Decision details

Clerks note -The Leader left the meeting following his earlier declaration of interest and Cllr Chandwani, Deputy Leader chaired the meeting for this item.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal, introduced the report which provided an update on the Council’s progress towards the Borough Plan target to deliver 1,000 Council homes for Council rent by 2022 and noted progress on providing homes for homeless families through the Haringey Community Benefit Society (CBS). The report further set out an initial assessment of the likely impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the housing delivery programme, including on its viability.

Cabinet were asked to add seven new sites of Council land - including land at Kerswell Close - to the housing delivery programme, and to remove the Roundway site from the programme.

Following questions from Cllr Jogee, Cllr Connor and Cllr das Neves the following information was provided by the Cabinet Member and  the Interim Assistant Director for Housing.

• With regards to concerns raised on the inclusion of Stokley court as a potentially suitable site on which to build new Council homes, the Cabinet Member provided assurances that there were no current plans to demolish any homes and no decisions had been made for the site. This Cabinet decision was the first stage of consideration in a defined process of engagement and consultation. Stokley court was previously approved for potential development by Cabinet on 9 July 2019. However, that approval was for a small infill scheme on the adjacent car park. Investigations of the site had identified the potential for a larger scheme, and the report was seeking Cabinet approval of investigation of that wider site.

• The designation of Stokley court as a “Good Neighbour Scheme” means that the current building is not meeting tenants’ access needs. This block was  part of a review by Homes for Haringey of its Sheltered Housing and Good Neighbour Schemes and was identified as needing considerable refurbishment. The Cabinet Member expressed, that there was a need for a broader approach to understand the potential of a bigger scheme for the site and increasing the housing currently available. The Council were being open and transparent in their consideration of this site and wanting to engage with Councillors and residents. If following this engagement and consultation there were valid objections, or if investigations demonstrated that it was not appropriate to take forward this site in the housing delivery programme, then the scheme would not proceed.

• Responding to the concerns on the uncertainty and anxiety that this engagement period of 9 months may create for residents in this scheme, the Cabinet Member gave assurance that residents would not be obligated to move from this site if they did not want to. The Cabinet Member was happy to write to residents to give them this assurance as well as Chettle Ct residents who had expressed similar concerns.

• The interim Assistant Director for Housing added, that the Homes for Haringey review of sheltered housing showed that the housing in Stokley court was in poor condition and would need to be retrofitted in a few years’ time. The Council would make sure that officers spoke individually with residents in the block, when consulting, to understand their needs and vulnerabilities. There would be a long period of consultation to accommodate effective engagement with residents, in the context of the social distancing rules and to make sure the Council were having good access to the resident’s views.

• The current health crisis would mean that the aim of delivering 1000 homes was likely to be put back by at least 6 months. A majority of the completions were due to completed in the last 6 months of administration. However, this delay needed to be considered in the context of 40 years of hardly any new homes being built. The Cabinet Member highlighted the additional challenges and issues faced to meeting this objective. This included identifying sites, enlisting expertise, and the unexpected need for demolition of the Broadwater Farm blocks decided at Cabinet in July 2018. The Council were aiming to complete the 1000 homes soon after 2022. It was envisaged that there would potentially be a higher number of starts on building homes towards the end of this administration with completions into the next administration, reaching over 1000 homes.

• In relation to the Walteof Gardens there was no definitive number as yet on the number of homes that could potentially be added. A feasibility study was being completed which would provide this information and would be sent to Cllr Connor when available.

• With regards to concerns raised about the inclusion of Chettle court as a housing site in the delivery programme, this would not mean existing homes being demolished but is simply considering potential for adding new homes to the site. As with all schemes there would be engagement and consultation with residents and if objections that outweighed the benefits  were received, the plans would not continue. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal would write to residents to provide assurance.

• Responding to a question on the Council’s learning experience of consultation and engagement with tenants and leaseholder living in buildings, where there were proposed plans for changes, the Cabinet Member referred to the consultations undertaken with residents at Reynardson Court. Also the recent changes to the Cranwood site housing provision was referred to. The concerns of residents had been taken account of and plans re-adjusted to avoid the demolition of 8 homes.

• The reason for including Stokley Court was not Covid 19 related and this was a previous block identified for improvement.

• The Cabinet Member was clear that the attached report was putting forward a consultation decision as it is important to engage with residents early, on potential housing plans. There were no decisions being taken at this meeting to proceed with these sites. These were decisions to start a conversation.

• With regards to the suitability of including Chettle Court in plans given its location on a steep hill, the architects commissioned by Homes for Haringey considered that it was feasible to have housing added to the site, which will now be tested. If concerns/ objections were raised on the suitability of the site by residents or any other issues raised, then these would be fully considered.

• The YMCA development was put forward by the organisation themselves for the Council to work with them on. This included re-provision of the YMCA.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the progress made to date on delivering new Council homes for Council rent, including in relation to the interim targets set for May 2020, as set out in paragraphs 6.1 to 6.12.

2.    To note the potential impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the housing delivery programme, as set out in paragraphs 6.23 to 6.37.

3.    To also note the related progress on providing homes for homeless families by the Haringey Community Benefit Society, as set out in paragraphs 6.21 and 6.22.

4.    To agree to add seven new sites of Council-owned land, listed at 6.13 and shown at Appendix 1, to the housing delivery programme in order that their feasibility and capacity for the delivery of new Council homes can be determined.

5.    To note that following the successful defence of the Planning Authority’s decision, these new sites include the Kerswell Close site, which had previously been agreed for disposal to Pocket Living.

6.    To agree to delegate authority to the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with Director of Finance, to approve the costs of progressing these sites to Planning Application, except where the costs on any individual site exceed the existing delegated authority of the Director.

7.    To agree to remove the Roundway site from the housing delivery programme in order that it can be developed as a children’s home.

Reasons for decisions

The Borough Plan commits to delivering 1,000 Council homes at Council rents by 2022 as the first step in a new era of Council homebuilding.

Adding new sites to the programme ensures that the Council is building up a pipeline of new sites to deliver a long-term sustainable housing programme.

However, it has been determined that the Roundway site, currently in the housing delivery programme, would be more suitable for the delivery of a children’s home, so it is proposed that this is now removed from the programme.

Alternative options considered

Not to add new sites to the programme. This option was rejected because new sites on which to build homes are necessary to deliver a new era of Council homebuilding.

Not to switch Roundway from the housing delivery programme to the programme. This option was rejected because the site is much more suitable for the development of a children’s home than for Council homes; and because there is an urgent need for local children to be placed in the borough.

Not to delegate authority to approve the costs of progressing sites to Planning. This option was rejected because the programme would be unworkable if Cabinet had to directly sign off the pre-planning budget for every individual site.