The Executive Director for Development has submitted a report to seek approval to remove and dispose of car park decking at Oxpens Car Park.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Grant project approval for the removal of the car park decking located at Oxpens car park and sold for recoverable steel rather than stored for potential reuse; and

2.    Delegate to the Director of Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery and the Head of Law and Governance and Head of Financial Services the authority to procure, and enter into all appropriate contracts to implement the recommended option.

The Executive Director for Development had submitted a report to seek approval to remove and dispose of car park decking at Oxpens Car Park.

Cllr Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery, highlighted that the decking had been installed as a temporary fixture whilst the older, larger, Westgate Car Park was being demolished and prior to the opening of the new, smaller, car park.  Planning permission for the decking had now expired, and the site on which it was located was due to be transferred to OxWED LLP to enable development.  Whilst the option of relocating the decking elsewhere had been investigated, no viable option had been identified.  It was therefore proposed that the decking should be dismantled and disposed of.

The Leader commented that the proposal before Cabinet represented a sustainable solution in that it involved recovering as much steel as possible for re-sale. 

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Grant project approval for the removal of the car park decking located at Oxpens car park and sold for recoverable steel rather than stored for potential reuse; and

2.    Delegate to the Director of Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery and the Head of Law and Governance and Head of Financial Services the authority to procure, and enter into all appropriate contracts to implement the recommended option.