Decision details

To declare four Housing Revenue Account sites surplus to requirements, and to approve the disposal of these sites to WV Living for the purpose of developing Starter Homes, subject to valuations by the District Valuer and approval by WV Living Board.

Cllr Peter Bilson presented a report seeking approval to declare the Housing Revenue Account site at the rear of Reedham Gardens surplus to requirements and to dispose of the asset to WV Living for the purpose of developing new homes, including Starter Homes.  The report also outlined progress made with the Starter Homes scheme for which the Council received an award of grant funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Resolved:

1. That the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) site at the rear of Reedham Gardens (site plan at Appendix 1 to the report) be declared surplus to requirements. 

2. That the transfer of the freehold of the site to WV Living for the development of housing to include Starter Homes be approved, subject to a valuation of the site by the District Valuer and a further financial assessment to be reported to WV Living Board.

3. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Housing and City Assets in conjunction with the Director of Governance to agree the Heads of Terms for the disposal of the site.

4. That it be noted that Corporate Landlord Board agreed that the site at the rear of Reedham Gardens was surplus to requirements at its meeting of 21 September 2016, with a recommendation to dispose of this asset to WV Living, subject to valuation by the District Valuer and approval by Cabinet of the WV Living business case.

5. That it be noted that the site at the rear of Reedham Gardens is a Housing Revenue Account site and is classified as open space. It was included in a Council review of open space in February 2014, refreshed in January 2016. The site was categorised as low quality amenity space with potential for disposal. The Planning Authority had considered a change of use to residential, acceptable in planning policy terms subject to improvements to other local space. A contribution of around £55K would be required for this purpose.

6. That it be noted that WV Living considered the options for the delivery of Starter Homes for all four sites, and only one was considered acceptable at a Board meeting on 23 January 2017. Approval was given in principle for the acquisition of the site at the rear of Reedham Gardens for the development of Housing for Starter Homes, affordable and market sale, subject to certain considerations.

7. That the progress made to date with the Starter Homes project, the associated grant funding, and the timescales for delivery of this project arising from the grant conditions be noted.

8. That it be noted  that if Cabinet (Resources) Panel approve the delivery of the Starter Homes scheme on just the one site at Reedham Gardens, the remaining three sites (see table 2.4 of the report) would be retained in the HRA and would be considered for small site development for Council housing.

9.     That the name of the Accountable director referred to on the cover of the report be amended by the substitution of ’Lesley Roberts, City Housing’ with Kevin O’Keefe, Governance’.