Finance Sub-Committee 30 November 2015

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1 Agenda Item 8 88 Finance Sub-Committee 30 November 2015 Land at Ditchford Lakes Purpose of report The purpose of this report is to obtain Councillors agreement to enter into a 35-year lease of Council-owned land at Ditchford Lakes to The Wildlife Trust. Attachment(s) Appendix A Map of Council owned land at Ditchford Lakes Appendix B Nene Wetlands Vision 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Land owned by the Council at Ditchford Lakes (see Appendix A) has been leased to The Wildlife Trust since 1998 under a 21-year Management Agreement. 1.2 The Wildlife Trust has recently applied for significant Heritage Lottery funding to join up conservation sites at Ditchford Lakes, Rushden Lakes and Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows. This forms part of their Nene Wetlands Vision and a summary of the project is contained in Appendix B. Their funding bid has successfully passed phase one, but in order to be successful at phase two, the final phase, The Wildlife Trust must demonstrate that they have control over all of the sites for a minimum period of 35 years. 1.3 The Wildlife Trust is currently in negotiation with the land owners of the other two sites, the County Council and LXB. They have asked East Northamptonshire Council for a new lease of Ditchford Lakes to cover a minimum period of 35 years with no break clauses. 1.4 In addition to leasing land at Ditchford Lakes to The Wildlife Trust, the Council also currently leases lakes on the site to a fishing syndicate for of fee of 3,250 per annum. The Wildlife Trust has confirmed that they have no objection to the Council continuing to lease the lake. 1.5 The Wildlife Trust has also advised that, whilst it would be very desirable to receive an ongoing financial contribution from the Council towards the maintenance of the land, they would be prepared to accept a fully maintaining contract. That would provide the Council with security that they would not need to make any financial contribution towards the maintenance of the land for the duration of the lease. 2.0 Planning advice future use of the land 2.1 Advice from the Council s Planning Policy Officer has confirmed the following in response to an enquiry about potential future use of the site: none of the Ditchford Lakes area within the Council s ownership would be suitable for development, for the following reasons: - much of the land lies within the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Special Protection Area (SPA)/ Ramsar site - most of the land lies within EA Flood Zones 2 and 3 1

2 In short, there is virtually no possibility of any of the Ditchford Lakes being suitable for development. 3.0 Equality and Diversity Implications 3.1 An initial Equalities Impact Assessment has been completed and no equality and diversity implications have been noted. 4.0 Legal Implications 4.1 Subject to Councillors agreeing to the extended lease, legal advice will be sought from LGSS Law to draft a new contract. 5.0 Risk Management 5.1 Planning advice has been obtained which confirms that there is virtually no possibility of any of the Ditchford Lakes being suitable for development. There is always a risk that this position could change. 6.0 Financial Implications 6.1 The Wildlife Trust has confirmed that it is prepared to accept a fully maintaining contract which would mean the on-going maintenance of the Ditchford Lakes site would fall to their responsibility. 7.0 Corporate Outcomes Good Value for Money This report demonstrates that the council is ensuring it effectively manages its assets to ensure they achieve good value for money for the Council Good Quality of Life Healthy, Sustainable and Prosperous If The Wildlife Trust is able to obtain funding from the Heritage Lottery, it will enable provision of a joined-up network of conservation sites for healthy activity and tourism. 8.0 Recommendations 8.1 The Finance Sub-Committee is asked to offer The Wildlife Trust a new lease of Ditchford Lakes for 35 years with no break clauses on a fully maintaining lease. (Reason to enable The Wildlife Trust to access funding from the Heritage Lottery and also reduce the Council s maintenance responsibilities) Legal Background Papers: Power: Local Government Finance Act 2002 Other considerations: Person Originating Report: Date: CFO Katy Everitt Head of Resources and Organisational Development MO 20/11/15 CX 2

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5 The Nene Wetlands Vision The Nene Wetlands will showcase the Wildlife Trust s vision of a Living Landscape by combining a top quality nature reserve and innovative visitor engagement activities. The Nene Wetlands, which will include the Wildlife Trust BCN s first visitor centre facility at Rusden Lakes, sit strategically within the heart of the Trust s Nene Valley Living Landscape and in the middle of the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Special Protection Area (SPA) and SSSI. Together they will act as a gateway to a nationally important wildlife destination, providing opportunities for the Trust to communicate with, inspire and engage new and existing supporters. Into the Valley Into the Valley is a project to support the Nene Wetlands Vision by delivering the following Creating a major new nature reserve from 7 disconnected sites o Bringing Rushden Lakes into management and increase its value for overwintering and breeding birds. o Better managing the complex to meet SSSI and SPA objectives. o New bridge and integrated footpaths to improve access. o New interpretation and way-marking to make a cohesive nature reserve. Breaking down barriers between the retail and wildlife experiences o Wild Street: people-led interpretation and performance to engage people in the retail complex with the nature reserve. o First lake experience: creating a wildlife spectacle on the Skew Bridge lake. o Mobile displays and interpretation stations that can be taken out onto the retail concourse. o Working with retailers to better incorporate the reserve with the complex e.g. broadcast dawn chorus in stores, wild days for staff. Increasing learning and enjoyment opportunities in the Nene Valley o Creating and installing an innovative interpretive trail. o A programme of activities for visiting groups including schools and youth. o An expanding programme of over 100 organised events and activities. o Satellite tagging migrant birds and tracing their migratory routes. o Working with new audiences including shoppers, young families and disabled people. Increasing the number and range of people volunteering o Expanding existing Walking Wardens scheme to cover the Nene Wetlands.

6 o o New volunteering opportunities supporting learning opportunities, reserve management, survey and monitoring activities. Nene Valley Local Group to support ongoing activities at the Nene Wetlands. Developing a gateway to the wider Nene Valley by working with partners o Play an active role in delivery of the Nene Valley Festival and supporting Destination Nene Valley. o Complement partner organisation activities and cross-promote opportunities e.g. Rockingham Forest Trust (Stanwick Lakes). o Work with Canoe2 to provide wildlife experiences on the water. o Work with café operator Bewiched to bring their customers closer to wildlife. The key opportunities are to engage with the predicted 3 million visitors to the Rushden Lakes retail park. The majority of these people will be a new audience whose experience of wildlife may be limited. to create a wildlife destination of international importance. The Nene Wetlands sits within the SPA but some areas are currently unmanaged and not accessible. The retail park will welcome tens of thousands of people within its first few weeks. The Wildlife Trust needs to be engaging positively with people from the start to avoid risk of damage to the natural heritage from increased footfall, and engaging with local people who will visit early on but may not return purely for retail. The figures Into the Valley will cost the Wildlife Trust 912,570. We are asking the Heritage Lottery Fund for 662,800 towards it with match funding from LXB, Rockingham Forest Trust and activity income from the project. The visitor centre The Into the Valley project does not include any funding directly for the visitor centre or its operations. The visitor centre is being built by the developers (LXB) and we are pursuing opportunities to fund the set-up of the visitor centre, though not from Heritage Lottery Fund. It is anticipated that the visitor centre will open early spring Artist impression of the new visitor centre at Rushden Lakes For more information Please feel free to contact Sarah Smith (Head of Education and Community) on sarah.smith@wildlifebcn.org or for more information about the Nene Wetlands or the Into the Valley project.