[To approve the delivery of newbuild council housing across former garage sites and small infill pockets of land across the City]

1.      That development totalling £8.0 million as part of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme for Small Sites for the delivery of the small site council housing newbuild programme providing an additional 56 homes across 16 sites in the City be approved.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing in consultation with the Director of City Environment to approve any variation from the identified sites for Phase Five of the small sites new build programme.

3.      That surplus areas of land fronting Park View Road former garage site, Bilston North be declared surplus to improve the access and appearance of the site.

4.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Director of City Environment, to approve the award of a contract for the works required to construct several traditional build homes on various site across Wolverhampton City when the tender evaluation process is completed.

5.      That authority be delegate to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing in consultation with the Director of City Environment and the Director of Finance, to approve agreements including deed of covenants, wayleave and easement agreements, collateral warrantees, assignments and other such ancillary agreements, including capital variations as may be deemed necessary to facilitate the developments.

6.      That the success to date of the small sites newbuild Council Housing programme, which is currently delivering 39 new homes across the City through J. Harper & Sons (Leominster) be noted.

Councillor Jacqueline Sweetman presented the report on an update on the delivery of phase four of the small sites newbuild council housing programme. Following the success of the first four phases of the programme, and in light for the need to increase council housing delivery across the City, approval was sought for an additional 56 properties across 16 sites to support the continued delivery of the programme. In support of the next phase of the programme, approval was requested for delivery of schemes within an approved Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme budget of £8.0 million.

Members of Cabinet welcomed the commitment of the Council to move on small sites for development which would free them from anti-social behaviour. It was suggested that the small sites would not be of interest to the large developers. In order to encourage local skills development and local jobs, the Council should do what was permissible within the tendering process to make sure the small sites are available for local builders. It was also requested that when the site in Bilston North Ward is developed that the condition of the road surface be addressed.

Resolved:

1.     That development totalling £8.0 million as part of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme for Small Sites for the delivery of the small site council housing newbuild programme providing an additional 56 homes across 16 sites in the City be approved.

2.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing in consultation with the Director of City Environment to approve any variation from the identified sites for Phase Five of the small sites new build programme.

3.     That surplus areas of land fronting Park View Road former garage site, Bilston North be declared surplus to improve the access and appearance of the site.

4.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Director of City Environment, to approve the award of a contract for the works required to construct several traditional build homes on various site across Wolverhampton City when the tender evaluation process is completed.

5.     That authority be delegate to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing in consultation with the Director of City Environment and the Director of Finance, to approve agreements including deed of covenants, wayleave and easement agreements, collateral warrantees, assignments and other such ancillary agreements, including capital variations as may be deemed necessary to facilitate the developments.

6.     That the success to date of the small sites newbuild Council Housing programme, which is currently delivering 39 new homes across the City through J. Harper & Sons (Leominster) be noted.