Agenda item

(Housing Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-059-2014/15).

(1)        That the updated ranking table for future off-street parking schemes, attached at Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed;

(2)        That, for any site listed in Appendix 1 where it was linked to any of the sites earmarked for future Council Housebuilding, the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee be delegated authority to consider the benefits of providing off-street parking as part of the feasibility study and recommend to the Cabinet when each site was to be included in future years of the off-street programme;

(3)        That detailed feasibility studies be undertaken on the next eight schemes in the updated ranking table at:

            (a)        Roundhills (Red Cross Site), Waltham Abbey;

            (b)        Etheridge Green, Loughton;

            (c)        Watermans Way, North Weald;

            (d)        Alderwood Close, Abridge;

            (e)        Tillingham Court, Waltham Abbey;

            (f)         Sycamore House, Buckhurst Hill;

            (g)        Roundhills (Site 4), Waltham Abbey; and

            (h)        Rochford Green, Loughton;

(4)        That planning applications be submitted for each scheme and then each of the schemes be constructed, subject to:

            (a)        the support of local residents following public consultation;

            (b)        the successful grant of planning consent;

            (c)        the average cost per bay being no more than £5,000; and

            (d)        the works and fees being able to be delivered within the existing      Capital Programme budget;

(5)        That Millfield, High Ongar and Chester Green, Loughton be removed from the list as there was insufficient land suitable to provide additional off-street parking; and

(6)        That, subject to recommendation 2 above, the following sites be placed on hold pending a further recommendation from the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee taking into account the affect, if any, a housebuilding scheme might have on parking in the vicinity:

            (a)        the two sites at Pyrles Lane, Loughton;

            (b)        Hillyfields, Loughton;

            (c)        Hornbeam Road, Buckhurst Hill;

            (d)        Graylands, Theydon Bois; and

            (e)        Parkfields, Roydon.

The Housing Portfolio Holder introduced a report which reviewed the rankings for future schemes and the capital budget for the construction of Off-Street Parking Schemes on Council-owned Housing land.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that, commencing in April 2011, a succession of off-street parking schemes on Housing land were approved across the District, undertaken in priority order based on an approved list of sites. In December 2012, it was agreed to undertake feasibility studies, consult residents, submit planning applications and construct a number of schemes (where approval was granted), all subject to the average cost per bay being less than £5,000.

The Portfolio Holder reported that a total of 182 off-street parking bays had been constructed to date, at a total cost of £607,940 including works costs and fees; this equated to an average cost of approximately £3,340 per bay. All schemes so far had been completed on time and within budget, and had made a positive improvement to the parking situation at each of the sites. For 2014/15, the planned expenditure for schemes at Ladyfields and Paley Gardens in Loughton was £74,956, and £61,579 for the scheme at Centre Avenue/Drive in Epping which was pending the results of the public consultation exercise.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted that there was no Council-owned land identified at the sites in Millfield, High Ongar and Chester Green, Loughton to provide additional off-street parking spaces; hence it was proposed to remove these two sites from the Programme. Where sites were also included on the Council Housebuilding Programme, it was proposed that the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee should be delegated authority to consider the benefits of providing off-street parking as part of the Feasibility Study and recommend to the Cabinet when the site was to be included in the programme. Consequently, it was further recommended that the two sites at Pyrles Lane in Loughton plus the sites at Hillyfields in Loughton, Hornbeam Road in Buckhurst Hill, Graylands in Theydon Bois and Parkfields in Roydon be deferred pending consideration by the Cabinet Committee.

The Portfolio Holder proposed that feasibility studies be undertaken for the eight highest ranked schemes in the Programme, with planning applications submitted if feasible. Furthermore, that construction of these eight schemes should follow on, subject to: the support of local residents following public consultation; the granting of planning permission; the average cost per parking bay not exceeding £5,000; and the works and fees being funded entirely from the existing capital budget for the Programme.

In response to questions from the Members present, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee would consider the feasibility of constructing off-street parking schemes at the two sites at Pyrles Lane and Hillyfields in Loughton when considering the development of Council properties at these locations after the Council-owned garages had been taken out of use. It was intended to progress the construction of new Council properties and off-street parking schemes in tandem at the relevant sites listed earlier. Off-street parking schemes in any case would not proceed at any site without both planning permission and a positive response from the public consultation with residents.

The Assistant Director (Housing Property and Development) added that sites could be nominated for inclusion in the Programme by Officers or Members, and the Portfolio Holder acknowledged the involvement of ward Members in getting both the sites at Roundhills at Waltham Abbey on the Programme. The Assistant Director accepted that Hornbeam Road (HH site) in Waltham Abbey should be removed from the Programme and had been included in error. The Cabinet welcomed the report and the speed and flexibility in assessing the schemes.

Decision:

(1)        That the updated ranking table for future off-street parking schemes, attached at Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed;

(2)        That, for any site listed in Appendix 1 where it was linked to any of the sites earmarked for future Council Housebuilding, the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee be delegated authority to consider the benefits of providing off-street parking as part of the feasibility study and recommend to the Cabinet when each site was to be included in future years of the off-street programme;

(3)        That detailed feasibility studies be undertaken on the next eight schemes in the updated ranking table at:

            (a)        Roundhills (Red Cross Site), Waltham Abbey;

            (b)        Etheridge Green, Loughton;

            (c)        Watermans Way, North Weald;

            (d)        Alderwood Close, Abridge;

            (e)        Tillingham Court, Waltham Abbey;

            (f)         Sycamore House, Buckhurst Hill;

            (g)        Roundhills (Site 4), Waltham Abbey; and

            (h)        Rochford Green, Loughton;

(4)        That planning applications be submitted for each scheme and then each of the schemes be constructed, subject to:

            (a)        the support of local residents following public consultation;

            (b)        the successful grant of planning consent;

            (c)        the average cost per bay being no more than £5,000; and

            (d)        the works and fees being able to be delivered within the existing      Capital Programme budget;

(5)        That Millfield, High Ongar and Chester Green, Loughton be removed from the list as there was insufficient land suitable to provide additional off-street parking; and

(6)        That, subject to recommendation 2 above, the following sites be placed on hold pending a further recommendation from the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee taking into account the affect, if any, a housebuilding scheme might have on parking in the vicinity:

            (a)        the two sites at Pyrles Lane, Loughton;

            (b)        Hillyfields, Loughton;

            (c)        Hornbeam Road, Buckhurst Hill;

            (d)        Graylands, Theydon Bois; and

            (e)        Parkfields, Roydon.

Reasons for Decision:

To approve schemes only after assessing the effectiveness of the work undertaken on previously approved schemes, taking account of the costs incurred and benefits accrued. In order to progress with any further schemes and divert adequate resources to manage the Off-Street Parking Programme, which was one of the most resource intensive programmes within the Housing Assets Section, a decision was sought to approve both the updated ranking table and the capital expenditure.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not undertake the construction of further off street parking bays. However, this would not resolve the parking problems across the District recognised during recent parking surveys.

To progress with a different number of schemes. However, a lesser number of schemes could mean reporting back to the Cabinet sooner, as it was likely that some schemes would not actually be feasible for any number of reasons.

To seek approval from the Cabinet on a stage by stage basis. However, this would lead to an increase in the frequency of future reports to the Cabinet.