Agenda item

Cabinet Portfolio: - Housing

Strategic Directorate: - Adult Care, Public Health and Housing

Consideration was given to a Mid-year Housing Development Update Report – 2021/22 presented by the Cabinet Member for Housing, the Acting Assistant Director of Housing and the Head of Strategic Housing and Development. The report set out the progress against the 2021/22 Housing Development Programme which listed a range of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) sites to be developed for housing, along with potential strategic acquisitions. The Covid 19 pandemic had presented unprecedented challenges in terms of the availability of construction materials and labour. Despite this, coupled with the additional challenge posed by the nature of the sites in the Council’s housing growth programme (typically more difficult and expensive to develop), good progress had been made with all projects, excellent quality was being achieved, and the Council continued to make a significant contribution to Rotherham’s overall affordable housing requirement.

In discussion, Members requested an update on the uptake of new housing developments in the Town Centre. A summary of the recent work was provided and detail around reservations was offered outside the meeting.

Members requested assurances that current stock is being updated to ensure all the homes are of decent standard. Assurances were provided that the Council also invests in existing stock to maintain decent standards, which an upcoming report to Cabinet will illustrate in detail.

Members requested an update on the progress of the strategy for becoming a market leader in green housing. The response from officers noted the goal of EPC rating C or above and cited the use of funding from government to promote thermal efficiency. The response further noted the desire to invest further to lead on this agenda.

Members requested further clarification around finances: differences in unit costs between new builds built by partnerships versus those directly from builders, a proportional breakdown of grant sources, and details around projected increase in costs. The response from officers noted the upcoming reports to Cabinet and in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) business plan which will include financial information in detail. Many of the homes the Council delivers directly are more expensive, because of high standards for space and energy efficiency. These homes are also built in places that can be more difficult for building. The Council does not have sight of the full cost breakdown of homes delivered in partnership, although this information can be requested. The response emphasised the continued need to avail a mixture of partnership and direct approaches because some private developers are not building in the areas where the Council needs to increase housing stock. Most homes are delivered through the HRA fund with a smaller contribution from supplementary grant funds, such as those which help achieve the Council’s energy efficiency targets. Higher level detail was offered outside the meeting.

Members requested further information around how new developments could be better integrated aesthetically into the surrounding community. The response from the Cabinet Member for Housing noted the national and local design guides and noted the opportunity for Members to take part in these discussions, as these design guides need to be consistently refreshed.

Further details were also requested around attendance of the virtual housing developer summit. A description was provided of the recent housing developer summits and the attendees. It was noted the summits have been well attended and achieved clear outcomes, including the most recent one which was held virtually. In response, Members requested the hope that new and emerging developers and investors in the housing market would be proactively invited to the housing developer summits.

Resolved:-

1.    That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.

2.    That members be consulted and invited to feed into the new local design guide with a view to ensuring new developments are better integrated aesthetically into the surrounding community.

3.    That new and emerging developers and investors in the housing market be proactively invited to the housing developer summits.