Issue - meetings

Report of the Director for Housing, Regeneration and Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for House Building, Place-Making and Development.

This report makes recommendations towards the next stage of the housing delivery programme, including accepting the Greater London Authority (GLA) grant from the 2021-26 Affordable Housing Programme and delegating additional authority to vary construction contracts. Cabinet is also asked to remove five sites from the programme.

The Cabinet Member for House Building, Place-Making and Development introduced the report which made recommendations towards the next stage of the housing delivery programme, including accepting the Greater London Authority (GLA) grant from the 2021-26 Affordable Housing Programme and delegating additional authority to vary construction contracts. It was also requested that three sites were removed from the programme.

The Cabinet Member stated that the housebuilding programme was central to this administration. It was noted that the homes would have high quality design and would be energy efficient, including elements such as solar panels, green roofs, energy efficient products, and air source heat pumps which should reduce heating costs for residents..

The Cabinet Member explained that there were some changes in relation to Right to Buy receipts to include the delivery of new homes in order to reflect new government guidelines. It was noted that additional contingency sums were requested to recognise the significant increase in the costs of construction materials and these were detailed in the exempt part of the report. It was added that the report also sought approval to remove three sites from the list of acquired sites.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions from the Cabinet:

-       It was noted that funding was only available for units that replaced homes that had been or would be demolished in exceptional circumstances. It was clarified that this referred to the new programme and did not apply to Broadwater Farm or High Road West.

-       The Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, and the Climate Emergency and Deputy Leader noted that there was limited available land for housing and that schemes should increase biodiversity and greenery as much as possible.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions from Councillor Barnes:

-       It was confirmed that four schemes would be zero carbon  and that all others would achieve over 50% reductions in carbon, with most achieving over 70%. It was explained that it was aimed to achieve as close to zero carbon as possible for all schemes but that this was not always possible due to the particulars of sites.

-       It was noted that it would not be possible to include the site on Moselle Road as part of the housing delivery programme but that officers could provide an update to Councillor Barnes about the future of the site. 

-       It was confirmed that there was a target to deliver 3,000 homes and that the first completions had been delivered in 2021.

Following consideration of the exempt information, it was

RESOLVED

1.    In accordance with Contract Standing Order 17.1, approve the acceptance of capital grant under the Mayor of London’s 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, the terms of which are summarised below at 6.14 – 6.15 and available in full at the GLA web site.

2.    Delegate authority to agree the final 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme grant documentation and contract to the Director of Housing, Planning and Regeneration, after consultation with the Director of Finance and the Head of Legal and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 708