Agenda item

The Cabinet Member received the report. Officers stated:

-       The Council-owned land, previously a 13-bay car park, was identified for housing development as part of the Housing Delivery programme in July 2019. Located in Tottenham Central ward, the site had strong transport links, including overground and underground stations. Due to the pandemic, public consultation was conducted virtually between September and October 2020, with only three households responding.

-       Residents expressed concerns about the loss of parking, especially for older individuals and those with disabilities. While some feared increased congestion, a parking survey showed sufficient capacity in nearby controlled parking zones. Wider engagement meetings in November 2020 reiterated parking concerns, but the Council maintained that local streets could accommodate demand. The project was designed as a car-free development, with one parking bay for wheelchair users.

-       Construction-related disturbances were another concern, prompting the Council to commit to mitigating disruptions. The scheme was submitted for planning in December 2020, with residents consulted again, and planning approval was granted in March 2021.

THE CABINET MEMBER RESOLVED:

Recommendations:

2.1. It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning:

2.2. Approve the appointment of Contractor A, identified in the exempt part of the report to enter into a JCT Design & Build 2016. The contract will include a break clause which is subject to planning submission by Contractor A and approval to provide 7 high-quality new Council homes at social rent with amenities including a communal garden, bike and bin stores.

2.3. Approve the use of the Council’s powers under Section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to override easements and other third-party rights and interests infringed upon by the Jansons road development under planning ref: HGY/2021/0030 and any related planning permission granted under section 73 or section 96a of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

2.4. Delegate to the Delivery Director, after consultation with the Director of Finance & Resources and the Cabinet Member for Housing & Planning, authority to make payments of compensation as a result of genuine claims of third-party rights affected by the Jansons road development and payable as a result of the approval in section 3.5, within the existing scheme of delegation.

2.5. Approve the total contract sum set out in the Jansons Road Exempt Report.

2.6. Approve the issuance of a letter of intent as set out in the Jansons Road Exempt Report.

2.7. Note that in July 2021 Cabinet approved the appropriation of the land for planning purposes to facilitate the development process and then to appropriate for housing purposes following practical completion. Please see background document ‘Award of contract July 2021’.

2.8. Note that entering into a JCT Design & Build Contract 2016 (with amendments) with Contractor A is subject to planning permission being granted as set out in section 9.9 of this report.

Reasons for the decision

3.1. The site known as Jansons road was approved by Cabinet in October 2019 to be included in the Council’s Housing Delivery programme.

3.2. Planning permission was granted in March 2021 for a five-unit scheme under planning reference HGY/2021/0030.

3.3. In July 2021 Cabinet approved the award of a construction contract for the Jansons Road Car Park development NFC Homes Limited, this appointment was terminated in 2022 – please see section 7 of this report.

3.4. In September 2024 a competitive tender was launched via the London Construction Programme (LCP) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and Contractor A has been identified via this tender process to undertake these works.

3.5. Subject to a successful S73 planning submission and approval, there are no reasons for the Council to believe that any third-party rights would be infringed by the development.

3.6. Subject to the aforementioned planning approval, the site will provide 7 much needed Council homes on Council land, including three 3-bed, 4-person family homes.

3.7. These 7 new Council homes will contribute to our commitment to build 3,000 new high-quality council homes by 2031.

Alternative options considered

4.1. It would be possible not to develop this site for housing purposes, however, this option was rejected as it does not support the Council’s commitment to deliver a new generation of Council homes.

4.2. The council could choose not to award the contract for the 7-home scheme until such point permission for the amendment to the existing 5-home scheme has been granted by the planning authority. This option was rejected as Contractor A is best placed to progress the planning amendment under a precontract service agreement, working with their appointed professional team to ensure proposals are optimised for buildability, with the council only paying for these design works and their submission should approval not be granted.