Purpose

To approve and agree the Review
of Housing Options for climate positive living scheme
 

Content

It was
RESOLVED: -
 
That
subject to receiving planning consent:-
 
1.1         
That Cabinet agreed to proceed with Option 3,
market and dispose of the land on the open market with the benefit
of planning consent for sustainable homes.
 
1.2         
That Cabinet approved to undertake the demolition
of the existing bungalows and prepare the site for development
ahead of any sale.
 
1.3         
That the appointment of demolition contractors
and any associated consultants be delegated to the Director for
Property, Development and Regeneration in consultation with the
Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property.
 
1.4         
That the negotiation and completion of the sale
of the land be delegated to the Director for Property, Development
and Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for
Property and Housing and Property.
 
 
REASON FOR
DECISION
To
enable the site to be marketed with a planning consent in line with
the Council’s brief, and for the Council to undertake the
demolition to help unlock the site for the development of new
high-quality homes which meet the council’s aspirations for
climate positive homes that are truly sustainable.
 
Alternative
Options Considered and Rejected:
 
Option 1- MSDC
deliver the scheme
Subject
to achieving planning consent this option would see 5 market homes
delivered on the site to replace the 6 existing bungalows. The
brief of the project was to provide homes which met the
Council’s aspirations of low carbon homes which promoted
sustainable, climate positive homes by decarbonising the built
environment. This would create a legacy project for the Council to
raise aspirations in the local area of building to a high standard
whilst bringing the whole life carbon of the home to near zero, by
using bio-based construction materials. This not only had a
positive impact on the environment, but it also created a
sustainable home to live in due to the reduction of cost on utility
bills, utilising technologies such as solar panels and air source
heat pumps combined with a fabric first approach utilising modern
methods of construction and bio-based materials.
The
scheme had been designed to meet the brief described above and a
planning application was being prepared for submission.
The team
have assessed delivering the 5 homes as market homes or as
affordable homes. To replace the existing dwellings with affordable
housing was not viable, and the location did not lend itself to
affordable housing due to poor public transport links and lack of
amenities.
The
locality of the area and the landscape of the existing properties
within the area, leant itself to redevelopment of market homes.
This would be a unique offer within the market currently and
provide sustainable homes for those who had both a focus on
environmental and economic sustainability.
To
deliver the scheme, the land would need to be transferred to the
General Fund to enable market homes to be delivered.
This
option had been discounted due to development risk attached to the
delivery of a market led scheme to the Council.
Option 2-
Regeneration of the existing dwellings
Condition
surveys had been completed on the properties by an asset surveyor
within the Council. The reports concluded that the properties were
at the end of their economic life, and that the properties would
require extensive works both internally and externally to bring
them to a modern lettable standard, but that this would not
fundamentally improve the fabric of the buildings and therefore the
performance or liveability for residents.
The
properties had also had asbestos surveys completed which identified
areas of asbestos within the properties which would require removal
and rectification by specialists which would be a significant cost
given it would be required to 6 properties.
This
option had been discounted as it was not financially viable or
practicable.
Option 4-Do nothing

 
This
was not a viable option. The properties state of disrepair would
increase over time along with the impact this had on the wider
community and the cost implications to the HRA of being void and
the failure to use this site for beneficial purpose.
 
Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None
Any Dispensation Granted: None