Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Recommendations:-

1.    That approval be given to the use of Housing Revenue Account capital resources up to a maximum of the amount set out in exempt Appendix 2, to deliver 12 bungalows using modern methods of construction on three Council-owned sites in the Hoober and Valley wards.

Further to Minute No. 95 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 21^st January, 2019, consideration was given to the report which requested the use of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital resources to fund the delivery of twelve bungalows for older people and people with support needs, as part of a project to trial modern methods of construction (MMC).  Funding contributions would also be made from Homes England’s Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme and the Sheffield City Region Housing Fund.

This followed an earlier report to Cabinet and Commissioners in July 2018, that set out the reasons for exploring modern methods of construction, primarily that it could provide an efficient alternative to traditional construction methods due to an increased pace of delivery and high standards of quality and energy efficiency.

Another key benefit of the project was that if successful, this could provide an efficient delivery route for building more bungalows on HRA owned small sites, thus contributing to the Borough’s housing growth target and meeting the demand for more Council housing that was suitable for older people and people with support needs.

The procurement exercise was now complete and preferred contractors had been identified to build twelve bungalows on the following Housing Revenue Account (HRA) sites:-

·                Symonds Avenue, Rawmarsh  – eight bungalows.

·                Hounsfield Crescent, East Herringthorpe – two bungalows.

·                Hounsfield Road, East Herringthorpe – two bungalows.

This project was aligned with the aims of the Improving Places Select Commission review of modern methods of construction.

Resolved:-  That the use of Housing Revenue Account capital resources up to a maximum of the amount set out in exempt Appendix 2, to deliver twelve bungalows using modern methods of construction on three Council-owned sites in the Hoober and Valley Wards be approved.