided
by Guildford Borough Council Finance team. As assessed the sum
sufficiently covers anticipated costs in perpetuity.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure > £200,000;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Wards affected: Pilgrims;
Notice of proposed decision first published: 10/01/2023
Decision due: 7 Feb 2023 by Joint Strategic Director - Place
Lead member: Lead Councillor for Finance and Property
Lead director: Joint Strategic Director - Place
Contact: Mark Appleton, Asset and Property Manager Email: mark.appleton@guildford.gov.uk.
Authority / Delegation: Council’s 12/10/2022 Constitution Part 3, Page 3-78 Para 1 Strategic Director In consultation with the Executive Head: Assets and Property, the Joint Section 151 Officer, and the relevant Lead Councillor with portfolio responsibility for finance and asset management, to approve strategic and/or operational property acquisitions within the set parameters of the Strategic Property Acquisition Procedure.