WINTERBOURNE, Land East of Harry Stoke (Known as Hoodlands Farm) Curtis Lane Consultation on the Future of Property

 The land is shown edged in red on the attached Plan (approximately 1.551ac/0.628ha).   

The Council acquired this land to enable the Stoke Gifford Bypass to be constructed. It currently forms part of an extended Highway verge. Highways have confirmed it can be disposed of. A developer promoting an adjoining site has expressed an interest in acquiring it, on the basis that access to it can only be gained through their site until the surrounding land is developed and new adopted highway is constructed. The latter may not occur for several years and is outside of the control of this developer. The developer would enter a conditional contract to acquire it subject to planning if terms for its sale can be agreed.

Under the Councils Property Framework there is an exception for sites that are landlocked or have severely restricted access. The land proposed for disposal currently meets this criterion. However, the Council could wait and dispose of the land when the adopted highway has been constructed with that timescale unknown. If a deal can be agreed with the developer now, that represents market value, the sale of it would generate a substantial capital receipt for the Council. For this reason, it is proposed to declare it surplus now and in doing so establish if there is potential for alternative uses.

I would like to determine whether there is any alternative realistic interest in the land within the Council before any wider consultation is undertaken. All requests will be given full consideration prior to any decision on the future of the land.

This consultation has now closed and we are analysing the results, which will be published here in due course.