Agenda item

(Report of the Director of Place and Sustainability. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration). The report seeks approval of the emerging Strategic Regeneration Framework and associated Area Wide and Neighbourhood Framework Plans for consultation through the consultation and engagement arrangements detailed in this report.

REPORT TO FOLLOW

Prior to the consideration of this item a presentation was given by Mr Joe Berridge of Urban Strategies. A copy of the presentation was appended to the report.

Cabinet considered a report, introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, which sought approval of the emerging Strategic Framework and associated Area Wide and Neighbourhood Framework Plans for consultation through the consultation and engagement arrangements detailed in the report.

Councillor Strickland noted that the Tottenham Regeneration Programme had initially been driven by the need to help businesses and residents return to normal following the riots. Moving forward a more ambitious, broader plan was required to deliver the long term ambitions of the Council and community for Tottenham and the Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) was intended to provide the overarching plan and long term vision for Tottenham.

In response to concerns raised regarding the impact that regeneration work might have upon people living in poor quality, private rented accommodation, Councillor Strickland noted that ensuring that all residents had good quality homes was a key priority for the Council and this would be reflected in the SRF.

With regard to concern expressed in relation to the level of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Tottenham and what would be done to address the issues attached to this as part of the regeneration work, it was noted that the Cabinet Member for Planning and Enforcement was looking at means of improving the way the Council dealt with these and that this work was closely linked to the SRF.

Councillor Strickland advised Members that details regarding the Programme Management Office Delivery Board had been set out at a recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.

In response to a request that an archive was created where all of the background documents that fed into the SRF and other key regeneration documents Councillor Strickland agreed that this was a good idea and asked that officers look at establishing this.

When asked how residents who might not normally get involved in consultation events would be engaged with, Councillor Strickland advised that four Community Liaison Groups were being established across Tottenham with a view to engaging stakeholders that had not been reached through previous consultation events. The importance of engaging with schools and young people was noted and it was recognised good schools were essential to keeping and attracting families to Tottenham.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Employment and Carbon Reduction, Councillor Goldberg, underlined the importance of employment and creating new jobs in Tottenham and noted that two hundred local people had recently been employed by the new Sainsbury’s on the High Road. Strategies such as the one used in this case, to ensure local people benefited from new jobs in the area, would be pivotal to regeneration work and the SRF would support this. He noted that replacing jobs lost in the 1960’s and 1970’s was an essential part of the regeneration of the area.

RESOLVED:

1. That the emerging Strategic Regeneration Framework and associated Area-Wide and Neighbourhood Framework Plans (set out at Appendix 2 and Appendix 3 respectively) be agreed and now be subject to consultation through the consultation and engagement arrangements, set out in the report;

2. That it be agreed that the final Strategic Regeneration Framework be reported to an early 2014 Cabinet for formal adoption; and

3. That the following be noted:

Ø  Progress, to date, on the development of the draft Tottenham Regeneration Programme, together with the emerging governance arrangements

Ø  Community consultation and engagement approach and agreed continued consultation and engagement over coming months

Ø  Various consultation processes relating to the reports on this agenda are being coordinated with the SRF consultation process, where appropriate

Alternative Options Considered

The Council has long been committed to the regeneration of Tottenham and following investment of £41m in 2012, the Cabinet accepted the need to develop a plan for change in Tottenham, including the commission of Arup to prepare the Tottenham Physical Development Framework. This Framework is now in an advanced draft and nearing completion.

Alternative approaches include:

Ø  Not progressing with ideas contained in the emerging Physical Development Framework for Tottenham

Ø  Restricting activity to carrying out the projects connected with the £41m investment package only, contained in the report to Cabinet dated February 2012

Ø  Not developing any further a socio-economic plan for Tottenham

Ø  Not bringing forward the Strategic Regeneration Framework for Tottenham regeneration

Reasons for Decision

The report asks Cabinet to agree the emerging Strategic Framework and the draft Area-Wide and Neighbourhood Framework Plans, for consultation through the consultation and engagement arrangements set out in this report, so that it can be reported to an early 2014 Cabinet, for formal adoption.

The report also asks Cabinet to note the emerging programme of governance, the consultation and engagement approach adopted and that the various consultation processes relating to the reports on this agenda are being coordinated with the SRF consultation process, as appropriate.