Agenda item

To approve the purchase of the site at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis for the development of new affordable rent council housing.

Resolved:-

1.1             That approval be given to the Director of Regeneration and Growth to agree heads of terms to acquire the site at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis from NHS Property Services.

1.2             That subject ton 1.1 above, the Director of Finance be authorised to allocate the sum of £292,500 from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account to purchase the site.

1.3             That the Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to enter into or execute under seal, if necessary, contract to complete the acquisition of the site.

1.4             That approval to be given to allocate the site at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis for the development of new affordable rent council housing, subject to planning permission being obtained.

1.5             That approval to be given to allocate funding from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account to demolish the existing buildings/ structures at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis as a pre-requisite for site investigation to facilitate compliance with the Homes England funding timescales.

1.6             That the Director of Finance be authorised to allocate adequate resources from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account, subject to being satisfied that the proposal provides value for money, to deliver the scheme and to utilise grant funding offered by Homes England, under the extended Homes England Strategic Partnership 1 Programme 2016 to 2021, to assist with the delivery of the project.

1.7             That subject to receiving the necessary Strategic Investment Unit appraisal approval mark of 65 or above, the Director of Regeneration and Growth, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Housing, be authorised to prepare tendering documentation and subsequently procure, in accordance with any statutory regulations and the Council’s Procurement and Financial Regulations,a contractor/contractors to develop, on behalf of the Council, the proposed housing scheme; to enter into or execute under seal any financial agreement in relation to the Homes England grant on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Finance.

1.8             That subject to 1.6 and 1.7 above, the Director – Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to enter into or execute under seal any documentation in relation to award of the contract and/or development/partnership agreement, Homes England developer status, licence, undertaking, framework joining agreement, any consents or applications required for Planning or Highways appertaining to the delivery of the scheme and any other agreements with the procured contractor(s) and with the Homes England, as may be deemed necessary to facilitate development of the site with a housing scheme on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Regeneration and Growth.

1.9             That the Director of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Director of Finance and subject to confirmation of the funding rules applicable, to submit an application for funding to the WMCA/LEP and, in the event the funding bid is successful, the Director of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Housing be authorised to accept the funding and execute under seal any financial agreement in relation to the WMCA/LEP grant on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Finance.

1.10            That following practical completion of each property at the site of Harvest Road, Rowley Regis, the Director of Housing be authorised to manage and let the properties built in accordance with the Council’s housing allocation policy.

1.11            That the Director Finance be authorised to make any necessary adjustment required to appropriate the property for housing purposes.

                  Approval was sought to purchase the site at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis for the development of new affordable rent council housing.

Reasons for Decision

Following the introduction of greater flexibilities for local authorities the Council was able to develop this site with circa 8 homes (subject to planning consent), as part of the new strategic approach to provide more and better housing in the borough.

The opportunity to acquire this windfall site had arisen through partnership with the NHS Trust and an agreement that the site would be valued for affordable housing and disposed of to the Council as another public sector organisation.

Alternative Options Considered

Alternative option was for the Council not to pursue the acquisition of the property. If the Council did not acquire the site, the NHS would dispose of the site on the open market via auction. If this was the case it would be likely that the site would be purchased for market sale property and the size of the site would not trigger the requirement for affordable housing. This option would also not increase the Council owned housing stock or replace properties lost through Right to Buy (RTB) and would result in the lost opportunity of acquiring land that could be used for this purpose.

Agreed:-

(1)     that approval be given to the Director of Regeneration and Growth to agree heads of terms to acquire the site at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis from NHS Property Services;

(2)     that subject to Resolution (1) above, the Director of Finance be authorised to allocate the sum of £292,500 from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account to purchase the site;

(3)     that the Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to enter into or execute under seal, if necessary, contract to complete the acquisition of the site;

(4)     that approval to be given to allocate the site at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis for the development of new affordable rent council housing, subject to planning permission being obtained;

(5)     that approval to be given to allocate funding from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account to demolish the existing buildings/ structures at Harvest Road, Rowley Regis as a pre-requisite for site investigation to facilitate compliance with the Homes England funding timescales;

(6)     that the Director of Finance be authorised to allocate adequate resources from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account, subject to being satisfied that the proposal provides value for money, to deliver the scheme and to utilise grant funding offered by Homes England, under the extended Homes England Strategic Partnership 1 Programme 2016 to 2021, to assist with the delivery of the project;

(7)     that subject to receiving the necessary Strategic Investment Unit appraisal approval mark of 65 or above, the Director of Regeneration and Growth, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Housing, be authorised to prepare tendering documentation and subsequently procure, in accordance with any statutory regulations and the Council’s Procurement and Financial Regulations, a contractor/contractors to develop, on behalf of the Council, the proposed housing scheme; to enter into or execute under seal any financial agreement in relation to the Homes England grant on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Finance;

(8)     that subject to Resolution (6) and (7) above, the Director – Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to enter into or execute under seal any documentation in relation to award of the contract and/or development/partnership agreement, Homes England developer status, licence, undertaking, framework joining agreement, any consents or applications required for Planning or Highways appertaining to the delivery of the scheme and any other agreements with the procured contractor(s) and with the Homes England, as may be deemed necessary to facilitate development of the site with a housing scheme on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Regeneration and Growth;

(9)     that the Director of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Director of Finance and subject to confirmation of the funding rules applicable, to submit an application for funding to the WMCA/LEP and, in the event the funding bid is successful, the Director of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director of Housing be authorised to accept the funding and execute under seal any financial agreement in relation to the WMCA/LEP grant on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Finance;

(10)   that following practical completion of each property at the site of Harvest Road, Rowley Regis, the Director of Housing be authorised to manage and let the properties built in accordance with the Council’s housing allocation policy;

(11)   that the Director Finance be authorised to make any necessary adjustment required to appropriate the property for housing purposes.