Issue - meetings

Key Decision

Portfolio Holder

Councillor Tom Hollis – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Council and Social Housing

RESOLVED that

a)    approval be given for the use of specified unused and unviable garage and plot sites across the District for the development of new affordable housing;

b)    the use of Housing Revenue Account reserves to fund the development of 14 new homes, be approved;

c)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Assets, in conjunction with the Corporate Finance Manager (and Section 151 Officer), to negotiate and formalise final scheme costs, specification and delivery;

d)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Assets to procure and appoint a contractor to develop the site;

e)    delegated authority be also granted to the Director of Housing and Assets to contract, on behalf of the Council, with Homes England for the purposes of receiving subsidy to ensure that developments are viable and fall within the Council’s business plan model;

f)      Council be recommended to approve the addition of the Housing Development to the Council’s Capital Programme.

Cabinet Members were advised about an opportunity to develop affordable housing on Council owned undeveloped former garage and plot sites at Central Avenue, Darley Avenue and Spruce Grove, Kirkby in Ashfield, plus Oak Grove, Hucknall, and approval was sought for the same.

Members considered the alternative options of doing nothing with the sites or sell the sites for private development but neither were recommended as in some cases investment would be needed to bring the sites up to an acceptable standard and the value of the land alone was minimal.

RESOLVED that

a)    approval be given for the use of specified unused and unviable garage and plot sites across the District for the development of new affordable housing;

b)    the use of Housing Revenue Account reserves to fund the development of 14 new homes, be approved;

c)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Assets, in conjunction with the Corporate Finance Manager (and Section 151 Officer), to negotiate and formalise final scheme costs, specification and delivery;

d)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Assets to procure and appoint a contractor to develop the site;

e)    delegated authority be also granted to the Director of Housing and Assets to contract, on behalf of the Council, with Homes England for the purposes of receiving subsidy to ensure that developments are viable and fall within the Council’s business plan model;

f)      Council be recommended to approve the addition of the Housing Development to the Council’s Capital Programme.

Reason:

The development will help achieve the Council’s Corporate Plan objective of delivering much needed, additional good quality affordable housing in the District and bring into use an under used brownfield asset.