The Executive considered an update on the development of proposals for the Stockport Interchange and agreed:
· in principle to the drafting of a development agreement with TfGM for the development of the new interchange and any associated commercial development and highway improvements;
· in principle to the granting of a new lease to TfGM of the Interchange, the lease to be granted under the terms of a development agreement between the Council and TfGM once construction of the new Interchange and related works have been completed to the satisfaction of the Council, the terms to be approved by the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration and Borough Treasurer;
· to assist TfGM in securing vacant possession of the site of the Interchange, the premises required for the proposed new bridge link to Heaton Lane and others deemed necessary;
· to authorise the stopping up or diversion, either temporarily or permanently, of public highways and rights of way deemed necessary to permit construction and operation of the Interchange and associated public realm improvements;
· to authorise the entering into of agreements with landowners and others to secure the land required for highway and other improvements necessary for the construction and operation of the Interchange, and to improve access between the Interchange and Stockport Railway Station;
· to authorise Council officers to undertake the design and/or carry out the works in relation to 1.4 and 1.5 above;
· in principle, to the making of a compulsory purchase order to support the Interchange development and to delegate to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration in consultation with the Executive Member Supporting Places, the final decision on whether to authorise an order to be made and submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport (or other appropriate Secretary of State) for the purpose of confirming such order under the relevant statutory powers to acquire all outstanding land and interests required for the Interchange development;
· to authorise the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration to take all necessary steps to bring the order into operation, provided that the order is confirmed by the appropriate Secretary of State;
· that if the order is confirmed, the acquisition of the land and rights the subject of the order be approved, subject to there being no material change in circumstances that would mean that the Council could not properly make and pursue the order;
· to authorise the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration and Borough Treasurer (1) to take all necessary steps to implement these resolutions and (2) to approve agreements with landowners setting out the terms of withdrawals of objections to the order once made, including where appropriate, the exclusion of land from the order, to make deletions from, and/or minor amendments, and modifications to the order and associated order map and plans, to agree to refrain from vesting any land/rights included within the order should this be in their opinion appropriate, and to negotiate terms for the acquisition by agreement of any outstanding interests/rights in the land within the order prior to its confirmation;
· to give delegated authority to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration and Borough Treasurer in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Supporting Places) and the Executive Councillor (Support & Governance) to take such other steps as are appropriate and necessary to secure the development of the Interchange and related works;
· to the adoption of the proposed new bridge and any new public highway created as part of the scheme;
· the above recommendations subject to TfGM reimbursing the Council’s reasonable costs and any compensation payable.