Content

To agree a Local Lettings Plan covering first
lets of all 98 no. rented homes provided on Greenway Chase
(Shurdington Road, GL53 0JH), working in collaboration with
Cottsway (the housing association managing the affordable homes on
this site).

Reasons for the decision

The purpose of
this Local Lettings Plan is to support Cottsway’s investment
into one hundred and forty (140) new-build affordable homes (of
which 98 social rented and affordable rented homes are covered by
this Local Lettings Plan) at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham, GL53
0JH, by setting out the appropriate measures required to strike a
reasonable balance between meeting the local authority’s
housing needs and supporting the establishment of a new,
sustainable and cohesive community in this location through
sensitive lettings arrangements.
For context, this
area has a comparatively low level of existing affordable housing
stock, and thus the introduction of a significant volume of
affordable homes (including 98 no. rented homes) must be carefully
managed to ensure that the existing and new community in this area
have the best opportunity to thrive.

This Local Lettings Plan will provide Cottsway with greater control
over first lets to minimise the risk of persons with significant
support needs being housed on this development covering the initial
first let period. Nevertheless, to meet the Council’s housing
needs, the Local Lettings Plan commits Cottsway to letting these
properties to households in priority housing need (Emergency, Gold
or Silver band) as identified on the Council’s housing
register.
From a Corporate perspective, creating quality
homes and safe and strong communities is a key priority of the

Council’s new Corporate Plan (2025-2028). Under this
priority, the Council has committed to- “Build positive
connections with our communities, make people feel safer and
improve our neighbourhoods and public spaces”. The Corporate
Plan also acknowledges that the Council and Cottsway (in our
capacity as providers of social housing) must meet the requirements
outlined within the new consumer standards set out by the Regulator
of Social Housing (RSH), especially, (in the context of this local
lettings plan) concerning the
Neighbourhood and Community Standard, which requires that we
(and Cottsway(- “engage with partners including police, the
voluntary sector charities to ensure that tenants can live in safe
and well maintained neighbourhoods as well as feeling safe in their
homes”.

Both of these corporate and national drivers are consistent with
the introduction of a Local Lettings Plan on this large new-build
development.
The focus on creating strong, healthy communities is reinforced
further within the
Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy
2023 to 2028, with Priority 5 of the strategy being- “We
will invest in our communities to help make them safer, stronger
and healthier”. Specifically, a key goal falling under this
priority relates to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour.
This local lettings plan aligns with this corporate priority, as it
will prevent applicants with a history of anti-social behaviour or
significant unmet support needs from securing these properties
whilst the Local Lettings Plan remains live.
 
Accordingly, in
view of this background context, officers are seeking to introduce
this Local Lettings Plan to support the Council’s wider
placemaking objectives in creating sustainable, cohesive and
resilient communities across the Borough, whilst also recognising
and meeting the Council’s significant rented housing
need.

To ensure that this Local Lettings Plan remains in place for no
longer than required, officers have agreed with Cottsway that this
Local Lettings Plan will automatically expire once all first lets
of the 98 no. affected social rented and affordable rented homes
have been completed, with Cottsway agreeing to write to the Council
to confirm the final lettings completion date within 2 weeks of the
final first let being completed.

Alternative options considered

The Council considered the option of not
establishing a Local Lettings Plan at Greenway Chase (Shurdington
Road). However, following constructive discussions between CBC
officers and Cottsway, it was determined that, owing to the scale
of this development, need to create strong and sustainable
communities and lack of affordable housing stock in the vicinity,
that establishing a Local Lettings Plan for a period covering first
lets of the 98 no rented affordable homes would be both
proportionate and appropriate.