Council agrees move on shopping precinct

By timesecholife on in All News, Uttoxeter news

A council has stated that it has been “working proactively” with the owners of a shopping precinct prior to announcing that it will be placing a Compulsory Purchase Order on the site. We reported earlier this month that East Staffordshire Borough Council (ESBC) had announced that they are to make a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for The Maltings in Uttoxeter.

A council has stated that it has been “working proactively” with the owners of a shopping precinct prior to announcing that it will be placing a Compulsory Purchase Order on the site.

We reported earlier this month that East Staffordshire Borough Council (ESBC) had announced that they are to make a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for The Maltings in Uttoxeter.

Last week, the owners of the site – MJ Barrett Group and Central England Co-operative – responded to the news stating, within their joint statement, that it had come “as a surprise and with a large degree of disappointment” to the two companies.

The author of the joint statement also stated: “We have actively engaged with the local authority to pursue development proposals for several years on the combined site, therefore, to publicly announce their desire to pursue a compulsory purchase goes wholly against the collaborative approach we all thought we were pursuing.”

This week, in a further response statement provided to the Uttoxeter Echo, ESBC has stated that the council has been “working proactively with representatives of M J Barrett Group and the Co-op in order to progress various schemes on the Maltings,” but that none have, as yet, come to fruition.

The council has also confirmed that “if no alternative approach can be agreed with landowners” it will begin to start the process of the Compulsory Purchase Order in July of this year.

It has also stated that a public consultation is set to take place on developing regeneration proposals for the Maltings: “which will help to create proposals that are deliverable and meet the aspirations of the town’s residents.”

Councillor George Allen, Leader of ESBC, said: “For some time, the council has worked proactively with representatives of M J Barrett Group and the Co-op in order to progress various schemes on the Maltings, which have unfortunately not been taken forward for commercial reasons.

“Prior to proposing a Compulsory Purchase Order, the council did make an offer to M J Barrett on the basis of an independent valuation, subject to consideration and approval by Full Council, which was not accepted.

“Accordingly, prior to proposing the CPO target in the Corporate Plan that was approved last night (Monday, March 21), M J Barrett were contacted and informed of the proposed action.

“The council has made a similar offer to the Co-op and remains hopeful that an agreement can be reached outside of a CPO process, with constructive dialogue continuing between both parties.”

Cllr Allen added: “In terms of the council’s Corporate Plan, there is an intention for the council to consider the progression of a CPO by July 2022, which would initiate the beginning of the process if no alternative approach can be agreed with landowners.

“From this point, the process will not be a quick one but it would go hand in hand with the next phase of public consultation on developing regeneration proposals for the Maltings, which will help to create proposals that are deliverable and meet the aspirations of the town’s residents.”

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