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Issue

Issue - meetings

Development of Local Authority Homes - Huntsman Close

Meeting: 09/03/2020 - Cabinet Member for Housing (Item 9)

9 Development of Affordable Homes - Huntsman Close, Havant pdf icon PDF 137 KB

The report by the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building seeks approval from the Cabinet Member for Housing to instruct the strategic development team to deliver a new development of 10 flats.  These will be let via Portsmouth City Council housing waiting list and Havant Borough Council waiting list, all let at affordable rents and managed by Wecock Farm housing office.

 

RECOMMENDED that:

(1)  the Cabinet Member for Housing approves Capital Expenditure of  £1,9m, to deliver 10 new affordable housing properties, to be held in the Housing Revenue Account.

 

(2)  the Cabinet Member for Housing delegates authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources & S151 Officer to amend the composition and spending profile of the proposed schemes in order to meet planning and design requirements and also to agree the use of 141 receipts whilst ensuring that the schemes remain financially viable following any necessary changes.

 

(3)  the Cabinet Member for Housing delegates the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building to apply for any grant funding to support the scheme.

Additional documents:

Decision:

 

(1)       the Cabinet Member for Housing approved Capital Expenditure of  £1.9m, to deliver 10 new affordable housing properties, to be held in the Housing Revenue Account.

 

(2)       the Cabinet Member for Housing delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources & S151 Officer to amend the composition and spending profile of the proposed schemes in order to meet planning and design requirements and also to agree the use of 141 receipts whilst ensuring that the schemes remain financially viable following any necessary changes.

 

(3)       the Cabinet Member for Housing delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building to apply for any grant funding to support the scheme.

Minutes:

Jo Bennett, Head of Business Relationships, Growth & Support presented the report on behalf of the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services, who explained how the feasibility studies for the best use of the site had resulted in plans for the delivery of 10 flats.  Areas of high demand had been looked at and Havant Borough Council had identified a significant need for ground floor wheelchair accommodation.  The properties would be energy efficient.

 

The Residents' Consortium representatives were supportive of this partnership arrangement with Havant BC to provide social housing.

 

Councillor Payter-Harris asked questions regarding the financing of the £1.9m scheme and the amount of borrowing it would require, which were answered by Wayne Layton, Finance Manager and Alison Cloutman, Supported Housing Business Partner, who explained that the financial modelling was dependent upon the central government budget announcement to see which funding could be applied for.   Councillor Payter-Harris asked to be kept informed about this but welcomed this development.

 

Councillor Corkery asked about the retention of right to buy receipts, which are used for housing development and regarding environmental standards.  Meredydd Hughes, Assistant Director Housing, expanded on the knowledge gained from previous development at Doyle Avenue, which would be used at Huntsman Close.  Jo Bennett commented further on the costings, with the high cost per unit reflected the disabled provision.  Councillor Corkery wished to see more details of the reduction in carbon emissions in the Integrated Impact Assessment form.

 

Councillor Payter-Harris asked to be kept informed of progress as he was concerned that there may be delays in the global supply chain.  Wayne Layton explained that the report reflected an estimated budget and if there is a need to request further funding a report would be brought back to the Cabinet Member, but that intelligence from other projects had been used, and contingency funding included.

 

Councillor Sanders, as Cabinet Member for Housing, commented on the council's responsibility as a major landlord in Havant and felt it was right to learn lessons from other projects such as Doyle Avenue.  He wanted as many social housing homes and green homes to be provided as possible, and welcomed the partnership work with Havant to help take people off the housing waiting list.

 

DECISIONS:

(1)       the Cabinet Member for Housing approved Capital Expenditure of  £1.9m, to deliver 10 new affordable housing properties, to be held in the Housing Revenue Account.

 

(2)       the Cabinet Member for Housing delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources & S151 Officer to amend the composition and spending profile of the proposed schemes in order to meet planning and design requirements and also to agree the use of 141 receipts whilst ensuring that the schemes remain financially viable following any necessary changes.

 

(3)       the Cabinet Member for Housing delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building to apply for any grant funding to support the scheme.