Agenda item

            The Director of Neighbourhood Services reminded the Committee that the Council currently held a site at Moyard Crescent from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) on a 10,000-year lease, for the purpose of providing a standalone playground and small kick about area.  She detailed that the location, which was isolated from the main body of the Moyard Estate, had been used as a gathering point for local youths who engaged in anti-social behaviour.

            The Committee was further reminded that, at its meeting held on 14th August, 2014, it had granted approval to relocate the playground from Moyard Crescent to the Vere Foster Primary School site and to surrender the Moyard Crescent site to the NIHE.  The playground had subsequently been closed and the equipment removed but the Council had retained ownership of the site.  The Belfast Education and Library Board (now the Education Authority) had indicated a willingness to transfer part of the land at the Vere Foster Primary School to the Council for the relocation of the playground and kick about area.  It had been considered that this proposed location would provide improved access due to the proximity to the housing and to the Matt Talbot Youth Club.

            Following the construction of a mini pitch by the Education Authority, the remainder of the Vere Foster Primary School site had been declared surplus in June 2017 and the Council had expressed an interest in acquiring the site for a new playground and casual multi games area.  The NIHE had also expressed an interest in acquiring the site for social housing.  The Land and Property Service (LPS) had valued the site at £120,000 to reflect residential development.  The Committee was advised that, following discussion with officers, the NIHE had since withdrawn its expression of interest in the Vere Foster Primary School site.

            The Director reported that Council had submitted a business case to the Education Authority seeking to acquire the site for a playground and multi games area by way of a 25-year lease.  The Education Authority had agreed to the request for the 25-year lease and the LPS had assessed the value at £800 per annum.

            The Committee noted that the Council was now in a position to agree to the NIHE’s request for the Council to surrender its leasehold interest in the Moyard Crescent site.  The Committee was advised that the NIHE intended to transfer the site to Choice Housing for the construction of 12-14 social housing units to address the identified social housing need in the area.  The LPS had assessed the value of the Council’s leasehold in the Moyard Crescent site at nil, given that the site was restricted to that of a playground and also that the NIHE had reserved the right to take possession of the frontage of the site on giving the Council one-months’ notice at any time.

            The Committee:

·        authorised the disposal of the existing Moyard Crescent playground site to the NIHE by way of a surrender of the lease; and

·        agreed to the acquisition of a new site at the former Vere Foster Primary School from the Education Authority, subject to the approval of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee  to the terms of the Deed of Surrender to the NIHE and the new lease with the Education Authority in accordance with standing orders.