Agenda item

(Housing Portfolio Holder) To consider the minutes of the recent meeting of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee, held on 5 March 2015, and any recommendations therein.

Prioritisation of Potential Future Sites

(1)        That the strategic approach adopted by the Cabinet Committee at its meeting in February 2014 be continued for the prioritisation of potential sites;

(2)        That, taking account of the strategic approach for the prioritisation of potential sites, and using updated statistics as at February 2015, locations be grouped together into the following two Groups with the Priority Orders as shown:

            (a)        Group A (Locations with sites that could potentially deliver 10 or more        homes):

            Priority             Location

            1                      Loughton

            2                      Waltham Abbey

            3                      Epping

            4                      Ongar

            5                      Buckhurst Hill

            6                      North Weald

            (b)        Group B (Locations with sites that could potentially deliver less than           10 homes):

            Priority             Location

            1                      Roydon

            2                      Nazeing

            3                      Theydon Bois

            4                      High Ongar

            5                      Coopersale

            6                      Matching Green/Tye

(3)        That a review of the priority orders within Groups A and B in (2) above be undertaken by the Cabinet Committee in 3 years time, having regard to the same strategic approach set out in the existing Policy on the Prioritisation of Sites;

(4)        That, taking account of the priority order agreed by the Cabinet Committee in February 2014, Phase 3 be made up of 35 new homes on the following sites already agreed as viable by the Cabinet Committee at its meeting in December 2014, subject to the two revised feasibility studies at Queens Road, North Weald and Centre Drive (Site B), Epping, considered earlier on the agenda, being agreed, based on a total scheme cost of £6,395,477, with a subsidy requirement of £923,600:

            (a)        Queens Road, North Weald – 12 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (b)        Bluemans End, North Weald  - 4 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (c)        Stewards Green Road, Epping – 4 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (d)        Site A Parklands, Coopersale – 2 x 1-bed 2P flats & 2 x 2-bed 4P   houses;

            (e)        Site C Parklands, Coopersale – 1 x 2-bed 4P bungalow;

            (f)         Centre Avenue, Epping – 2 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (g)        Centre Drive (Site B), Epping- 1 x 3-bed 5P house;

            (h)        Site B Springfield, Epping – 2 x 1-bed 2P bungalows;

            (i)         Site C Springfield, Epping – 2 x 1-bed 2P bungalows & 2 x 2-bed 4P           houses; and

            (j)         79 London Road, Ongar – 1 x 3-bed 5P house;

(5)       That, subject to the sites listed in (4) 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 Housebuilding; and

(6)       That Phase 4 of the Council’s Housebuilding Programme be focused on Ongar and Buckhurst Hill.

The Housing Portfolio Holder presented the minutes from the recent meeting of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee, held on 5 March 2015.

The Cabinet Committee had made recommendations to the Cabinet concerning the Prioritisation of Potential Future Sites. Other issues considered by the Cabinet Committee included: Future Use Options for Phase II of the Council Housebuilding Programme; Revised Feasibility Studies for Centre Drive, Epping and Queens Road, North Weald; Street Naming for Developments in Phase I of the Council Housebuilding Programme; a progress report on the developments at Marden Close and Faversham Hall in Chigwell; and Financial Monitoring Reports for the Council Housebuilding Programme.

Decision:

Prioritisation of Potential Future Sites

(1)        That the strategic approach adopted by the Cabinet Committee at its meeting in February 2014 be continued for the prioritisation of potential sites;

(2)        That, taking account of the strategic approach for the prioritisation of potential sites, and using updated statistics as at February 2015, locations be grouped together into the following two Groups with the Priority Orders as shown:

            (a)        Group A (Locations with sites that could potentially deliver 10 or more        homes):

            Priority             Location

            1                      Loughton

            2                      Waltham Abbey

            3                      Epping

            4                      Ongar

            5                      Buckhurst Hill

            6                      North Weald

            (b)        Group B (Locations with sites that could potentially deliver less than           10 homes):

            Priority             Location

            1                      Roydon

            2                      Nazeing

            3                      Theydon Bois

            4                      High Ongar

            5                      Coopersale

            6                      Matching Green/Tye

(3)        That a review of the priority orders within Groups A and B in (2) above be undertaken by the Cabinet Committee in 3 years time, having regard to the same strategic approach set out in the existing Policy on the Prioritisation of Sites;

(4)        That, taking account of the priority order agreed by the Cabinet Committee in February 2014, Phase 3 be made up of 35 new homes on the following sites already agreed as viable by the Cabinet Committee at its meeting in December 2014, subject to the two revised feasibility studies at Queens Road, North Weald and Centre Drive (Site B), Epping, considered earlier on the agenda, being agreed, based on a total scheme cost of £6,395,477, with a subsidy requirement of £923,600:

            (a)        Queens Road, North Weald – 12 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (b)        Bluemans End, North Weald  - 4 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (c)        Stewards Green Road, Epping – 4 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (d)        Site A Parklands, Coopersale – 2 x 1-bed 2P flats & 2 x 2-bed 4P   houses;

            (e)        Site C Parklands, Coopersale – 1 x 2-bed 4P bungalow;

            (f)         Centre Avenue, Epping – 2 x 3-bed 5P houses;

            (g)        Centre Drive (Site B), Epping- 1 x 3-bed 5P house;

            (h)        Site B Springfield, Epping – 2 x 1-bed 2P bungalows;

            (i)         Site C Springfield, Epping – 2 x 1-bed 2P bungalows & 2 x 2-bed 4P           houses; and

            (j)         79 London Road, Ongar – 1 x 3-bed 5P house;

(5)       That, subject to the sites listed in (4) 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 Housebuilding; and

(6)       That Phase 4 of the Council’s Housebuilding Programme be focused on Ongar and Buckhurst Hill.

Reasons for Decision:

The Cabinet was satisfied that the Cabinet Committee had fully addressed all the relevant issues.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

The Cabinet was satisfied that the Cabinet Committee had considered all the relevant options and that there were no further options to consider.