Agenda item

Cabinet Portfolio:-              Housing

Strategic Directorate:-        Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Consideration was given to a report that was submitted for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of the Cabinet meeting scheduled for 21 September 2020 in respect of the Annual Housing Development Report.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, the Strategic Director for Adult Care, Housing and Public Health and the Head of Strategic Housing Development attended the meeting to present the report.

The Cabinet Member for Housing noted that the 2020/21 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan that had been approved by Council in February 2020 included an additional £65million for housing growth over the next five years, using both existing reserves and HRA borrowing that would bring the total forecast HRA investment in the development of new homes in the Borough to approximately £130million. The Cabinet Member advised that each year a report would be presented to Cabinet that set out a housing programme for the year ahead, with the 2020/21 report being the first of these reports.

The report provided information on the Council-owned sites that were being proposed for inclusion in the annual programme that would be delivered through a combination of direct delivery by the Council, transfer of land to Registered Provider (Housing Association) partners, and by sales of land on the open market. It was noted that whilst the majority of these sites were small garage and infill sites located within existing neighbourhoods, they were capable of delivering small numbers of homes and would be an important part of the Council’s housing development programme. 

The report also set out proposals for new governance arrangements and delegated powers surrounding housing delivery that would ensure that officers had the ability to act swiftly and ensure that opportunities  that would enable the delivery of the objectives set out in the Annual Housing Plan were not missed when they arose. The Head of Strategic Housing Development noted that ward members would be consulted at any early stage regarding the development of garage and infill sites in their wards.

The Head of Strategic Housing Development noted that there had been an error in “Appendix 3b, Strategic pipeline of Council-owned sites – 2021/22 projected schemes” as originally included in the agenda pack, in that it had identified some sites for proposed development in error. The Head of Strategic Housing Development advised that the appendix had now been amended and the error corrected.

Members asked how the Section 106 agreements that were linked to new housing developments would contribute to the delivery of the housing plan. The Cabinet Member advised that Section 106 agreements would play an important role in the council’s plan for housing delivery as they enabled via the planning process a simple and easily to administer way to enable housing to replace stock lost through right to buy purchases. Members noted their approval the proposed use of garage sites for infill development and welcomed the plans for working with ward members on the proposals for these sites. Members asked how the council would enable smaller local building companies to have the opportunity to develop these sites. The Cabinet Member advised that the council ran an annual housing developers summit in order to engage with local builders on the council’s development plants. The Head of Strategic Housing Development noted that the council also produced a newsletter for smaller local developers and that regular communication was also maintained with them on the council’s future development plans. The Chair noted that it was essential that local businesses be supported by engaging with them on the delivery of housing in the Borough.

Members asked how the changes to planning regulations would impact on the delivery of the council’s housing plan. The Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment advised that services were working together regarding the implications of the new planning regulations for the delivery of the housing plan.

The Chair asked how a potential fall in house prices related to the pandemic could impact on the delivery of the housing plan. The Cabinet Member advised that potential variances in house prices had been taken into consideration in the development of the plan, and that thorough preparatory work for each site would ensure that any issues that had the potential to impact on the successful delivery of a site were highlighted and addressed at any early stage. The Head of Strategic Housing Development noted that demand for housing and house prices were currently in healthy position.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Housing, the Strategic Director for Adult Care, Housing and Public Health and the Head of Strategic Housing Development for attending the meeting and answering members’ questions.

Resolved: -

That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.