Title : PROPOSED GROUND LEASE TO SEAVIEW FOOTBALL CLUB FOR PAVILION AT SEAVIEW RECREATION GROUND

Seaview Football Club plans to replace their pavilion through grant funding. To secure grants, the Club requires a long lease and is asking that the site value is grant aided by the Council.

The pavilion and changing rooms currently used by Seaview Football Club does not meet today's standards and is at the end of its useful life. Together with officers from the Council, the Club has been in discussions with the Football Association to seek support for a replacement building, and a plan, as attached, has been worked up. The Club is well established in the local community and the indications are that, given the appropriate application, grant funding would be recommended to the Football Foundation.

The scheme proposed has been costed at some £120,000 to £140,000 excluding fees and VAT. Fundraising by the Club is underway and a significant element of self-help through the Clubs own members is already promised. To help secure the Foundation funding, the Club is asking for a long ground lease of 125 years as the site for the pavilion, as shown on the location plan also appended.

This site is within the curtilage of Seaview Recreation Ground, which is located towards the South Eastern side of the village. The recreation ground is surrounded by residential properties

and a public footpath along the Western boundary. The site of the proposed pavilion is close to the North West comer of the recreation ground, and is 300 square meters in area. A public convenience, a meeting hall and a timber shed are situated to the North of the site. Vehicular access to the recreation ground is via an unadopted single lane track known as Seagrove Manor Road. All mains services are available to the site except gas.

Currently the Club leases the existing site on a 3 year agreement at a rent of £50 per annum with the Club responsible for all outgoings. The lease proposed is on the following terms :

$ the leaseholder to undertake all repairs, pay all outgoings, is not to cause a nuisance and assignment subletting is prohibited.

Because this negotiation has in effect been with a special purchaser then in accordance with the Council's own disposal guidelines two independent valuers were instructed to provide valuation advice on the basis of the terms outlined above. These opinions provided a range of £1,750 to £2,000 as the appropriate premium.

In support of this proposal the Club is also asking the Council to make a grant equal to the value of the lease premium.

The recreation ground is also shown in the Isle of Wight Unitary Development Plan as public open space and therefore Policy L4, which seeks to protect such land, would apply.

Objectives in the Corporate Plan include support to the development of recreation facilities and healthier living, particularly working in partnership with the local community. By granting this facility the Council will be meeting these objectives and given the scale of grant requested this can be managed within existing budget constraints. If the Council was to replace this facility with a portacabin estimated at £20,000 to £30,000, there will need to be a capital bid.

This recreation ground was acquired in February 1955, for the purpose of physical training and recreation. There is nothing in the title to prohibit the grant of this lease. As this site is public open space and the proposed lease is longer than 25 years, a public notice was placed in the Isle of Wight County Press under the Local Government Act 1972 Section 123(1), (2A) giving details of the proposed disposal and allowing objections to be raised. The objection period expired on the 17 May 2002 and no objections were received.

Both the Parish Council and the Football Association have shared and helped progress this proposal and have given their support to the scheme.

1. That the Council approves the grant of a ground lease on the terms set out in this report to Seaview Football Club, subject to planning permission being consented and grant funding being secured to build the new pavilion.

3. That the Council consider replacing these changing facilities through another scheme.

A KAYE

Head of Paid Service and Strategic Director for Education, Lifelong Learning and Community Development

J WAREHAM

Portfolio Holder for Education and

Lifelong Learning

M J A FISHER

Strategic Director

Corporate and Environment Services

R R BARRY

Portfolio Holder for Resources