Decision details

In May 2019, Folkestone & Hythe District Council purchased the investment property known as Connect 38 in Ashford, Kent. At that time, the first floor and part of the second floor were vacant and required finishing to a Category A (CatA) specification before leasing out. Unfortunately this space remained vacant as a result of low interest in office space through the Covid pandemic.

Recently however there has been a resurgence of interest in office space and the council has agreed draft heads of terms with a potential new tenant who requires occupation by 30 July 2021. Therefore the CatA works to the second floor need to be undertaken immediately to enable this deadline to be met. Urgent approval is now required to modify the Council’s capital programme to allow the CatA works to be undertaken in order to let the vacant space.

1.        To receive and note report C/21/07.

2.        To make an urgent decision to add £400,000 to the General Fund capital programme to allow the necessary Cat A works to the Connect 38 building to be met from monies received under the legal agreement  for the original property acquisition (held in the Capital Grants and Contributions Unapplied Reserve).

3.        To note that this matter will be reported to Full Council at the next available opportunity.