Agenda item

a.         Report of the Monitoring Officer (to follow)

b.         Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration, Planning and Development (to follow)

c.         Appendices:

-       Copy of call-in

-       Excerpt from the draft minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on  12^th September 2017

-       12 September  Cabinet report High Road West Regneration Scheme – Selection of a Development Partner and Next Steps

Following an outline of the process for the call-in meeting, and the possible outcomes, the Chair invited Councillors Carter and Hare to present their arguments for why they had requested the Cabinet decision to be called in and the alternative action requested.

Councillors Carter and Hare set out their reasons for the call-in.  The main points raised in the call-in were the impact on current residents of the Love Lane estate, the lack of affordable housing which would be provided, the doubts over whether residents had a true right of return.  Councillor Carter added that he questioned the decision to place more regeneration work with Lendlease, when Cabinet had made the decision to award the HDV contract to them.  Councillor Hare referred to a number of businesses on the Peacock Industrial Estate and shared his concerns that the area would lose a number of local and diverse businesses.  They requested that the Committee refer the decision back to Cabinet.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, Councillor Strickland,  responded to the call-in.  He explained that by choosing Lendlease as the preferred bidder, it would be possible to provide a significant amount of council housing.  This housing would be managed by Homes for Haringey.  He informed the Committee that the scheme would provide 539 homes, with a number available at London affordable rent, as well as providing homes specifically for Love Lane tenants at 500 White Hart Lane.  It was the priority of the Council to provide as much choice to residents as possible.  In relation to the Peacock Industrial Estate, Councillor Strickland advised that all of the businesses had been met with, and a number had indicated that they had wanted to relocate from the site.  There was a dedicated team and support fund in place to work with these businesses.

In response to questions from the Committee, Councillor Strickland and officers informed them that there would be 3000 construction jobs provided, and 500 permanent jobs, and that a number of businesses would be retained at the Peacock site.  The original masterplan had made it clear that businesses would not be relocated out of the area, and a support team had been set up to ensure that as many businesses as possible could stay. 

Councillor Strickland informed the Committee that there were currently 212 social rented properties, and 145 would be re-provided at Love Lane, with a further 29 in the Newlon scheme at 500 White Hart Lane.  Overall, the scheme provided 750 affordable homes.  All residents who currently paid a service charge, would continue to pay a service charge in the future, and this would be managed by Homes for Haringey.

Clerk’s note – at this point in the meeting, the Committee passed a motion to exclude the press and public to allow them to discuss exempt areas of the report, and left the room to do so.  The meeting then reconvened in public session.

Having discussed the call-in both in public and private session, the Committee

RESOLVED that the decision be referred back to Cabinet, with the following recommendations:

a)      That the number of replacement council homes available at social rent within the proposed arrangements be at least equal to the current provision;

b)      That there be more engagement with council leaseholders and that Cabinet outline the steps they will take to satisfy the reasonable expectations of leaseholders including replacement homes and succession rights;

c)      That more work be carried out to support businesses affected, and that any business currently based on the site be able to remain within the masterplan area, should they wish to do so.