Stafford council agrees to sell land for social club garden
Stafford Borough Council has agreed to sell off a piece of land in Highfields so that estate residents can have a garden at their proposed new meeting place.
The land next to Highfields Social Club at Barnes Road is currently a grassed area – and the club has asked to buy it from the borough council.
The land set to be sold off, which measures 0.01987 hectares (0.049 acres), has been valued on behalf of the council at £10,000 for freehold purchase.
But the sale will only go ahead if planning permission is granted for the current social club to be demolished and replaced with a new venue and 18 affordable homes on the site.
A report to Thursday’s cabinet meeting said: “Highfields Social Club are working with Hodgkinson Builders Limited and a registered housing provider regarding the proposed redevelopment of the existing social club site.
“Although the initial request came from Highfields Social Club, due to the wider funding structure of the transaction, as a whole, it has been decided between the parties, that Hodgkinson Builders Limited will purchase the land in the first instance, with this ultimately being transferred to Highfields Social Club.
“The sale of the land has a benefit to the local community and to the council. The community will benefit from both the provision of a new community facility and the provision of affordable dwellings. The council will benefit from a capital receipt and reduced costs as the land will no longer require maintenance.
“The land will be subject to a covenant that it cannot be used for any other purpose than garden land.”
Councillor Carolyn Trowbridge, cabinet member for leisure, said: “I seek approval to sell a small area of land adjacent to Highfields Social Club on Barnes Road, subject to planning approval.
Sensible
“This land will provide a garden area for the new and much-needed clubhouse. The local community pulled together many years ago – in fact 57 years ago – to purchase the clubhouse.
“They’re looking for a more viable option – their solution is to sell part of the land off and build a much smaller sustainable club house for future needs.
“This small area of land will help them to do this and it will stay as garden land.”
Fellow committee members agreed to the sale of the land at Thursday’s meeting, which was held by telephone conference call due to social distancing measures in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Council leader Patrick Farrington said: “It does appear to be an eminently sensible proposal.”
Councillor Jeremy Pert, cabinet member for community and health, said: “I am in support of this because what are the alternative uses of the land? It seems eminently sensible to go and use it for the purpose of the community.”
But Councillor Aidan Godfrey, leader of the authority’s opposition group, said: “The report said the purchased land will be ultimately transferred to the Highfields Club – do we have any guarantees that will take place?”
Councillor Trowbridge responded: “Yes absolutely, in the sense this will only go through if planning permission goes through – it becomes part of the area where the clubhouse will be built.”
