Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability.]

This report seeks Cabinet agreement to introduce two local eligibility criteria - a location connection test and a financial resources test - to qualify for inclusion on Haringey’s self-build register, as well as the introduction of a registration and renewal fee.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability introduced the report which sought approval to changes to Haringey’s self-build register, including introduction of a local eligibility criteria - a location connection test and a financial resources test - to qualify for inclusion on Haringey’s self-build register, as well as the introduction of a registration and renewal fee.

The Cabinet Member highlighted that here were currently 344 entries on the Self Build register of people and organisations wanting to self -build in the borough. The new criteria would help assessments and give consideration to achieving the housing objectives in the Borough Plan. These changes also further helped ensure that there was an appropriate balance between providing opportunities for self -build and reducing the scale of the register to a sustainable level so that it did not compromise the Council’s ability to make the most efficient use of land and to deliver other forms of housing. The changes would also support the Council’s objectives around Equalities and people, ensuring the opportunity for self -build prioritises local residents, enabling them to maintain their connections in the borough.

RESOLVED

1. To note that following the clarifications set out in Section 7, the proposals were endorsed by Regulatory Committee for approval by Cabinet without any changes for consideration;

2. To agree the introduction of the local connection test, as set out at paragraph 6.11 of this report, to qualify for inclusion on Part 1 of the Haringey Self-build Register;

3. To agree the introduction of the financial resources test, as set out at paragraph 6.13 of this report, to qualify for inclusion on Part 1 and Part 2 of the Haringey Self-build Register;

4. To agree to charge a £144 (inclusive of VAT) fee for registration of valid applications to the Haringey Self-build Register; and an annual re-registration fee of £144 (inclusive of VAT) to remain on Part 1 of the register thereafter; and

5. To agree to maintain the existing entries on the register until 30 October 2019 after which date they will be re-assessed against the new eligibility criteria and subject to payment of the £144 annual fee for Part 1 registrations.

Reasons for decision

This report proposes the introduction of two local eligibility criteria that will apply to applications for registration on Haringey’s self-build register as follows:

• a Financial Resources Test: to be entered onto the register applicants would have to demonstrate that they have access to the finance needed to acquire land valued at £330,000 (land valuation evidence commissioned by officers indicates that this is the minimum likely cost of a 0.01ha serviced plot in Haringey suitable for development of a single home - see Appendix A for more information about the land valuation evidence); and
• a Local Connection Test: to be entered onto Part 1 of the register (which triggers the duty to grant planning permission), applicants would also have to demonstrate that they have been living in the borough continuously for at least 3 years or are a serving member of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11