Agenda item

That the Housing Services Manager – Development to present a report to the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee with regard to updating the Committee on the progress of the Council House Building Programme, Phases 3 to 5.

Decision:

(1)        That the contents of this Progress Report on Phases 3 to 5 of the Council House Building Programme be noted and presented to the Cabinet in line with the Terms of Reference of the Council House Building Cabinet Committee; and

(2)        That members consider the proposals for Phase 5 and award officers the approval to move the schemes forward through planning and construction. 

Rochelle Hoyte, Service Manager, Housing Development presented a report to the Cabinet Committee and recommended that the Council House Building Progress Report - Phases 3 to 5 be noted. She advised that the report set out the progress that had been made across Phases 3 to 5 of the Council House Building Programme and that they were either completed, on-site or were currently being procured.

Phase 3

Cyril Hawkins Close, formerly known as Queens Road, North Weald was currently in the defects period which was being managed between Storm and Qualis and EFDC officers were interjecting when required to support defects raised and to find a resolution. In addition, EFDC would be working with the Parish Council and the EFDC Housing Management Team to arrange fencing across the boundary line to the rear as there had been a number of access issues from local residents. The final account for that scheme will be achieved following the 2-year end of defects review.

Phase 4

Package 4.1 consisted of 16 units that had been contracted and were all on site, handover dates for Package 4.1 were between September and November 2021 with Pick Hill in March 2022.

Chequers Road (A), Loughton

The foul drainage alternative connection had been agreed via a neighbouring garden. Approval had now been formerly confirmed with Essex Highways.

Bushfields, Loughton

Works had been delayed due to roof tile supply issues which had now been resolved.

Chester Road, Loughton

No delays had been reported.

Queensway, Ongar

The drainage route had already been installed and was awaiting completion this had been delayed until October 2021.

Package 4.2 consisted of 22 units which were all on site, handover dates for Package 4.2 were between February and March 2022. 

Package 4.3 consisted of 15 units. Work was underway to get both contracts signed.

Pentlow Way had been delayed mainly due to the substation being re-sited. UKPN visited the site on the 8 June 2021 and a relocation for the substation had been agreed. The legal paperwork would take approximately 9 months to complete,  therefore the start on site would be delayed and there would be updates to the tender sum which will be reported back to the committee when known.

Package 4.4 consisted of 24 units, consent was awaited from planning, determination expected June 2021 to work through next steps for January 2022 start on site.

Package 4.5 consisted of 2 units. This had been delayed within planning, updates were hoped to be received by the end of June 2021 to achieve a January 2022 start on site.

Phase 5

Since the last meeting of the Council House Building Cabinet Committee officers had been working with the architects ECDA to assess whether there were any viable schemes for the developments in Phase 5.

It was important that consultations were held with Ward Councillors and residents to obtain their views on the schemes to be taken forward. These would be held in June/July 2021.

Councillor A Patel stated that there was mention made in the report to the outside architects the Council were using and asked why the Council did not have their own in-house architect services working on the schemes. He also asked if the Council were using their own in-house Building Control Team.

R Hoyte advised that the Council did not have their own in-house architects as it would be a huge cost to the Council. Schemes were not worked on continuously, they would work on one scheme and then have to wait until the next scheme was ready, it was not a cost effective way by employing in-house architects for what the Council was trying to achieve in terms of the size of our Council House Building Programme. Although the Council have their own in-house building control the contractors have independent building control who do their own independent inspections and then report back to us and highlight any concerns so that our in-house building control services could then get involved if needed.

Councillor A Patel stated that the procurement and purchasing of building materials, at present, was even more difficult than first anticipated and asked how the Council were overcoming this so that no delays would happen to the start on site dates. Could the Council consider having a storage depot to store the materials.

R Hoyte advised that all of the contractors had their own storage units so it would not be necessary for the Council, at this stage, to consider.

Councillor D Wixley referred to the development in Chester Road and the reference on page 13 of the agenda to ‘flood doors’ and could not envisage any flooding in this area. Page 39 of the agenda referred to ‘rights of way issues’ and ‘party wall agreements’ which specifically mentioned one property in Pyrles Green and asked if the officer could elaborate on these issues.

R Hoyte advised that within the district there were some areas that were identified in different flood zones and Chester Road had been identified as being in a flood zone, due to this flood doors must be installed. She advised that she would have to get more details on the ‘rights of way issues’ and the ‘party wall issues’ and report back to Councillor Wixley.

Decision:

(1)        That the contents of this Progress Report on Phases 3 to 5 of the Council House Building Programme be noted and presented to the Cabinet in line with the Terms of Reference of the Council House Building Cabinet Committee; and

(2)        That members consider the proposals for Phase 5 and award officers the approval to move the schemes forward through planning and construction. 

Reason for Decision:

Set out in its Terms of Reference, the Council House Building Cabinet Committee was to monitor and report to the Council, on an annual basis, progress and expenditure concerning the Council House Building Programme. The report sets out the progress made since reported at the last meeting on the 16 March 2021.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

This report was on the progress made since last reported on 16 March 2021 and was for noting purposes only. There were no other options for action.