Decision details

RESOLVED that:

       i.          The progress to date on the community centre and health & wellbeing hub in

partnership with the Care Commissioning Group (CCG) is noted and the timetable in paragraph 5.23 of the Director: Place, Planning & Regeneration’s report is agreed.

      ii.          the community centre budget of up to £2.4m is agreed as per paragraph 5.10 of the Director: Place, Planning & Regeneration’s report; the development cost of the health centre to be met by the CCG/NHS as noted in paragraph 5.1 of the Director: Place, Planning & Regeneration’s report.

     iii.          to forward fund up to £4.6m (including ancillary costs as per paragraph 5.10 of the Director: Place, Planning & Regeneration’s report),the capital costs of the Health part of the building, on the basis that the consequent capital financing costs will be matched by long term rental income from Health.

    iv.          the Procurement Plan (paragraph 5.25 of the Director: Place, Planning & Regeneration’s report) for the community centre and health

care hub in Appendix C (Restricted), is approved.

1.     The Blue Mountain programme consists of Binfield Learning Village all-through school for 1851 pupils (operated as King’s Academy Binfield) and community centre required alongside 400 new homes at the Blue Mountain site. In the first phase, the Council has delivered the new school which opened in September 2018. The next phase requires the Council to deliver the community hub in line with the ongoing building of the new housing development being undertaken by a Bloor and Linden Homes partnership.

2.     The development of the Blue Mountain site in accordance with the Site Allocation Local Plan has been previously approved through the Executive process, which included a full Council consultation. Planning Permission for the new all-through school and outline planning permission for the standalone community centre was granted in June 2016. Subsequently, the Council received the land from the former site owner on the basis that an all-through school and community centre will be delivered by the Council. The residential parcel of land was part of the same outline planning permission, which was subsequently bought by Bloor Homes who are now building new homes in partnership with Linden Homes.

3.     The forecast increase in the population of Binfield and the surrounding areas would require additional healthcare facilities for the local community. The Council is working in partnership with the East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group to develop a joint community and health & wellbeing centre. A joint centre will provide enhanced benefits to the local community. The scheme will also deliver a “one public estate objective” with BFC, CCG and primary care practices all sharing a facility which will be owned by BFC.

The proposed health and wellbeing centre is subject to NHS funding. If adequate

funding is not provided, the health facility will not be affordable. In this event, the

Council will revert to building a standalone community centre to meet the Council’s

legal obligation, and meet the needs of the new community. At that stage, some

redesigning of the scheme will be needed.

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