Decision details

CONNECTING LEICESTER | DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE

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Decision Maker: City Mayor (Individual Decision)

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

To approve the release of £4.8m of policy provision to enable the creation of a new public realm space between Cank St and Green Dragon Square.

Decision:

To approve:

· the creation of the new link and development site at Market Place North as described in this report at a total scheme cost of £2.824m;

· the addition of £1.4m to the capital programme as an immediate start, funded from the Highways, Transport & Infrastructure policy provision;

· the transfer of £1.424m from the existing markets capital budget towards this scheme.

Please Note: This decision was Called-In under Rule 12 of Part 4D of the Council’s Constitution. The Call-In was considered by the Overview Select Committee at its meeting on 11 January 2024 where it was withdrawn by resolution of the Committee in accordance with Rule 12 (g) of Part 4D of the Council’s Constitution. The original decision taken on 7 December 2023 is, therefore, deemed to be revived in its entirety.

Reasons for the decision:

To create a new link connecting the St Martin’s Square development to Green Dragon Square by demolishing 14-16 Market Place North. The scheme will create a high-quality development site adjacent Cank St and refurbish numbers 12, 18 and 20 that will remain fronting Market Place North onto Green Dragon Square after the demolition. This is part of the Council’s wider Markets re-development programme.

The site will extend the successful St Martin’s Square scheme, stimulate the local economy, increase footfall and connectivity, animate Green Dragon Square, and improve the overall city offer by providing a new and unique retail environment.

Alternative options:

Not applicable

Publication date: 29/11/2023

Date of decision: 07/12/2023

Effective from: 15/12/2023

This decision has been called in by:

Councillor Patrick Kitterick who writes We the undersigned wish to "Call In" the Executive Decision: CONNECTING LEICESTER / DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE We note that this specific decision does not appear to have been examined by the relevant Scrutiny Committee, therefore, we wish to have the opportunity to consider whether the City Mayor’s decision to pour even more millions of scarce council cash into a small, very privileged part of the City Centre when the City Council is on the verge of bankruptcy is a priority for the people of Leicester at this time. In particular we wish to examine whether a higher priority for these funds is to revamp the many play areas in Leicester’s neighbourhoods which have been badly neglected by the City Mayor in his 12 years in office. Moved Cllr Patrick Kitterick Seconded Cllr Deepak Bajaj "
Councillor Nigel Porter who writes We the undersigned wish to "Call In" the Executive Decision: CONNECTING LEICESTER / DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE We note that this specific decision does not appear to have been examined by the relevant Scrutiny Committee, therefore, we wish to have the opportunity to consider whether the City Mayor’s decision to pour even more millions of scarce council cash into a small, very privileged part of the City Centre when the City Council is on the verge of bankruptcy is a priority for the people of Leicester at this time. In particular we wish to examine whether a higher priority for these funds is to revamp the many play areas in Leicester’s neighbourhoods which have been badly neglected by the City Mayor in his 12 years in office. Moved Cllr Patrick Kitterick Seconded Cllr Deepak Bajaj "
Councillor Liz Sahu who writes We the undersigned wish to "Call In" the Executive Decision: CONNECTING LEICESTER / DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE We note that this specific decision does not appear to have been examined by the relevant Scrutiny Committee, therefore, we wish to have the opportunity to consider whether the City Mayor’s decision to pour even more millions of scarce council cash into a small, very privileged part of the City Centre when the City Council is on the verge of bankruptcy is a priority for the people of Leicester at this time. In particular we wish to examine whether a higher priority for these funds is to revamp the many play areas in Leicester’s neighbourhoods which have been badly neglected by the City Mayor in his 12 years in office. Moved Cllr Patrick Kitterick Seconded Cllr Deepak Bajaj "
Councillor Paul Westley who writes We the undersigned wish to "Call In" the Executive Decision: CONNECTING LEICESTER / DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE We note that this specific decision does not appear to have been examined by the relevant Scrutiny Committee, therefore, we wish to have the opportunity to consider whether the City Mayor’s decision to pour even more millions of scarce council cash into a small, very privileged part of the City Centre when the City Council is on the verge of bankruptcy is a priority for the people of Leicester at this time. In particular we wish to examine whether a higher priority for these funds is to revamp the many play areas in Leicester’s neighbourhoods which have been badly neglected by the City Mayor in his 12 years in office. Moved Cllr Patrick Kitterick Seconded Cllr Deepak Bajaj "
Councillor Hemant Rae Bhatia who writes We the undersigned wish to "Call In" the Executive Decision: CONNECTING LEICESTER / DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE We note that this specific decision does not appear to have been examined by the relevant Scrutiny Committee, therefore, we wish to have the opportunity to consider whether the City Mayor’s decision to pour even more millions of scarce council cash into a small, very privileged part of the City Centre when the City Council is on the verge of bankruptcy is a priority for the people of Leicester at this time. In particular we wish to examine whether a higher priority for these funds is to revamp the many play areas in Leicester’s neighbourhoods which have been badly neglected by the City Mayor in his 12 years in office. Moved Cllr Patrick Kitterick Seconded Cllr Deepak Bajaj "
Councillor Mick Gregg who writes We the undersigned wish to "Call In" the Executive Decision: CONNECTING LEICESTER / DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE We note that this specific decision does not appear to have been examined by the relevant Scrutiny Committee, therefore, we wish to have the opportunity to consider whether the City Mayor’s decision to pour even more millions of scarce council cash into a small, very privileged part of the City Centre when the City Council is on the verge of bankruptcy is a priority for the people of Leicester at this time. In particular we wish to examine whether a higher priority for these funds is to revamp the many play areas in Leicester’s neighbourhoods which have been badly neglected by the City Mayor in his 12 years in office. Moved Cllr Patrick Kitterick Seconded Cllr Deepak Bajaj "
Councillor Deepak Bajaj who writes We the undersigned wish to "Call In" the Executive Decision: CONNECTING LEICESTER / DEMOLITION OF 14-16 MARKET PLACE, CREATION OF NEW LINK AND DEVELOPMENT SITE We note that this specific decision does not appear to have been examined by the relevant Scrutiny Committee, therefore, we wish to have the opportunity to consider whether the City Mayor’s decision to pour even more millions of scarce council cash into a small, very privileged part of the City Centre when the City Council is on the verge of bankruptcy is a priority for the people of Leicester at this time. In particular we wish to examine whether a higher priority for these funds is to revamp the many play areas in Leicester’s neighbourhoods which have been badly neglected by the City Mayor in his 12 years in office. Moved Cllr Patrick Kitterick Seconded Cllr Deepak Bajaj "

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