Agenda item

(Director of Communities) To consider the attached report (CHB-005-2015/16).

(1)        That subject to the Cabinet Committee subsequently approving the further feasibility studies at St. Peters Avenue and Queensway, Ongar and Millfield, High Ongar, taking account of the priority order agreed by the Cabinet Committee in March 2015, Phase 4 be made up of 31 new homes on the following 9 sites in Buckhurst Hill and Ongar agreed as viable by the Cabinet Committee, based on a total scheme cost of £5,836,520, with a subsidy requirement of £2,053,000:

(a)          St. Peters Avenue, Ongar – (Deferred)

(b)        Queensway, Ongar

(c)        Millfield, High Ongar

(d)        Bourne House, Buckhurst Hill

(e)        Hornbeam Close (Site A), Buckhurst Hill

(f)        Hornbeam Close (Site B), Buckhurst Hill

(g)        Hornbeam House, Buckhurst Hill

(h)        Loughton Way, Buckhurst Hill

(i)         Pentlow Way, Buckhurst Hill

(2)       That, Phase 5 be made up of 49 new homes on the following 15 sites in Loughton already agreed as viable by the Cabinet Committee, based on a total scheme cost of £8,335,700, with a subsidy requirement of £2,444,000:

(a)        Bushfields, Loughton

(b)        Chester Road, Loughton

(c)        Chequers Road (Site A), Loughton

(d)        Chequers Road (site B), Loughton

(e)        Etheridge Road, Loughton

(f)        Hillyfields, Loughton

(g)        Kirby Close, Loughton

(h)        Ladyfields, Loughton

(i)         Langley Meadow, Loughton

(j)         Lower Alderton Hall Lane, Loughton

(k)        Pyrles Lane (Site A), Loughton

(l)         Pyrles Lane (Site B), Loughton

(m)      Thatchers Close, Loughton

(n)        Vere Road, Loughton

(o)        Whitehills Road, Loughton

(3)        That, the former garage sites and associated amenity land listed above as making up Phases 4 and 5, together with all sites previously considered and agreed to form Phase 3  by the Cabinet Committee at its meeting in March 2015 as viable for the development of Council House Building, be appropriated for planning purposes under provisions laid out in the Local Government Act 1972 and Town and Country Planning Act 1990 on the grounds that the land is no longer required for the purposes for which it is currently held in the Housing Revenue Account; and

(4)       That, subject to the sites and phasing listed in Decisions (1) and (2) above being agreed, each site be progressed to detailed design stage, with planning applications being submitted and, subject to planning approval, tenders to be sought in accordance with the Procurement Strategy for House-building.

(5)       That the proposed developments in Phase 5 now become Phase 4 and the proposed development in Phase 4 become Phase 5 due to St. Peters Avenue, Ongar being deferred for further investigations regarding the site access.

The Assistant Director (Housing, Property & Development) presented a report to the Cabinet Committee on proposals for Phases 4 and 5 of the Housebuilding Programme. He advised that the Cabinet had previously agreed a number of feasibility studies from the list of potential development sites for Council House-building. The Cabinet Committee had agreed at its meeting in March 2015 a strategic approach to the prioritisation of those sites by area taking account of demand from those applicants registered on the Council’s Housing Register. His report sought to batch those sites that have been agreed as viable into Phases 4 and 5, and to progress those sites through the planning and tender stages.

Decisions:

(1)        That, subject to the Cabinet Committee subsequently approving the further feasibility studies at St. Peters Avenue and Queensway, Ongar and Millfield, High Ongar, taking account of the priority order agreed by the Cabinet Committee in March 2015, Phase 4 be made up of 31 new homes on the following 9 sites in Buckhurst Hill and Ongar agreed as viable by the Cabinet Committee, based on a total scheme cost of £5,836,520, with a subsidy requirement of £2,053,000:

(a)          St. Peters Avenue, Ongar – (Deferred)

(b)        Queensway, Ongar

(c)        Millfield, High Ongar

(d)        Bourne House, Buckhurst Hill

(e)        Hornbeam Close (Site A), Buckhurst Hill

(f)        Hornbeam Close (Site B), Buckhurst Hill

(g)        Hornbeam House, Buckhurst Hill

(h)        Loughton Way, Buckhurst Hill

(i)         Pentlow Way, Buckhurst Hill

(2)       That, Phase 5 be made up of 49 new homes on the following 15 sites in Loughton already agreed as viable by the Cabinet Committee, based on a total scheme cost of £8,335,700, with a subsidy requirement of £2,444,000:

(a)        Bushfields, Loughton

(b)        Chester Road, Loughton

(c)        Chequers Road (Site A), Loughton

(d)        Chequers Road (site B), Loughton

(e)        Etheridge Road, Loughton

(f)        Hillyfields, Loughton

(g)        Kirby Close, Loughton

(h)        Ladyfields, Loughton

(i)         Langley Meadow, Loughton

(j)         Lower Alderton Hall Lane, Loughton

(k)        Pyrles Lane (Site A), Loughton

(l)         Pyrles Lane (Site B), Loughton

(m)      Thatchers Close, Loughton

(n)        Vere Road, Loughton

(o)        Whitehills Road, Loughton

(3)        That, the former garage sites and associated amenity land listed above as making up Phases 4 and 5, together with all sites previously considered and agreed to form Phase 3  by the Cabinet Committee at its meeting in March 2015 as viable for the development of Council House Building, be appropriated for planning purposes under provisions laid out in the Local Government Act 1972 and Town and Country Planning Act 1990 on the grounds that the land is no longer required for the purposes for which it is currently held in the Housing Revenue Account; and

(4)       That, subject to the sites and phasing listed in Decisions (1) and (2) above being agreed, each site be progressed to detailed design stage, with planning applications being submitted and, subject to planning approval, tenders to be sought in accordance with the Procurement Strategy for House-building.

(5)       That the proposed developments in Phase 5 now become Phase 4 and the proposed developments in Phase 4 become Phase 5 due to St. Peters Avenue, Ongar being deferred for further investigations regarding the site access.

Reasons for Decision:

There is a need to agree the sites that are to go forward for future phases of the Council House-building Programme.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

Not to progress with one or more of the schemes and develop a smaller number of sites.