Issue - meetings

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Archer and Kerr)

Report of Corporate Director (Regeneration) to follow.

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Archer and Kerr)

The Corporate Director (Regeneration) submitted a report to provide members with details of the current position following the selected developer no longer being able to deliver the Chatsworth Gardens Housing Exemplar Project and in particular the contingency development as contracted in the funding agreement with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), together with associated proposals.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option and comments, were set out in the report as follows:

Option 1 – Progress Refurbishment Scheme

Firm costs are required to establish the viability of this option, or the extent to which it could be implemented. Previously as part of the Green Book Appraisal this option was discounted as being not financially viable. It may only be possible to undertake a selective refurbishment of target blocks with some properties sold off with restrictive covenants to provide funding to invest in the selective acquisition of outstanding properties in target blocks. It may also include some demolition to create either new public open space or private external space. Demolition may also be undertaken to enable a new development to come forward on part of the site from small developers. In summary the refurbishment option will review all possibilities to obtain the best possible scheme.

For the properties that can be refurbished this option would include the removal of rear outriggers and for the four storey properties the removal of a storey to make the houses of a size more suitable for single family occupation. To enable Level 4 Code for Sustainable Homes to be obtained the refurbished properties would require external wall insulation as well as party wall, floor and roof insulation internally. The properties would also require the extensive use of high efficiency heating and plumbing.

Renewable energy technologies such as solar hot water and photovoltaic panels would also be needed. Demolition may also be undertaken to enable a new development to come forward on part of the site from small developers. Any proposal made under this scheme would be subject to HCA funding and approval.

Option 2 – Disposal of properties already acquired for the scheme

The 2005 Funding Agreement does make provision that, if no alternative scheme is considered acceptable to the HCA and the Council, then all of the properties should be placed back on the market and sold in order to recoup public investment.  It should be noted that this option is not favoured by HCA who are keen to see the Council put forward alternative options.

            Non-statutory guidance issued under the Crichel Down Rules will need to be considered in the event of this option.

Officers have updated the previous options analysis undertaken for the Green Book appraisal and discounted a new build option due to the PFP outcome. If no viable option can be found or agreed Option 2 provides a mechanism to dispose of the acquired properties and close the project.  As noted this latter case is a last  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112