Agenda item

            Commercial Cultural Leisure

            Development Opportunity

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 24th August, 2012, it had agreed to proceed with a revised Developers’ Brief for commercial leisure and cultural purposes for a 58 acre site at the North Foreshore, on the basis of a clearly defined end date for the receipt of developers’ submissions containing all the due diligence information required to assess the commercial robustness and financial viability of the proposed scheme.  Following advertisement of the brief, the Council had received one development submission from China Sun Asia Pacific Limited for the construction of a sports and media village concept.

            The Director of Property and Projects reminded the Committee further that the submission had been assessed by an Evaluation Panel which had indicated that the submission was lacking in sufficient detail to be able to demonstrate to the Council that the proposed scheme was commercially sustainable and financially viable.  Subsequently, a report was submitted to the Committee on 22nd March where it had been agreed to grant a two month extension, with a final deadline of 2nd June, for the company to comply with the Council’s request for all the information outlined in the Development Brief, on the basis that that two month period would not be granted on an exclusivity or preferred developer basis.  The company had been advised of the Committee’s decision but the Council did not receive any further information from China Sun Asia Pacific Limited to substantiate its development submission.  On 23rd May, 2013, a representative of the company had confirmed to the Director of Property and Projects that it would not be progressing the sports and media village concept project at the North Foreshore site.

            The Director reported further that the Council had been approached separately by Ms. J. Gilbert of Team Network Limited, which was part of the China Sun Asia Pacific Limited consortium involved in the media village concept.  She had expressed an interest in separately pursuing the development of the media village, comprising sound and production film studios, and was to forward further clarification and details on the proposal, including resources and the proposed project team.  Upon receipt of such clarification detail, legal advice would be sought in relation to the Council progressing any discussions with Team Network Limited on the basis of the Development Brief which had been issued.

            The Committee noted that China Sun Asia Pacific Limited had confirmed that it would not be progressing the sports and media village concept project at the North Foreshore site and noted further the interest which had been expressed by Team Network Limited to separately pursue the development of the media village element and that a further report in this regard would be submitted to the Committee in due course.

            Environmental Resource Park –

            Cleantech Cluster Development

            The Director reminded the Committee that it had, on 20th January, approved the release of a Marketing Prospectus for the disposal of a three acre site for a cleantech biogas renewable energy generation facility.  The closing date for submissions was 30th May and an Evaluation Panel was currently undertaking an evaluation exercise in order to assess the commercial sustainability and financial viability of the proposals which had been received. 

            The Committee noted that a report on the outcome of the evaluation exercise would be submitted for its consideration following completion of that exercise.