D-Day for controversial development

BLUEPRINTS for the first phase of Doncaster’s civic and cultural quarter are due to be signed off by councillors today, paving the way for the controversial development to begin.

The so-called CCQ project has been in the planning stages for several years, and will be built on the site previously occupied by the town’s college, which is now almost completely demolished.

Plans show the 300m scheme will take up around 25 acres of the town centre, between Waterdale, Chequer Road and College Road. It is expected that the project will take six to eight years.

Doncaster Council’s cabinet will be presented with drawings and artist’s impressions at today’s meeting, and elected mayor Peter Davies will decide whether to give officers permission to go ahead.

The CCQ was one of several “transformational projects” on an agenda for the town which was drawn up by previous mayor Martin Winter.

When Mr Davies was elected last year, he made it clear he was not happy with the proposals for the CCQ, but said the authority could not back out because legal papers were already signed. Since then, the mayor has overseen the project, and negotiations have been held with regional development agency Yorkshire Forward which has agreed to contribute 15.8m for the first phase.

The first part of the project will provide what developers have called “civic accommodation”, which will include new council offices to replace the existing council house and a new council chamber.

It is expected that the entire cost of constructing and fitting out the new council offices will be in the region on 37m, a sum which officers will tell the cabinet is contained within current approved spending.

Developers Muse are also working on designs for a “new performance venue” which will be built close to the new council offices, and a civic square, which will front onto the authority’s headquarters.

A report to be examined by the cabinet says: “Since the last report to the cabinet in November 2008, significant progress has been made toward the delivery of the CCQ project. On April 23, 2009, the council and Muse Developments signed the CCQ Development Agreement. This agreement contractually binds the council council and Muse to deliver the CCQ project.

“An outline planning application for the CCQ proposals was granted by the planning authority on October 12, 2009 subject to the completion of a section 106 agreement.

“On November 5, 2009 Yorkshire Forward agreed to support phase one with a capital grant of 15.8m, specifically for enabling infrastructure, including the Civic Square and new performance venue.”

Several options are available to the cabinet at today’s meeting, and in theory, the mayor could say that he is not happy with the finances and order a redraft of the proposals.

But it is more likely that the mayor and cabinet will follow recommendations given by senior officers and delegate powers for further contracts to be signed and a detailed planning application for the offices to be submitted.

In their report, officers say: “Authorising officers to sign the funding agreement with Yorkshire Forward will allow the council to expediently secure a significant grant contribution for phase one.

“This will impact positively on the overall timetable for the project and promote early tendering of the works. This is likely to be beneficial to the council as the recession has forced construction prices into a period of deflation.”

Once the first phase is complete, further stages of the CCQ will come up for cabinet approval, including a new car park on Chequer Road, new offices and a four-star “boutique” hotel.