Issue - meetings

Key Decision

Councillor Andy Meakin – Executive Lead Member for Social Housing and Assets

Cabinet was advised of the process undertaken to review the viability and future use potential of Council owned garage and plot sites, and to consider disposal of those sites considered unviable and not suitable for the purpose of affordable housing development. Members were also informed that the sites on Forest Street, Annesley and Meadow Close, Kirkby were being withdrawn from the report at this present time, pending further investigations as required.

Members considered the alternative option of continuing to use all sites for plot/garage purposes, but this was not recommended as a number of sites required significant investment, with little likelihood of expenditure being recovered through rental income and low demand at the locations.

RESOLVED that

a)    the process followed by officers to review the viability and future use of Council owned Housing Revenue Account garage and plot sites, be noted;

b)    delegated authority be granted to the Executive Director of Transformation, in conjunction with the Executive Director of Governance, to dispose of the sites at Ashgate, Sutton in Ashfield and Lancaster Drive, Hucknall, having been assessed as being economically unviable in current use and unsuitable for the purpose of affordable housing development (with disposal being in accordance with the Council’s Disposals Policy and on the basis of achieving best value wherever possible);

c)    delegated authority be granted to the Service Manager for Commercial Development to finalise the detail of the transaction(s) with the Assistant Director for Legal.

Reasons:

1.    The Council has a large number of garage and plot sites under the ownership of the Housing Revenue Account and some are in disrepair with little or no demand from local residents. Where demand is low and the site requires significant investment, it is not economically viable for the Council to retain the site and consideration needs to be given to its future use.

2.    Changing use will also help tackle issues of anti-social behaviour that have become evident on some of the sites.