Agenda item

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

Recommendations:-

1.      That the contents of the report, including the delivery arrangements for and funding implications of the proposed scheme, be noted.

2.      That Council be recommended to approve the scheme for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

3.      That the use of Housing Revenue Account capital resources to undertake preparatory works be approved, as outlined in Section 12.6, up to the amount set out in exempt Appendix 5.

4.      That the Assistant Director of Housing Services be authorised to undertake any necessary procurement and award tenders for contracts associated with the delivery of the proposed scheme within the amounts set out in exempt Appendix 5.

5.      That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Housing Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make amendments to site boundaries and to the numbers, types and tenures of homes in the scheme.

6.      That the land shown red-lined at Appendices 1, 2 and 3 be appropriated from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

Further to Minute No. 61 of the meeting of the Cabinet and Commissioners held on 16^th October, 2017, consideration was given to the previous recommendations, including the need for a preferred contractor partner to be identified to proceed with proposals for 171 high quality, mixed tenure homes developed for these gateway sites, which were key to the transformation of the town centre.

This report, therefore, set out the full details of the scheme, explained how it would help deliver the Town Centre Masterplan and sought authority for the necessary budget and delegated authorities to officers.

Cabinet heard that the sites sat at strategically important, highly visible gateway locations in the town centre, adjacent to other sites with the potential to accommodate further housing development. The delivery of 171 new homes across these sites would provide a significant contribution towards Rotherham’s housing growth requirement, with further multiplier effects as anticipated above. 

It was also important to maximise the scheme’s contribution towards meeting the Borough’s affordable housing need, with many other sites within the town centre presenting viability challenges. The provision of 72% affordable housing within the scheme would have a significant positive impact for those households struggling with open market affordability.

Development funding on these sites would come from the HRA with some external funding from the Sheffield City Region Housing Fund.  Last week the Sheffield City Region detailed business case was recommended for approval with the decision to be taken in November.  It was hoped that positive news would then be heard from New Vision Homes England who were also keen to support the Council's plans in this regard in terms of delivery.

A competitive tendering exercise had been completed and Willmott Dixon were the preferred delivery partner and work had been taking place over the past six months making sure the plans could be pulled together and planning permission approved.

The Capital Programme was also to be presented to the Council meeting in terms of the formal process with a view to starting on site early in the New Year.

Over the next twelve to eighteen months new residents would be welcomed into quality homes in the town centre. However, in terms of the tenure mix and the range of housing within these developments, 72% of those homes would be affordable either as Council rent or as shared ownership, which was impressive allowing people to have options to suit their financial position.

Staff were commended for their hard work in pulling all these plans together.

Cabinet Members welcomed this report and the positive opportunities for housing in the town centre.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the contents of the report, including the delivery arrangements for and funding implications of the proposed scheme, be noted.

(2)  That Council be recommended to approve the scheme for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

(3)  That the use of Housing Revenue Account capital resources to undertake preparatory works, as outlined in Section 12.6, up to the amount set out in exempt Appendix 5, be approved.

(4)  That the Assistant Director of Housing Services be authorised to undertake any necessary procurement and award tenders for contracts associated with the delivery of the proposed scheme within the amounts set out in exempt Appendix 5.

(5)  That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Housing Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make amendments to site boundaries and to the numbers, types and tenures of homes in the scheme.

(6)  That the land shown red-lined at Appendices 1, 2 and 3 be appropriated from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).