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.